Hawaii-Based Helo Marks Milestone During Medevac Mission

The US Coast Guard’s fleet of Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin helicopters has passed its one million flight hour milestone, marking another key operational achievement for the twin-engine rotary-wing aircraft that perform patrol, law enforcement and rescue missions throughout the United States.

Representatives with Eurocopter tell ANN from the helicopter’s first delivery in 1985, HH-65s have become a key element of Coast Guard aviation, with 96 Dolphins currently in the service’s inventory. Today, HH-65s operate from 17 Coast Guard Air Stations throughout the continental United States, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

It was a Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, HI HH-65C helicopter that reached the one million flight hour milestone on September 20, 2007 while on a maritime medical evacuation (Medevac) mission with the patient on board.

The HH-65 fleet has been assigned new mission responsibilities that include the use of armed versions for the protection of the US Capital region and the interception/interdiction of vessels at sea. Search and rescue remains one of the key duties for HH-65s, with the Dolphins used extensively in lifesaving operations after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and routinely deployed on missions from sea level to high-altitude mountainous terrain.

"The one-million hour milestone is an impressive accomplishment, which takes on added significance considering the environment in which the Coast Guard’s fleet operates and the varied types of mission performed by these aircraft," said American Eurocopter President Marc Paganini. "All of us at American Eurocopter are proud to be part of this achievement, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the Coast Guard in supporting, and further improving, the HH-65."

"The US Coast Guards are one of our most important and emblematic customers. Their one million flight hour milestone is an extremely symbolic achievement," added Eurocopter Group CEO Dr. Lutz Bertling. "At Eurocopter, we endeavor to provide the best high performance helicopters to all our Coast Guard customers together with a fully dedicated customer support in order to allow them to carry out their public service missions efficiently and in the utmost security."

All US Coast Guard Dolphins have completed a conversion to the HH-65C version, which incorporated engine and system upgrades to provide even more power, greater maneuverability and increased safety margins. The upgrade was performed at the US Coast Guard’s Aircraft Repair and Supply Center (AR&SC), with American Eurocopter operating a supplemental conversion line at its Columbus, MS facility.

FMI: www.eurocopter.com, www.uscg.mil