The Phoenix Police Department has decided to upgrade its helicopter fleet and has placed an order for five Airbus H125s.
Deliveries of the aircraft are expected to begin next year. They will be built at Airbus Helicopters Inc’s production and completion facility in Columbus, Mississippi.
Paul Apolinar, chief pilot at the Phoenix Police Department, said: “We spent a lot of time analysing which platform would best fit all of our operational needs as we began to renew our fleet, and the H125 met all of our requirements.
“Our responsibility is to protect and serve the Phoenix community, and these aircraft will allow us not only to protect from the skies, but to perform rescues in remote locations all over Arizona. We needed an aircraft that excels in hot temperatures, and the H125 is really the best aircraft for the job in such conditions.”
According to the manufacturer, nearly half of all the intermediate single-engine helicopters delivered for airborne law enforcement missions in North America over the last decade have been H125s. The type features dual hydraulics, dual-channel FADEC, a crash-resistant fuel system and advanced glass-panel cockpit displays.
Ron Kelley, airborne law enforcement segment manager at Airbus Helicopters Inc, stated: “The H125 is one of the most popular law enforcement helicopters in the US, for good reason. Its versatility and high performance make it an ideal platform for diverse law enforcement missions, including aerial surveillance and search and rescue, and it is a proven solution that’s consistently ready for the call when it’s needed most.”
