Headsethair: Your interpretations re the financing of police ops is woefully incorrect.
How much does a new R22 cost? £150,000 (guess) and that is in basic format, no police equipment of any discription fitted. By the time the engineers have finished with it, you'd be looking at >£250,000
The police have never ever paid full factory prices for bulk cars. I would suggest that a brand new R Rover would cost the force about £20000 for example, then FULLY loaded for police ops would total around about £50,000, I am reliably informed by my traffic inspector here. Hmmm, 50 Vs 250????? Not even close.
DOC's for helos are very subjective. Where do you start, do you include everything such as crew salaries and running costs, base running costs in support of the helos, insurance costs, etc.
Or do you only quote the basic dry operating cost of a basic airframe?
The OFFICIAL DOC for an EC135, as per the manufacturers literature is: $185/hr (dollars, not sterling). Add to that the fudge factor for every manufacturer who is trying to sell their stuff, : $400/hr say.
The £1200/hr quote you used from one of my neighbours, caters for every conceivable extra possible, including salaries/admin/insurance/fuel/maintenance etc etc. Accountants can quote whatever you want
Mighty Gem touched on a good point. The Yanks have a different perspective on police air ops....which is just as well.
The thought of dozens of R22's flying over the skies of the UK in black livery with black windows (because the pilots don't want to be seen in an R22
), sends shivers down my spine...why do you think all yank police pilots wear black glasses
Everyone would have to go round with insect repellant
