NYPD buys four Bell 429 helicopters for intelligence-gathering, search & rescue, and more
By Loren Blinde
January 31, 2014
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, announced on January 31 that it has signed an agreement with the New York Police Department to acquire for four Bell 429 helicopters.
The aircraft will be used for airborne law enforcement patrol, serving the citizens of New York City and surrounding jurisdictions. The NYPD currently has three Bell 412EPs in service for a variety of missions, ranging from intelligence-gathering and search & rescue at sea, to combating terrorism. Delivery of the NYPD’s new Bell 429s is anticipated to be complete in 2015.
“We are honored to count the NYPD among our law enforcement customers and we give our sincere thanks for their ongoing trust in Bell helicopters,” said Danny Maldonado, Bell Helicopter’s executive vice president of sales and marketing. “We take great pride in continuing to provide New York’s finest with the reliable aircraft their missions demand, so they can serve and protect their community.”
Bell Helicopter has been a part of the NYPD since 1948 when it delivered a Bell 47, the first Bell helicopter to be used as part of an airborne law enforcement team.
The Bell 429 delivers exceptional speed, range, hover performance and enhanced safety margins with a fully-integrated glass cockpit, advanced drive system and best-in-class WAAS navigation and IFR capability, says the company.
The Bell 429 has more cabin space than any other light twin helicopter, with flat flooring and seating for seven passengers and one flight crew. Wide 60-inch side doors and optional rear clam-shell doors provide quick and easy access for flight officers when every second counts.
A promotional video about the Bell 429 helicopter appears below:
