Mon, Feb 07, 2005
Orange County Sheriff's Department Selects A-Star B2
Eurocopter tells ANN that helicopters are critically important
to the mission of the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD), be
it for aiding in suspect pursuits, Search and Rescue operations in
Cleveland National Forest, or fire reconnaissance and
suppression.
Unfortunately, the two helicopters in the OCSD Air Support
Bureau fleet are starting to show their age after years of faithful
service. This is why the OCSD recently purchased a new helicopter
for its fleet the Eurocopter A-Star B2.
"I was asked to put together a 'Wish List' of all the capabilities
the Department wanted in a new helicopter," says Sgt. Manuel
Pacheco, the OCSD Air Support Bureau's Chief Pilot. "Once we had
the list, we went out and evaluated three aircraft against this
criteria. The A-Star B2 was the only one of the three to fulfill
our Wish List."
The Eurocopter A-Star B2 is a single engine light helicopter
that can carry 5 to 6 passengers plus a pilot. It comes equipped
with a 732 shp Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1 engine. The A-Star B2 has a
fast cruise speed of 140 kts.
"What sets the A-Star B2 apart from our existing helicopters is
its capacity," Sgt. Pacheco says. "For instance, we can load all
the equipment we need and still carry a minimum of two crew and two
passengers. The A-Star B2's interior is roomy enough to carry a
stretcher or backboard during SAR/MedEvac operations, and can hoist
our 200 gallon 'Bambi Bucket' for water bombing runs."
The OCSD's A-Star B2 has been fitted with some options to make
it more mission-capable. "For instance, we replaced the standard
panel with a Geneva law enforcement half panel, to provide more
visibility," Sgt. Pacheco. "Even with this panel's lower profile,
it still has enough space to hold all our avionics displays;
eliminating the need for a supplemental rear panel." The A-Star B2
has also been fitted with a high visibility observer's window door
for improved visibility.
The Air Support Bureau's new A-Star B2 also is being fitted with a
Westcam 12D200 infrared and daytime/lowlight camera system with
video downlinking, Nightsun, and moving map system. The OCSD's
A-Star B2 also comes with air conditioning and a wire strike
protection kit.
"With the A-Star B2 in our fleet, we are hoping to increase the
number of missions we fly and the types we fly as well," says Sgt.
Pacheco. "The A-Star B2's lift capacity means that we won't have to
offload equipment to reconfigure for other missions: we can just
take off and go."
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