EC135
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Bomber - There is one in Australia, owned by Richard Green in northern Sydney. He has it decked out with camera equipment and other goodies for his trips around Australia.
There is also one in New Zealand, owned by Trevor Farmer, a private owner in Auckland.
One more is due into Queensland later this year so apart from them thats it.
Autorotate.
There is also one in New Zealand, owned by Trevor Farmer, a private owner in Auckland.
One more is due into Queensland later this year so apart from them thats it.
Autorotate.
Thanks for that Nev (may we call you Nev?)
The one in NZ must be that good looking black beastie I´ve seen around.
Still curious as to who does the Bi-Annual checkrides (don't suppose there are many high-time 135 instructors downunder), maintenance, etc.
By the way, thanks for the latest mag. I admit to having a thing for the K-MAX, so any and all info on this much ignored machine is much appreciated. And as for the Mi-10K
What a weapon!
(Still can't get used to the "Heli-Ops" title though - it just doesn't seem to do your publication justice).
Adios
Bomber
The one in NZ must be that good looking black beastie I´ve seen around.
Still curious as to who does the Bi-Annual checkrides (don't suppose there are many high-time 135 instructors downunder), maintenance, etc.
By the way, thanks for the latest mag. I admit to having a thing for the K-MAX, so any and all info on this much ignored machine is much appreciated. And as for the Mi-10K
What a weapon!(Still can't get used to the "Heli-Ops" title though - it just doesn't seem to do your publication justice).
Adios
Bomber
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Bomber - I get called a lot of things here so feel free to chose one that fits 
Eurocopter have a resident test/delivery/production pilot based at Bankstown Airport so would presume he would do the testing. Larry Bennet who flies the one in Kiwiland would have to be the highest time pilot since I see it flying most days.
Their original EC135 was a dark charcoal black but late last year they got a new T2 and it is a lighter grey with a nice looking silver stripe addition to it. Will try and take a pic when I see it again at Ardmore. Eurocopter do all the maint on both machines.
Kmax is a great aircraft and we have more coming on it. Do me a favour and dont say much about the mag on the forum as I get my backside kicked by the moderators, but do appreciate the comments.
Autorotate.
Eurocopter have a resident test/delivery/production pilot based at Bankstown Airport so would presume he would do the testing. Larry Bennet who flies the one in Kiwiland would have to be the highest time pilot since I see it flying most days.
Their original EC135 was a dark charcoal black but late last year they got a new T2 and it is a lighter grey with a nice looking silver stripe addition to it. Will try and take a pic when I see it again at Ardmore. Eurocopter do all the maint on both machines.
Kmax is a great aircraft and we have more coming on it. Do me a favour and dont say much about the mag on the forum as I get my backside kicked by the moderators, but do appreciate the comments.
Autorotate.
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Giovanni - Sorry and yes you are correct but the old HGF is a hangar queen and since it was traded in hasnt moved an inch. In fact when I saw it last it was in pieces in the corner of the Eurocopter hangar.
Where is your P2 based at and what do you do with it, if you mind me asking.
Autorotate.
Where is your P2 based at and what do you do with it, if you mind me asking.
Autorotate.
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Ned try here - 1st Unoffical EC135 page
Fairly accurate info and pics.
It won't tell you much about us though!
Fairly accurate info and pics.
It won't tell you much about us though!
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EC135T2 for North Midlands ASU
Derbyshire Police Press Release
The North Midlands Helicopter Support Unit, the Consortium of Police Forces of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, has now gone operational with the new EC135T2 helicopter.
The aircraft is one of the most advanced twin engine helicopters used by UK police forces. It is the 300th EC135 to come off Eurocopter's assembly line in Germany. The aircraft has full stabilisation and autopilot, features that become very important when operating at night in poor weather, especially over the Derbyshire Peaks.
The benefits of the new helicopter over the previous Aerospatial 355N model include:
Flying to a maximum of 140 knots (150 mph), this is an increase of 10 mph.
It has longer endurance, being able to stay in flight for around two hours.
Reduced down time for servicing.
Improved and advanced technology in police role equipment.
Casualties can be carried easier, with a stretcher being permanently carried on board.
Instrument landing systems, which allow the autopilot to guide the helicopter to an airfield in the event of inadvertent entry into cloud.
The helicopter cost just in excess of £3.1m. The Home Office assisted by providing a grant and with the sale of the old helicopter, each police force only had to fund around £750K.
The new police role equipment includes the latest FLIR Ultraforce 2 Plus airborne camera systems. This is three cameras fitted into a pod at the front of the helicopter. It boasts a broadcast quality colour TV camera with a 52 x zoom capability. A new innovative camera called a spotter scope supplements this. The spotter scope allows long-range observation with a 94 x zoom colour or black and white camera. The third camera is an improved thermal image camera, which has greater clarity and additional fields of view compared to its' predecessor. The images are extremely clear allowing the helicopter crew to more easily identify a heat source.
The aircraft has a new Skyforce Observer Mark 2 moving map system. The map shows a 'cone', which depicts exactly where the camera is pointing. A Tracker vehicle location system also interfaces with the moving map. A 'ladder' impression appears on the map, with coloured bars denoting the signal strength and direction. This has improved the speed in which stolen vehicles with Tracker can be located. Within the first week of operations with the new helicopter, the crew recovered a stolen generator and a high value BMW car.
The searchlight on the aircraft has gyroscopes allowing a much steadier beam. The light can be 'slaved' to the camera turret so both camera and searchlight are immediately observing the same target.
Although the police helicopter does not have a primary role to evacuate casualties, during the first six years of operations the old helicopter airlifted 42 casualties when an air ambulance was not available. The new helicopter has rear 'clamshell' doors allowing easier and quicker loading of the stretcher.
During the first few days of operation of the EC135, an injured man with life threatening head injuries was airlifted from Centre Parcs in Nottinghamshire to the Queens Medical Centre. There were grave concerns for his life and the police helicopter was asked to provide fast evacuation to hospital. The journey was completed in five minutes.
The old AS355N helicopter had come into service for the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Forces in April 1998. It was built in 1991 and had been used by the Dyfed Powys Police until it was bought by the Consortium with Home Office Grant. It had just less than 3000 hours on the airframe in 1998 and flew a further 5000 hours for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire attending to almost 15,000 tasks.
During that time the crews were involved in the direct arrests of 988 suspects for crime. These are incidents where had the helicopter not attended, it is believed the suspects would have escaped from the police officers on the ground.
There were a further 1139 suspects arrested for crime, which were recorded as assists. These were where the helicopter assisted the ground police officers to effect arrests.
The helicopter located an additional 1070 suspects but the police did not arrest them. In the majority of cases they were eliminated as suspects, saving valuable police time in negative enquiries.
"The aircraft is one of the most advanced twin engine helicopters used by UK police forces."
Is it?
If not, which is?
The North Midlands Helicopter Support Unit, the Consortium of Police Forces of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, has now gone operational with the new EC135T2 helicopter.
The aircraft is one of the most advanced twin engine helicopters used by UK police forces. It is the 300th EC135 to come off Eurocopter's assembly line in Germany. The aircraft has full stabilisation and autopilot, features that become very important when operating at night in poor weather, especially over the Derbyshire Peaks.
The benefits of the new helicopter over the previous Aerospatial 355N model include:
Flying to a maximum of 140 knots (150 mph), this is an increase of 10 mph.
It has longer endurance, being able to stay in flight for around two hours.
Reduced down time for servicing.
Improved and advanced technology in police role equipment.
Casualties can be carried easier, with a stretcher being permanently carried on board.
Instrument landing systems, which allow the autopilot to guide the helicopter to an airfield in the event of inadvertent entry into cloud.
The helicopter cost just in excess of £3.1m. The Home Office assisted by providing a grant and with the sale of the old helicopter, each police force only had to fund around £750K.
The new police role equipment includes the latest FLIR Ultraforce 2 Plus airborne camera systems. This is three cameras fitted into a pod at the front of the helicopter. It boasts a broadcast quality colour TV camera with a 52 x zoom capability. A new innovative camera called a spotter scope supplements this. The spotter scope allows long-range observation with a 94 x zoom colour or black and white camera. The third camera is an improved thermal image camera, which has greater clarity and additional fields of view compared to its' predecessor. The images are extremely clear allowing the helicopter crew to more easily identify a heat source.
The aircraft has a new Skyforce Observer Mark 2 moving map system. The map shows a 'cone', which depicts exactly where the camera is pointing. A Tracker vehicle location system also interfaces with the moving map. A 'ladder' impression appears on the map, with coloured bars denoting the signal strength and direction. This has improved the speed in which stolen vehicles with Tracker can be located. Within the first week of operations with the new helicopter, the crew recovered a stolen generator and a high value BMW car.
The searchlight on the aircraft has gyroscopes allowing a much steadier beam. The light can be 'slaved' to the camera turret so both camera and searchlight are immediately observing the same target.
Although the police helicopter does not have a primary role to evacuate casualties, during the first six years of operations the old helicopter airlifted 42 casualties when an air ambulance was not available. The new helicopter has rear 'clamshell' doors allowing easier and quicker loading of the stretcher.
During the first few days of operation of the EC135, an injured man with life threatening head injuries was airlifted from Centre Parcs in Nottinghamshire to the Queens Medical Centre. There were grave concerns for his life and the police helicopter was asked to provide fast evacuation to hospital. The journey was completed in five minutes.
The old AS355N helicopter had come into service for the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Forces in April 1998. It was built in 1991 and had been used by the Dyfed Powys Police until it was bought by the Consortium with Home Office Grant. It had just less than 3000 hours on the airframe in 1998 and flew a further 5000 hours for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire attending to almost 15,000 tasks.
During that time the crews were involved in the direct arrests of 988 suspects for crime. These are incidents where had the helicopter not attended, it is believed the suspects would have escaped from the police officers on the ground.
There were a further 1139 suspects arrested for crime, which were recorded as assists. These were where the helicopter assisted the ground police officers to effect arrests.
The helicopter located an additional 1070 suspects but the police did not arrest them. In the majority of cases they were eliminated as suspects, saving valuable police time in negative enquiries.
"The aircraft is one of the most advanced twin engine helicopters used by UK police forces."
Is it?
If not, which is?
It is. Along with the other T2s, the MD902s and probably the A109. Or were you, in an un-moderator-like moment, attempting to provoke a "my-heli's-betterer-than-yours" mini-flame-war episode? 
Apache for HEMS - Strafe those Survivors!
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The 135 T2 is very nice and I'm sure they will be very pleased with it. One question, do North Midlands IR their pilots? I ask only because the blurb says "operating over the Peak district in the dark" and mentions the ILS and autopilot for recovery in the event of inadvertant IMC. The autopilot and the EFIS screens in the 135 are great BUT it is quite a complex little autopilot and you can easily tie yourself in knots unless you are very conversant with what it is doing, what you are asking it to do, and which bits are engaged/disengaged.
For what it's worth, I think if you are operating away from decent cultural lighting ie somewhere like the Peak District at night it makes it a whole lot safer to have an IR (this implies no criticism of the abilities of the guys at North Midlands, before anyone leaps on me, I just think if you have an aircraft that has the capability then you should be given the training to let you use it to the full to enhance the safety of the operation).
For what it's worth, I think if you are operating away from decent cultural lighting ie somewhere like the Peak District at night it makes it a whole lot safer to have an IR (this implies no criticism of the abilities of the guys at North Midlands, before anyone leaps on me, I just think if you have an aircraft that has the capability then you should be given the training to let you use it to the full to enhance the safety of the operation).
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keepin it in trim (Shacklebomberpilot),
No, I think the pilots aren't IR'd at the moment although of course they do the mandatory instrument practice like everyone else. Nothing to say this might not change in future (£££).
Until recently they have managed the Peak District (yes it is heffin' dark) without even a stick trim on G-NMHS, the old Squirrel N, let alone an AP
No, I think the pilots aren't IR'd at the moment although of course they do the mandatory instrument practice like everyone else. Nothing to say this might not change in future (£££).
Until recently they have managed the Peak District (yes it is heffin' dark) without even a stick trim on G-NMHS, the old Squirrel N, let alone an AP
Nice
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Have flown on a brand new T2 air ambulance, although when it was initially delivered to the trust I work for, it had horrendous problems with recurring chip lights.
Before too long the gear box was changed... Not good considering they had just parted with £3,000,000 for it.
Feed back from the pilots has been extremely good since, and it is certainly easier to work on than the preceding BK105 in terms of space, versatility, reduced limitations improved H&S issues, conveying escorts and so on.
Before too long the gear box was changed... Not good considering they had just parted with £3,000,000 for it.
Feed back from the pilots has been extremely good since, and it is certainly easier to work on than the preceding BK105 in terms of space, versatility, reduced limitations improved H&S issues, conveying escorts and so on.
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Re: the IRs, N Mids are no different than all other UK Police Units, except Devon & Cornwall (I believe they are the only ones). Whilst instrument flying experience is absolutely essential for lots of rural police flying, the nature of police flying (surface visual contact), the lack of necessary fuel reserves and the absence of let down aids in the right place prevent the use of full-blown IFR.
D-P have had their 109 for a month or two now
D-P have had their 109 for a month or two now
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Hi, GC
Can't help you I am afraid,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
but I am curious why you want to know - you don't work for the Met do you
What do the walk-on freight think about hanging from wires .................
Can't help you I am afraid,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
but I am curious why you want to know - you don't work for the Met do you
What do the walk-on freight think about hanging from wires .................
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A friend is putting together a presentation on general UK Police Air Support / HEMS / SAR and is expecting questions along the lines of 'Why don't Police / HEMS carry a winch?' 'What about the future?' etc.... He has the usual answers but is keen to be prepared and is interested in exploring the subject and gaining opinions.
I'm not Met but do I sense a story there?!
The Self Loading Cargo are keen to develop but are all aware that getting into something like that involves more than just strapping a few kilo's of wire to the side of the aircraft. General feeling is that it is unlikey to happen in UK HEMS / Police as the requirement is filled by current SAR resources.
There was some talk a few years ago about fixed line's which scared everyone to death!
I'm not Met but do I sense a story there?!
The Self Loading Cargo are keen to develop but are all aware that getting into something like that involves more than just strapping a few kilo's of wire to the side of the aircraft. General feeling is that it is unlikey to happen in UK HEMS / Police as the requirement is filled by current SAR resources.
There was some talk a few years ago about fixed line's which scared everyone to death!
Curious? Tell us more of what your friend knows
We considered fitting a winch to our EC135 in 1997. So too did Dyfed Powys. Problem then was the CAA. They wanted to make the police officer a crew man with associated paperwork, medicals, FDP limits, log books etc!!
Eventually we were overtaken by events, in that it was discovered very soon that the EC135 in police role can't comply with CAA perf requirements to hover on 1 engine while winching. There were performance issues during training and the coup de grace was: weight and Cof G issues. A non starter I'm afraid for Uk police Ops. You'll need an EC145 and police observer crewpersons, I'm afraid.
We considered fitting a winch to our EC135 in 1997. So too did Dyfed Powys. Problem then was the CAA. They wanted to make the police officer a crew man with associated paperwork, medicals, FDP limits, log books etc!!
Eventually we were overtaken by events, in that it was discovered very soon that the EC135 in police role can't comply with CAA perf requirements to hover on 1 engine while winching. There were performance issues during training and the coup de grace was: weight and Cof G issues. A non starter I'm afraid for Uk police Ops. You'll need an EC145 and police observer crewpersons, I'm afraid.
@GameCube
Hi what do you want to know especially?
Most European Police EC 135/145 are winch equipped. Winching is absolutely normal compared with other ships. The new winch for the EC 135 with 90m cable is in use in North-Italia. In the HEMS business the winch is not so common because both ships needs an additionally winch operator and his weight added to the winch weight is needed for payload in greater altitude.
Hi what do you want to know especially?
Most European Police EC 135/145 are winch equipped. Winching is absolutely normal compared with other ships. The new winch for the EC 135 with 90m cable is in use in North-Italia. In the HEMS business the winch is not so common because both ships needs an additionally winch operator and his weight added to the winch weight is needed for payload in greater altitude.
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TC
Thanks for that. I'm sure there's a pretty high headache factor when it comes to starting something like this and your experience has confirmed it.
I don't think think anything particular has prompted the question. Police and HEMS units are often asked 'Why?' when they have to request SAR when a winch is required and he wants to show he's looked into it when he answers.
Also, winching a stretchered patient into a 135 looks like it would be a little tight (that's before looking at the performance limitations) and we were wondering how people got on.
Thanks for your post Tech. The Italians were featured on some of the 135 winching images you see on the Eurocopter bumpf. I'd imagine the extra weight of the winch would be a pain even at low altitudes (Hot day, roof-top pad, big patient, medical escort.....how do I unbolt this winch?!!!)
Thanks for that. I'm sure there's a pretty high headache factor when it comes to starting something like this and your experience has confirmed it.
I don't think think anything particular has prompted the question. Police and HEMS units are often asked 'Why?' when they have to request SAR when a winch is required and he wants to show he's looked into it when he answers.
Also, winching a stretchered patient into a 135 looks like it would be a little tight (that's before looking at the performance limitations) and we were wondering how people got on.
Thanks for your post Tech. The Italians were featured on some of the 135 winching images you see on the Eurocopter bumpf. I'd imagine the extra weight of the winch would be a pain even at low altitudes (Hot day, roof-top pad, big patient, medical escort.....how do I unbolt this winch?!!!)