The Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) has taken delivery of the first of three MD 530F helicopters. The rotorcraft was delivered in a ceremony at the MD Helicopters factory in Mesa, Arizona before flying to its new home in Huntington Beach, California.

“We are excited to continue with the ongoing operation of MD Helicopters in our air support unit,” says Eric Parra, chief of police for Huntington Beach. “These new helicopters will continue to ensure the finest service for police officers and citizens in the cities of Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.”

HBPD ordered the three MD 530F helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of MD 520Ns. The purchase agreement included a full fleet replacement package, which includes MDH facilitating the sale of the department's current aircraft, offloading NOTAR specific spares as well as providing a comprehensive training programme specifically tailored to the department's pilots and technicians.

HBPD's next two aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in March and April of this year at the rate of one a month.

Each HBPD MD 530F helicopter is custom configured with a full law enforcement package, crash resistant fuel tanks and an advanced NVIS interior designed to enhance safety during nighttime patrol, surveillance and tactical operations. Their upgraded glass cockpit avionics feature the Garmin G500TXi electronic flight instrument system (EFIS), Howell Instruments electronic engine instruments and crew alert systems (EICAS), and Garmin GTN 750 touchscreen NAV/COM/GPS.