New South Wales Police Force to receive first Bell 412EPI helicopter

Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron, has signed purchase agreement with the New South Wales Police Force for the delivery of Bell 412EPI helicopter to Australia.

Under the terms of the agreement, Bell Helicopter will deliver the new aircraft to New South Wales Police, based in Sydney, Australia, in late 2014 for conducting both tactical and response missions.

Bell Helicopter sales and marketing executive vice president Danny Maldonado said, "The selection of the new Bell 412 EPI by the New South Wales Police once again demonstrates that the Bell 412 continues to be the cornerstone of mission critical helicopter operations throughout the world."

The Bell 412EPI, first introduced in March 2013, features Bell BasiX Pro fully integrated glass flight deck to provide critical flight information at a glance for greater situational awareness and safety for the crew.

Specifically designed to meet the requirements of twin-engine helicopters, the Bell BasiX Pro system is optimised for IFR, Category A and JAR OPS3 compliant operations.

The avionics suite of the helicopter includes high resolution digital maps, electronic charts and approach plates, ADS-B transponder and optional HTAWS and XM satellite links.

Powered by Pratt & Whitney’s PT6T-9 Twin Pac engines, the new Bell 412EPI offers 15% more horsepower than the standard Bell 412.
Additional features of the Bell 412EPI include the BLR Strake and FastFin system, which modifies the tailboom to optimise airflow and enhance handling, safety and lift.