Whitefish, Montana based-Two Bear Air Rescue to welcome custom configured MD 530F in early 2016
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) announced today the purchase of a new MD 530F by Two Bear Air Rescue in Whitefish, Montana. The custom MD 530F will perform a variety of missions in support of search and rescue teams in Flathead County and other agencies across the rural and rugged landscape of Glacier National Park and surrounding area.
Serving more than 5,000 square miles of Flathead County, Montana, and supporting other jurisdictions across Montana and Idaho beginning in 2012, Two Bear Air Rescue welcomed their first MD helicopter, an MD 500E, in 2013. In August of this year, after participating in a wide variety of missions and nearly 500 flight hours, the helicopter was lost while supporting fire control efforts near Beaver Lake. Two Bear Air executive director and pilot, Jordan White, was in command, and walked away without injury.
“Two Bear Air Rescue selected our first MD 500 based on the helicopter’s maneuverability, lift capability, and superior crashworthy design,” commented White. “While I never expected to go through a crash, as a pilot, you know it is possible. The transition and recurrent training I received from MD Helicopters, coupled with the quality design of the helicopter made all the difference. I took a rotor blade through the windshield and swam out of an upside down sinking helicopter. There was no question we would stick with the MD 500 series, but were especially grateful when MD Helicopters bent over backwards to get us into the 530F.”
Two Bear Air Rescue’s new MD 530F features upgraded leather seating and cabin panels, the Rolls-Royce 250-C30 650shp turbine engine, extended heavy-duty landing gear, Fargo auxiliary fuel tank, wire strike protection system, and cargo hook to support external loads up to 2,000 pounds. The high-contrast main rotor blades will deliver increased visibility when flying through areas of dense brush, or in low-light scenarios, and the cockpit configuration features the Garmin 500H EFIS flight display, Garmin GTN750H touchscreen GPS/Navigation and communications panel with NVG compatible interior, and a PS Engineering PAC24 Audio Panel.
“Jordan and the team at Two Bear Air provide an invaluable service to the citizens and visitors in and around Glacier National Park,” said Craig Kitchen, Chief Commercial Officer for MD Helicopters, Inc. “This new MD 530F will be a powerful, reliable addition to their fleet; delivering increased mission versatility, reliable hot temperature, high-altitude performance, and an extended range to support longer flight times. We look forward to having Two Bear Air Rescue as part of the MDHI family for years to come.”
The new MD 530F is scheduled to begin service with Two Bear Air Rescue in the first quarter of 2016.
