Shawn, I can't let this one go without reminding you that ever since you divulged these figures of between 7 - 10 hours per shift physically flying singles, that this MORE THAN equates to the running costs for our units here in the UK.
Their hourly costs annihilate ours because of the obsessive and excessive flying they do. [And I'm not being emotional about this either
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You dont have an insight into the running costs of a police unit. We ALL get 'good' quotes on fuel/insurance/multiple equipment procuremnet programmes, the yanks aren't any different.
When you talk "DOC's" that is a very very grey area.
I can quote you 3 DOC's for our a/c dependent on which way you look at it.
The ECD production leaflet for an EC135 states that its DOC's are about $186/hour
Who worked that one out!!!!!
Do you include salaries / insurances/ base admin costs/ base maintenance costs / additional equipment repairs / bolt on insurances etc etc etc.
Now that you've told me these guys are running at roughly 3600hrs /year, their costs will be at the very least similar to our average 1000hrs. All other costs are common ground. Therefore US police units are just as expensive as ours!!!
I would hesitate to suggest they take a cold hard look at the quality of work they are pushing out whilst airborne 'waiting for the next job'...what an inefficient waste of taxpayers money
My one turbine overhaul equals their 6 or 7 minor overhauls they must need throughout the year?
I am staggered that US police units fly for that length of time day in day out year on year.....someone needs to get a grip over there
[If this is normal practice]. So far it seems only one is advertised as doing it, perhaps someone from over the pond will tell us otherwise???
C Charlie: That is the CAA's whole purpose of allowing the flying of twins over built up areas; so that they can remain airborne with a power unit failure. Class1 / Clear area.
The EC135 I fly will remain in the hover with 1 engine failed 90% of the time.