Unit Adds An AS350B To Its Fleet

Members of the Phoenix Police Air Support Unit were at the American Eurocopter Delivery Center in Grand Prairie Friday to pick up another AS350B3 "AStar" helicopter. It is the fourth AS350 for the unit and it will join a diverse fleet covering the Phoenix area. 

The Phoenix Police Department's Air Support Unit was established in 1973. The primary mission of the unit is to provide air support to the Phoenix PD's ground patrol units. The unit operates 14 hours a day, seven days a week covering more than 500 square miles and serving over 1.5 million residents. It has proven itself as a highly skilled team and its scope has expanded to include Search & Rescue missions as well as fire fighting responsibilities.

"When we started the process to add another helicopter to our fleet, we knew that it was imperative to meet the performance needs of our expanded mission profile as well as the fiscal needs of our department," said Dave Harvey, Phoenix Police Air Support Unit Commander. "The AS350 provides us with the performance we need as well as better manageability and lower operating costs."

"We are extremely gratified that the Phoenix Police Air Support Unit has selected yet another AS350B3 work horse to add to their fleet of now four AStars," said Larry Roberts, American Eurocopter Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Support. "The AS350 family continues to provide an extremely reliable, durable and cost effective solution that also encompasses an unrivaled cockpit and platform for  today's expanding airborne law enforcement needs……clearly the #1 choice."

The AS350 is a powerful and reliable aircraft that has established itself with its unmatched performance, extensive mission equipment options and the safety of its multiple-redundancy system design. The aircraft provides unparalleled visibility and proven law enforcement integration.

"This purchase allowed us to utilize capital improvement funds to expand the availability of our fleet," continued Harvey. "The proven durability and reliability of the AS350B3 plus the top-level warranty and customer support provided by American Eurocopter means that we can consistently be ready to serve the residents of the area."

The AS350 family has established itself as the preferred platform for U.S. law enforcement agencies and it serves with 75 agencies across the nation, including major federal operators such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

FMI: www.eurocopterusa.com