Thu, Mar 18, 2004
Aircraft To Replace Older Helo
The helicopter-related news kept streaming from the floor of HAI
Expo 2004, as the Los Angeles City Fire Department Air Operations
Division announced will soon take delivery of a new Bell 412. The
latest addition to the division's all-Bell fleet will enter into
service this spring and replaces an older 412 currently in fire
service. The aircraft is currently undergoing customization at
Edwards & Associates, a Bell subsidiary specializing in
helicopter completions.
The Los Angeles City Fire Department has been flying Bell
helicopters since 1962. The newly acquired aircraft will be the
sixth 412 in their fleet. The fleet consists of a combination of
412s, a 206B3 JetRanger, and a 206L3 LongRanger. The Bell 412 was
first selected by the City of Los Angeles in 1983 in its search for
a twin-engine helicopter. Chief Pilot for the Air Operations
Division Paul Shakstad recalled the process.
"We wanted a twin-engine aircraft to provide a little more
reliability than a single-engine could," he said.
The Air Operations Division utilizes helicopters in a variety of
mission applications in and around the Los Angeles area. Aircraft
perform air ambulance, search & hoist rescues, and fire
fighting services for the community. The fire department relies on
the aircraft for its water dropping and high-rise fire fighting
capabilities. Mr. Shakstad adds, "With such diverse mission
requirements, the aircraft's ease of conversion provides the unit
with the ability to respond quickly to different needs."
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