Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Orders New MD 530F Helicopter

LVMPD Aviation Unit will welcome a new helicopter to support ground unit execution of pursuit, surveillance and search and rescue missions in October 2015

MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) announced today a new contract to manufacture and deliver a custom-configured MD 530F helicopter for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Aviation Unit. Acquisition of the MD 530F, the preferred helicopter for airborne law enforcement missions in hot and high environments, was approved by Metro’s Fiscal Affairs Committee on April 27.

“The relationship between Las Vegas Metro Police and MD Helicopters dates back to the earliest days of the LVMP Air Support Unit,” said Craig Kitchen, Chief Commercial Officer for MD Helicopters, Inc. “The unit began operations with a Hughes 300B in 1969, and we couldn’t be more proud, or more honored, to continue to support this decades-long partnership with this new aircraft.”

Configured to mirror the capabilities of the rest of Las Vegas Metropolitan’s MD 530F fleet, the new helicopter will feature a 650shp Rolls-Royce 250-C30 engine, extended tail boom and longer main-rotor blades, and will be equipped with a complete Garmin suite, including the latest G500H glass cockpit, GTS800 Traffic Avoidance System and GTN 650 to support navigation, communications and safe flight operations. Collectively, the MD 530F fleet increases operational capabilities, enabling greater mission versatility and performance.

“The MD 530F helicopter has proven to be a very good platform for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Air Support Unit,” said Jack Clements, Lieutenant, Air Support/Search and Rescue for Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. “The new helicopter will allow us to provide that critical eye in the sky platform to assist the men and women of the LVMPD in achieving our vision of being the safest community in America.”