The Volusia County (Florida) Sheriff’s aviation unit, Air One, has signed a purchase agreement with Bell for two 407GXi helicopters. The new aircraft will mark the fourth and fifth Bell 407s to serve in the sheriff’s fleet. Operated out of DeLand Municipal Airport near Orlando, Air One operates 24/7/365 to support the sheriff’s office’s aerial operations, including law enforcement, search and rescue, fire suppression and monitoring, and special missions such as SWAT team fast-rope insertions.
“For more than 20 years, Air One has relied on the Bell 407 to complete life-saving missions in Volusia and other neighboring counties,” said Capt. Richard Fortin of the sheriff’s special services law enforcement operations division. “The 407GXi was Air One’s choice aircraft when looking at growing our fleet and expanding our mission efficiency.”
The Bell 407GXi is powered by a Rolls-Royce M250-C47E/4 turbine engine with dual-channel fadec that is designed to deliver improved hot and high performance, fuel efficiency, and 133-knot cruise speeds.