The MD 520N with NOTAR® Technology is Recognized as One of the World’s Safest, Most Quiet Helicopters in its Class; a Natural Choice for Law Enforcement Agencies around the Globe
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) today announced the formal delivery of a new MD 520N helicopter to the Burbank and Glendale Police Joint Air Support Unit located in the state of California. With this delivery, Burbank and Glendale will own four (4) MD 520N helicopters. Joining the MDHI team at the Company’s Mesa, Arizona headquarters were Lt. Stewart Brackin and Sgt. Rich Phillips, Glendale Police Department; Captain Mike Albanese and Pilot Steve Conaway, Burbank Police Department; and Rich Weiser, Director of Maintenance, Glendale/Burbank Police Air Support.
“The addition of our fourth MD 520N aircraft to our Joint Air Support Unit reinforces our commitment to providing proactive law enforcement and high quality police services to our diverse community,” said Lieutenant Stewart Brackin, Burbank/Glendale Police Air Support. “These aircraft are unmatched for their speed, durability, and maneuverability. And, due to the integration of MD Helicopters’ exclusive NOTAR® technology, they are much quieter and considerably safer to operate. Our pilots, and the citizens of Glendale and Burbank, really appreciate that.”
Together, Chief Scott LaChasse of Burbank PD and Chief Castro of Glendale PD add, “We believe that air support is essential to provide the community and police field personnel a tool that enhances safety and provides efficiency at a time when personnel and resources have been reduced due to staffing and budget reductions.”
The MD 520N is one of just three helicopters – all manufactured by MD Helicopters, Inc. – that feature the exclusive NOTAR® system for anti-torque and directional control. By replacing conventional tail rotors with the NOTAR system, the margin of safety immediately increases for crew and aircraft, and the noise decreases; making it an exceptional choice for operation in densely populated areas.
The Burbank/Glendale MD 520N is equipped with a 420-shp Rolls-Royce 250-C20R/2 turbine engine and a complete Law Enforcement Performance Package. Utility features – dual side mounts, a 2,000 lb. cargo hook, auxiliary fuel tank, and wire strike protection kit – are complemented by a cockpit configuration that features a Garmin G500H EFIS all-glass avionics flight display, Garmin Aera 796 portable GPS, an AeroComputers moving map system, and a Technisonic tactical radio. The SX-16 Nightsun® searchlight provides bi-directional focus capabilities that allows the operator to cycle between wide and narrow focus, and a FLIR® ULTRA8500 imaging system provides greater range and visibility to optimize the helicopter’s support of all tactical ground operations.
“MD Helicopters is proud of the depth, breadth and long-term loyalty of our law enforcement customer base,” said Lynn Tilton, Chief Executive Officer for MD Helicopters. “Our aircraft deliver the overall performance and reliability airborne law enforcement agencies require. We are honored by Burbank/Glendale’s long-standing commitment to MDHI and are excited to see this latest MD 520N join their air support fleet.”
