Germany's Spedition & Helikopter-service Linke GmbH has taken delivery of an EC145 Stylence. Those present at the handing over ceremony included the company's Detlef Linke and Eurocopter's Dr Wolfgang Schoder. Linke says: "The new aircraft is one of the first of its kind in Germany and will transport mainly vip passengers. The EC145 combines design with state-of-the-art technology, perfectly developed for the needs of vips and business people."

Linke points out that the helicopter is equipped for single/dual pilot IFR with an automatic flight control system, a cockpit voice and flight data recorder, TCAS, and navigation and moving map systems. "The configuration also includes fixed provisions for weather radar, rescue winch and an external load hook," Linke adds.

New EC135 for police

The delivery came as Bavarian state interior minister Joachim Herrmann accepted the keys to the eighth new EC135 P2+ for the Bavarian police.

Herrmann can confirm: "The police force now has a full fleet of helicopters with the most advanced law enforcement equipment package available in the world."

The helicopters were chosen after an EU-wide call for tenders, "The helicopter has superior manoeuvrability and full range of special equipment options, including FLIR cameras, rescue winches and a fire-fighting kit," Herrmann adds.

Other factors taken into consideration included low running costs, reliability and safety: "It can be quickly configured for any type of mission, be it searching for missing persons, tracking down criminals, monitoring traffic congestion or rescuing people in danger."

The EC135s are equipped with FLIR, a high-resolution digital camera with day and night vision, SatCOM, GPS, digital map system, tetra digital radio, FLARM collision warning system, tactical direction finder, digital flight management system and a GSM telephone system.