Hawaii-Based Helo Marks Milestone During Medevac Mission
The US Coast Guard’s fleet of Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin
helicopters has passed its one million flight hour milestone,
marking another key operational achievement for the twin-engine
rotary-wing aircraft that perform patrol, law enforcement and
rescue missions throughout the United States.
Representatives with Eurocopter tell ANN from the
helicopter’s first delivery in 1985, HH-65s have become a key
element of Coast Guard aviation, with 96 Dolphins currently in the
service’s inventory. Today, HH-65s operate from 17 Coast
Guard Air Stations throughout the continental United States, Hawaii
and Puerto Rico.
It was a Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, HI HH-65C
helicopter that reached the one million flight hour milestone on
September 20, 2007 while on a maritime medical evacuation (Medevac)
mission with the patient on board.
The HH-65 fleet has been assigned new mission responsibilities
that include the use of armed versions for the protection of the US
Capital region and the interception/interdiction of vessels at sea.
Search and rescue remains one of the key duties for HH-65s, with
the Dolphins used extensively in lifesaving operations after
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and routinely deployed on
missions from sea level to high-altitude mountainous terrain.
"The one-million hour milestone is an impressive accomplishment,
which takes on added significance considering the environment in
which the Coast Guard’s fleet operates and the varied types
of mission performed by these aircraft," said American Eurocopter
President Marc Paganini. "All of us at American Eurocopter are
proud to be part of this achievement, and we look forward to
continuing our relationship with the Coast Guard in supporting, and
further improving, the HH-65."
"The US Coast Guards are one of our most important and
emblematic customers. Their one million flight hour milestone is an
extremely symbolic achievement," added Eurocopter Group CEO Dr.
Lutz Bertling. "At Eurocopter, we endeavor to provide the best high
performance helicopters to all our Coast Guard customers together
with a fully dedicated customer support in order to allow them to
carry out their public service missions efficiently and in the
utmost security."
All US Coast Guard Dolphins have completed a conversion to the
HH-65C version, which incorporated engine and system upgrades to
provide even more power, greater maneuverability and increased
safety margins. The upgrade was performed at the US Coast
Guard’s Aircraft Repair and Supply Center (AR&SC), with
American Eurocopter operating a supplemental conversion line at its
Columbus, MS facility.
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