Press Release

Issued by MD Helicopters.

October 8, 2010

MD Helicopters, Inc (MDHI) and the Humberside Police Authority have announced that an MD Explorer has just been returned to service after its 10,000 hour inspection conducted by Police Aviation Services Ltd (PAS) in Gloucestershire UK.

The helicopter is one of the busiest MD 902 Explorers in service and is now the second, of the MD Explorer fleet to have achieved the 10,000 hour milestone. The helicopter, which has received several upgrades, was originally equipped and delivered in 2001.

Commenting on the high availability of the helicopter, Sara Whiting, Deputy Unit Executive Officer at Humberside Police's Air Operations Section, stated that she is extremely happy with the Explorer.

"It is the perfect helicopter for its role" and is "extremely reliable. It is popular with all of the pilots and crew and flies over 1200 hours per year. In the last month it flew 131 hours in response to 425 tasks, which resulted in the location of 58 offenders, 4 stolen vehicles and 17 missing persons."

Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada 207E engines with 720 shaft horsepower per engine, the MD Explorer has the highest payload in the light-twin class. With a maximum gross weight of 6,500 pounds (2948 kg), it boasts exceptional power for take-off and landing on elevated platforms. The Category A rating allows for continuity of takeoff with safe return to the takeoff point in the event of a failure of one of its engines.

The NOTAR system makes the MD Explorer the quietest and safest helicopter in its class. The MD Explorer is certified by the FAA, China's CAAC, Russia's MAK and Europe's EASA for Category A and single pilot instrument flight rule (IFR) operations.