Airbus has delivered Canada’s first H145 helicopter to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). RCMP’s Air Support Unit will utilize the versatile twin-engine H145 for a variety of missions. It will support tactical deployments day and night over land and water for the Emergency Response Team, expand options in the area of fast roping and hoisting, assist with missing persons investigations and add capabilities to search-and-rescue operations.
The aircraft will be based in B.C.’s Lower Mainland facility (Langley, British Columbia), and will support operations throughout the province.
“With its enhanced safety features and reputation for reduced maintenance and excellent availability, the multi-role H145 is an ideal aircraft for multi-faceted law enforcement missions,” said Romain Trapp, president of Airbus Helicopters Canada. “We are very pleased that the H145 will enter into service to support RCMP operations, assisting the men and women who serve and protect Canadians.”
Airbus helicopters are the aircraft of choice for law enforcement organizations across Canada, capturing 83 percent of the market.
The H145 has been equipped with a wide variety of mission specific equipment including external hoist and rope down device (for one or two persons), Trakka A800 searchlight, enhanced reality system, health monitoring system (HMS), FLIR, night vision goggles, tactical flight officer (TFO) workstation and internal long range fuel tank system.
The Airbus H145 leads the light twin-engine helicopter market, incorporating an innovative Helionix avionics system and 4-axis autopilot. The aircraft’s combination of speed and performance, along with the Fenestron shrouded tail rotor, large cabin and rear-loading clamshell doors, makes it the aircraft of choice for a variety of civil missions worldwide.
