Modern aircraft for modern public safety missions

Tell me about your experience with Bell aircraft and previous career as a law enforcement officer?

I started my aviation career in the mid-1980s and served in the US Army as an AeroScout pilot during the Cold War. Through the years, I’ve worked as a pilot, instructor pilot, standardization pilot, safety officer, regional manager and most recently retired from the Arizona Department of Public Safety where I was the Aviation Commander. The bulk of my operational experience has been police and fire operations with Bell aircraft, 7,000 total hours in 12 different models over the years, including the Bell medium series.

What stands out to you about Bell medium aircraft?

The sheer legacy of the Bell medium line and the continued demand for it today. When looking back, the complete Bell 412 family boasts more than 29 million flight hours with more than 15,000 airframes delivered. That does not happen by chance. Today, Bell currently has 4,100 active Bell medium aircraft across the globe, supporting a variety of missions. What’s equally impressive is the now even heightened demand with the latest model of Bell medium aircraft: the Subaru Bell 412EPX.

What can the increased demand for the Subaru Bell 412EPX be attributed to?

Many factors can be attributed, but a notable change is the 11% increase in shaft horsepower at takeoff. This equates to about a 15% jump in hover performance in the hot and high conditions. More power means more payload – the horsepower increase comes with a 1,100lb increase in the maximum external gross weight, now at 13,000lb. The cargo hook capacity has increased by 500lb, now at 5,000lb. Additional improvements include a newly designed transmission, now with a certified 30-minute dry-run capability as well as a truly integrated glass cockpit, four-axis autopilot and newly certified hover-hold.

Has the performance increase had an operational impact to the public safety segment?

Absolutely. This is most notable in the firefighting segment with the bulk of the Subaru Bell 412EPX sales going to fire departments and fire contractors. Of note, is the recent US Forest Service Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) in which five Subaru Bell 412EPXs were selected as part of the government’s modernization program. Others have included municipal, county and state fire and police operators in the USA, including San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, which added one to its fleet, and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, which took delivery of aircraft earlier this year. Likewise, international agencies including Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior, Republic of Croatia, and Japan Coast Guard also signed purchase agreements for the platform.

What benefits does the Bell medium aircraft provide to customers for firefighting operations?

Essentially more payload, whether it be water, personnel or equipment. The global firefighting segment has traditionally utilized medium-lift helicopters as its primary initial attack platform. For decades, Bell has dominated the global medium lift firefighting industry with the Bell 205, 212, and older model 412s. This is not only attributed to aircraft performance, but many factors such as ruggedized systems that are designed for the austere environment of the wildland fire segment. The proven operational readiness rates of the Bell medium series have also been critically instrumental, with customers leveraging Bell’s extensive Global Customer Solutions network to keep their aircraft ready to take on the mission. The Subaru Bell 412EPX continues the Bell 412 legacy of being a durable workhorse, but now with substantially more power and new modern features.