We no longer need to bother Newton to explain the laws of gravity. Or rather, how gravity can be overcome. In aircraft construction, the answers are well known.

At Bucher, we focus on lightness. Lightness is the key idea and driving force in everything we do. It influences what we conceptualise, plan and implement in Fällanden (Switzerland), Sinn-Fleisbach (Germany) and in Everett (US). In all these locations, we offer innovative customer-oriented solutions, developed from lightweight construction materials, for the aviation and air rescue industries.

The Bucher Group is structured as three companies, which are all globally active from their respective locations. But they complement each other optimally, especially through their active exchange of know how and experience, which helps us to deliver added value to our customers across all operations. Our products and services divisions are Catering, Cabin and Medical Systems. Our solutions and products are used in Airbus, Boeing, Pilatus and other aircraft.

Rolf Kraus, Director Sales & Programs MIC, Medical Systems, shared his insights into the field of police aviation units equipping their aircraft with increasing flexible and modular systems

Have you seen demand for equipment onboard police helicopters increase in recent years as forces have invested in their fleet’s mission capabilities?

We have witnessed an increase in police forces looking for modularity and the ability to expand their mission profile without limiting their existing profiles. We have now developed a flexible and modular system for air rescue, our AC67 flex, which police forces can also use for rescue missions and remain adaptable due to the 100 per cent single-equipment option within the helicopter’s mission profiles.

Is there a standard set of equipment you fit onboard police helicopters; and how is this set customizable for a particular unit’s mission parameters?

As described above, we have developed the AC67 flex to be a complete one-equipment EMS kit. As it can be scaffolded within 20 minutes and equipped within 10 minutes, the operator’s existing mission profiles are not affected.

User feedback is key to ongoing product evolution and improvement; have aerial law enforcement units been active in engaging with you to discuss developing the products they need?

First and foremost, we are constantly in close contact with many air rescue organisations that make use of our products, and such communication is key to ongoing product refinement and innovation. It is partly as a result of these relationships with providers of air rescue services that we are able to provide a fully functional HEMS kit, which meets the needs of police aviation operations as well. We have focused on rescue missions with the AC67 flex. However, we are used to adapting our equipment to other mission profiles with appropriate customization options, and are always open to receive specific requests from operators.