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MD Helos and Dutch Police

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Old 1st Mar 2005, 20:38
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Dutch Police

Today March 1 the latest 'deadline' for delivery of a certified MD900 Explorer to the Dutch Police [KLPD] expired. It is known that the airframes are not yet certified to the new full weight [around 3,000kg].

I am led to believe that the Dutch Government issued a statement on this at 1400 today [March 1]. A single source suggests that the programme contract for eight Explorers has been cancelled.

I now have a second source on this that states...that the contract is officially cancelled.

Helifly N.V. should have delivered the first 2 MD902's today 01 March 2005. Nothing happened so the contract for 8 MD902's was cancelled this afternoon.
The contract was worth approx 60M Euros, a 15M Euro deposit was paid by the Dutch Government and they are hoping to
retrieve this via the courts. A battle for the lawyers again. Seems there was a 10M Euro penalty clause in the contract as well.

hey recently aquired 2 additional second hand MBB105s, PH-RPX and RPY from Germany ... I guess they had this outcome in mind as the leased US registered MD900 will no longer be available.

A full Dutch language explanation is at www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/news/?id=7534

Last edited by PANews; 1st Mar 2005 at 22:41.
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Old 3rd Mar 2005, 14:04
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MD Helos & Dutch Police

Can anyone in EU comment on current report (Rotorhub) that Dutch have cancelled 8 MD902 order?
Story on Dutch News website does not translate into understandable Texican English?
Current competition by Boeing/MD and Bell for US Army ARH program makes health of MD topic of interest?
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Old 3rd Mar 2005, 15:02
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MD902

Some other local source : The minister confirms this on his own web-site

http://www.ministerremkes.nl/veiligh...tract_levering

for the many of you that don't read dutch every day:

Contract seems indeed to have been cancelled.

From what I understand here
- there still was one (minor) certificate missing
- the dutch did not really want the heli anymore (can be read into the official statements in the sense that the first point was not the only point leading to the decision)

Delta3
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Old 3rd Mar 2005, 15:14
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Anyone care to translate ??

This is the story referred to - needs translating to English if anyone can do the honours ?



http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/news/?id=7534


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Old 3rd Mar 2005, 17:34
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http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/tr

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/tr

Minister Remkes: contract supply MD-902 dissolved police force helicopters

01-03-2005

THE HAGUE - the contract for the supply of eight MD 902's police force helicopters to the korps rural police forces (KLPD) has been dissolved. This writes minister Remkes of home affairs to the House of Commons. Supplier Helifly N.V do not appear able today (1 March) two certified offer Explorers for the acceptance which meets the demands made in the contract.

According to Remkes there moreover large uncertainty concerning the support exists after supply of the toestellen by Helifly N.V and the manufacturer MD Helicopters Inc. For the paid advance a bank guarantee has been delivered; that amount is now called back. The ministry of home affairs does not require contractual forfeited fine of wide ten millions euro on because of complying with its obligation by Helifly. The preparation for a European invitation to tender for supply of other helicopters has meanwhile started, thus the minister writes.

End years ninety has been done study into the requirements and wishes concerning new helicopters for the Dutch police force. Appeared that need existed to one type of helicopter which is multipurpose and more efficiently usable. This led to the choice for the MD 902. after in 2002 delay, in the supply had arisen, arose in 2003 obscurity, or the helicopter would meet the technical requirements.

Research by national air - and space travel laboratory (NLR) showed to that the helicopter could meet the requirements. Continueing the contract would take place if Helifly N.V and MD Helicopters Inc. both agreement would go conditions put with a number of by the minister. On 14 April 2004 the contractor as well as the manufacturer have agreed with the put conditions: on 1 March 2005, or as much rather as possible, had the first two helicopters, which meet made contractual, is demands and is certified, for the acceptance are offered.

Technical adaptations
To now proves to be Helifly donot can provide N.V and MD Helicopters Inc. the again on arranged date. One of the causes are problems in the ` Weight and Balance (W&B). "these solve problems an additional certification programme is necessary that within the set period of 1 March 2005 falls", writes Remkes with technical adaptations of the helicopter, however, but for this is not. However also without problems in the W&B supply appeared not today feasable.

Meanwhile proves to be according to a research of the KLPD which the production process of the American manufacturer has reached meanwhile nearly stilstand. This the construction of the helicopters three up to and including eight and the maintenance makes extremely uncertain, thus it is concluded by the minister.

A component of the signed appointments of April 2004 was a ruil of already the leenhelikopters new in bruikleen is helicopters against two `, but these appears be able provide the manufacturer. By the end of December for that two used German police force helicopters have been bought. After new helicopters are provided, these temporary helicopters will be sold.
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Old 3rd Mar 2005, 18:05
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Here you go, Coconutty:

Minister Remkes: delivery contract MD 902 police helicopters cancelled.

THE HAGUE – The contract for delivery of eight MD 902 police helicopters to the National Police Service Corps (KPLD) has been cancelled, Minister of the Interior Remkes writes to Parliament. Vendor Helifly N.V. turns out not to be able to deliver today (March 1st) for acceptance two certified Explorers meeting the contract specifications.

According to Remkes there is also great uncertainty about support after delivery by Helifly and the manufacturer, MD Helicopters Inc. A bank guarantee has been issued for the previously paid advance; this money will be recovered.. The Interior Ministry is also seeking the 10m Euro fine, stipulated in the contract, for Helifly’s non-performance of its obligations. Preparations for sourcing other helicopters in Europe have been started according to the minister.

In the late 90s, a study into the requirements and preferences regarding police helicopters for the Dutch police revealed the need for a single versatile and efficient helicopter type. This eventually led to the selection of the MD 902. After delays in delivery were incurred in 2002, in 2003 doubts arose whether the type would meet technical specifications.

Studies by the National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) revealed that the helicopter should meet specs. The contract would remain in force if Helifly and MD Helicopters both were to agree with several conditions stipulated by the minister. On April 14th, 2004, both vendor and manufacturer agreed with the conditions: the first two helicopters, both certified and meeting contract specs, to be delivered no later than March 1st, 2005.

Modifications.
It now turns out that again Helifly and MD cannot deliver on the due date. One of the causes is W&B (weight and balance) problems. “These problems could be solved by modifications to the helicopter design, but this would require an additional certification programme that would exceed the timeframe of March 1st, 2005” Remkes writes. But on-time delivery would not have been possible even without W&B problems.

A KLPD investigation has revealed that production at the American manufacturer’s plant has all but halted. This casts severe doubt on the manufacture of airframes three through eight as well as on maintenance support, the minister concludes.

The 2004 agreement included a swap of two “loaner” helicopters, presently in use, for two new airframes, but the manufacturer is unable to deliver these. Late December two used German police helicopters were bought for this purpose; after delivery of new helicopters these two will be sold off.
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Old 3rd Mar 2005, 22:51
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The KLPD waited a very long time before coming to this decision, although from those translations I guess the politicians are not giving them much leeway on that. All things must come to an end evntually although I believe MDHI will eventually get the beast to fly at the required weight... potentially in 2-3 months.

Just how long could the KLPD be expected to wait?

The problem now - and perhaps something for this column to chew on - is what to put in its place?

Eurocopter turned down the original offer - but then sued the KLPD for failing to go out to tender, not an action likely to endear them to the police!

I guess the EC145 may be the only choice, but EC said no once to what is/was a very difficult requirement.

Personally I would not be surprised if the certified Explorer was available long before the alternative [whichever] can be delivered.

The other question is will MD and the uprating project survive the trauma to come?
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Old 30th May 2020, 09:27
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I know we discussed this subject in another MD tread. But I couldn’t find that one.
Looks like the Dutch government will still have to wait a little longer for its money.

Found via Helihub

O,
and for those who do not know Arizona:
It is a little state in the south west of the USA with less than half the population of the Netherlands.
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