The Phoenix Police Department has placed an order for five new Airbus H125 turbine single helicopters, with deliveries are expected to begin next year. The H125 features dual hydraulics, dual channel Fadec, a crash-resistant fuel system, and advanced glass-panel cockpit displays
According to Airbus Helicopters, the model accounts for nearly half of all intermediate single engine helicopters delivered for airborne law enforcement missions in North America over the last decade. It is built at Airbus Helicopters Inc.’s production and completion facility in Columbus, Mississippi. Overall, there are more than 3,100 Airbus helicopters in service throughout North America.
“We spent a lot of time analyzing which platform would best fit all of our operational needs as we began to renew our fleet, and the H125 met all of our requirements,” said Paul Apolinar, Phoenix Police Department chief pilot. “These aircraft will allow us not only to protect from the skies but to perform rescues in remote locations all over Arizona. We needed an aircraft that excels in hot temperatures, and the H125 is really the best aircraft for the job in such conditions.”