Wed, Jan 12, 2011
One More Aircraft To Head To MDPD Later This Year
A third AS350 B3 helicopter was delivered to the Miami-Dade
Police Department’s (MDPD) Aviation Unit Monday. This is the
third of four AS350 B3’s that have been ordered by the agency
from American Eurocopter. The first was delivered in 2008, and the
MDPD will receive their fourth aircraft later this year.
“The AS350 series gives Law Enforcement agencies the
ability to equip their helicopters with an ever-expanding suite of
mission equipment without pushing the limits of performance,”
says Ed Van Winkle, American Eurocopter’s Law Enforcement
Market Manager. The MDPD aircraft are equipped with a thermal
imager, searchlight, moving map system, video downlink and tactical
platforms for tactical team transport and deployment. American
Eurocopter also delivered each helicopter with a night vision
goggle (NVG) compatible cockpit, in addition to providing NVG
training for all MDPD pilots.
The mission platform of the MDPD Aviation Unit has evolved in
recent years to support additional initiatives in the Miami-Dade
county and surrounding region. These include Homeland Security
initiatives as well as port security and coverage for key county
infrastructures. This aircraft will support those efforts and join
the department’s Special Patrol Bureau’s Aviation Unit
that includes a fleet of rotary and fixed wing aircraft.
The AS350 B3 is a single-engine helicopter powered by a 847 shp
Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 engine. The AS350 family has established
itself as the preferred platform for U.S. law enforcement agencies
across the nation, including major federal operators such as the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Agency
(DEA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
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