The Polish National Police (PNP) service has signed a purchase agreement for four Bell 407GXi aircraft. The helicopters will be purchased as part of the project ‘safer on the roads – aerial supervision over the road traffic’ Implemented with the use of funds from the Operational Program Infrastructure and Environment. The supplier is JB Investments Limited, Bell's independent representative for Poland.

The four Bell 407GXi aircraft will join three aircraft of the same type which were delivered to the PNP in October 2020. The PNP also operates two Bell 206s and a Bell 412HP. With a total of seven Bell 407GXi, Polish National Police will become the largest user of this type of helicopter among public institutions in Europe.

“In recent years, we have strongly focused on improving road safety and to achieve this we are strengthening the technical potential of our formation. That is why we will want to use these four latest helicopters primarily to improve safety on Polish roads. Ultimately, we want each of them to be equipped with an aerial observation system,” says Dariusz Augustyniak, deputy chief superintendent of the PNP.

As with the aircraft already delivered to the PNP, the new Bell 407GXis will come equipped with the Trakka Systems total solution package, which includes a searchlight, camera and moving map as well as downlink system and operator console. The system enables the crew to detect, identify and track vehicles, as well as estimate their speed.

“During the 30 years of our company's operation, we have already delivered more than 50 aircraft for public tenders for various institutions, including the Polish Police,” notes Magdalena Karska, board member, JB Investments Limited. “Now, thanks to our 15 years of experience working with Bell Textron, we have the honour to be a prime contractor for the delivery of another four Bell 407 helicopters.”

There are now 1,590 Bell 407 operating around the world, with 109 located in Europe. The aircraft has proved popular with parapublic operators, with 131 used globally for this mission.

“The decision by the Polish National Police to grow its fleet of 407GXis is testament to the industry-leading aftermarket service that Bell and its maintenance partners are able to offer,” declares Bell's senior VP of international sales Patrick Moulay. “We recognise the importance of minimising downtime, and that's why we work hard to ensure excellent parts availability and technical support for our customers.”

The Bell 407GXi is powered by a Rolls-Royce M250-C47E/4 turbine engine featuring two dual-channel FADECs. This high-performance yet fuel efficient engine delivers impressive performance in hot and high conditions and delivers a cruise speed of 133 kts. The aircraft also features the latest Garmin G1000H NXi avionics, featuring high resolution LED displays, faster processing power and the ability to connect to tablets and smartphones.