Orange County Sheriff’s Department Becomes Latest California Law Enforcement Agency to Place Order for an Airbus Helicopters H125
Louisville, Ky. (PRWEB) March 07, 2016 -- The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has ordered an Airbus Helicopters H125 AStar helicopter as an upgrade to its existing law enforcement helicopter fleet.
The aircraft contracted for Wednesday at Heli-Expo 2016 in Louisville, Ky. will be delivered to the California law enforcement agency in March and is expected to be in service this summer.
Orange County current operates a pair of earlier model Airbus AS350 B2 AStars, one of which will be replaced by the new H125 (formerly AS350 B3e).
Orange County uses its AStars for a variety of law enforcement and public service missions including patrol flights, search and rescue, long line personnel insertions for drug eradication and airborne SWAT team sniper operations.
“The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Aviation Support Unit is looking forward to replacing its older Airbus AS350 B2 Helicopter with the upgraded and more powerful Airbus H125 Helicopter,” said Sgt. William Fitzgerald. “Airbus Helicopters has served the Orange County Sheriff’s Department well over the past 12 years. We are looking forward to continuing our relationship with Airbus Helicopters.”
The H125 (also known as AS350 B3e) is produced by Airbus Helicopters Inc. at its plant in Columbus, Miss. The highly reliable, high-performance, multi-mission H125 is the most popular single-engine helicopter among U.S. law enforcement agencies. Four other California law enforcement agencies have recently taken delivery of new H125s. Two each were delivered to the California Highway Patrol and Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, and one each to the Los Angeles Police Department and Ontario Police Department.
“We are pleased that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department has shown their continued faith in Airbus Helicopters and the AStar family of aircraft,” said Ed Van Winkle, Senior Sales Manager of law enforcement for Airbus Helicopters Inc. “They join a growing list of respected law enforcement agencies that have found Airbus Helicopters AStars to be the right aircraft for their missions, and who are now upgrading to the more capable H125.”
The H125 is an ideal law enforcement platform because of its enhanced power and maneuverability, load carrying capacity and hot- and high-performance capabilities. The single-engine H125 is the latest version of the Airbus Helicopters AStar family of helicopters. Powered by the Turbomeca Arriel 2D engine, the H125 boasts a high cruise speed up to 140 knots and extra lifting capability. It is equipped with a dual digital engine control (FADEC) system, Engine Data Recorder, and Vehicle and Engine Multifunction Display (VEMD) -- enhancing safety and systems management while reducing workload for pilots.
Airbus Helicopters Inc. leads the U.S. market in sales of new helicopters to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies maintaining a 54 percent market share over the last decade. A trusted partner in the law enforcement community, Airbus Helicopters has supplied aircraft to more than 50 law enforcement agencies across the nation.
In 2015 alone, Airbus Helicopters Inc. received orders for 15 new law enforcement aircraft to customers including California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles Police Department, Lee County Florida Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ontario Police Department, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and Elbit Systems. Airbus Helicopters Inc. delivered nine aircraft to law enforcement agencies in 2015.
For more information on Airbus Helicopters’ industry leading rotorcraft, stop by Airbus Helicopters Booth #9651 at Heli-Expo 2016 in Louisville. Or, visit http://www.airbushelicoptersinc.com.
About Airbus Helicopters Inc.
Airbus Helicopters Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Airbus Helicopters, the largest helicopter manufacturer in the world, and a subsidiary of the Airbus Group. Airbus Helicopters Inc. manufactures H125 and UH-72A helicopters and markets, sells and supports the broadest range of civil and parapublic helicopters offered in the U.S. The product line represents the industry’s most cost-effective, technologically-advanced helicopters serving all markets and missions. The company’s headquarters and main facility are in Grand Prairie, Texas, with a large manufacturing and production facility in Columbus, Miss. For more information, visit http://www.airbushelicoptersinc.com.
For more information please contact:
Bob Cox
Senior Manager, Communications
and Media Relations
Tel: 972-641-3525
Cell: 972-213-2038
bob(dot)cox(at)airbus(dot)com
Bob Cox, Airbus Helicopters Inc., http://www.airbushelicoptersinc.com, +1 (972) 641-3525, [email protected]
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