Bell has signed a purchase agreement with the Nebraska State Patrol for a new Bell 505. The helicopter will join the Patrol’s Bell 407, which is used for a variety of public safety missions including search and rescue, surveillance, photography, criminal pursuits and apprehension, and natural disaster response.
The Nebraska State Patrol began its Aviation Support Unit in 1970 with a Bell 206B Jet Ranger. In 1979, the Patrol purchased a Bell 206BIII Jet Ranger, and the following year it acquired three Cessna 182RGs. Over nearly 30 years these aircraft flew a combined 40,000 flight hours. Upon delivery of the 505, the Aviation Support Division (ASD) will operate a Bell 505, a Bell 407, three Cessna T206H Turbo Stationairs, and a Piper Super Cub to support to any law enforcement agency in the state.
The Patrol’s 505 will be outfitted with an L3 Wescam MX-10 camera system, a Trakka Beam TLX, and a MacroBlue tactical display with a Churchill ARS 700C augmented reality mapping system. The 505 is equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics and has a top speed of 125 knots and a useful load of 1,500 pounds.