MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) celebrates Huntington Beach Police Department’s Air Support Bureau with a special commendation for its outstanding record of over 70,000 accident free flight hours. The Huntington Beach Air Support Bureau began flying MDHI-model helicopters in 1984 with the iconic MD 500E. The department acquired its current all-NOTAR fleet of three (3) MD 520N helicopters between 1992 and 2002. Designed to reduce noise by an average of 50% versus helicopters with tail rotors, NOTAR-equipped helicopters are among the quietest helicopters available worldwide.

“We are proud to celebrate this achievement with the Huntington Beach Air Support Bureau,” said Craig Kitchen, Chief Commercial Officer for MD Helicopters. “The Huntington Beach Police department has been part of the MDHI family for more than 30 years; and one of our most dedicated advocates of the MD 520N and our exclusive NOTAR, no tail rotor technology.”

“The MD 520N has proven to be a very good platform for our Air Support Bureau,” commented Huntington Beach Police Department Aero Bureau Sergeant Chris Nesmith. “Noise is the number one citizen complaint regarding Air Unit operations nationally. The noise abatement offered by the NOTAR no-tail rotor technology, and the performance characteristics of these aircraft – speed, payload, reliability – have allowed them to play an integral role in more than 5,500 calls for service annually.”

In addition to a reduced noise profile, NOTAR Technology delivers:

• Greater Safety
  Studies have shown that 21 percent of all crashes are due to tail rotor strikes or loss of tail rotor effectiveness; NOTAR® systems eliminate these problems.
• Reduced Pilot Workload
  Using the Coanda Effect to provide tail boom lift and anti-torque, the system is more stable and easier to control. This effect reduces the sensitivity to wind direction on helicopter control.
• Reduced Aircraft Vibration
  The inherent stability of the standard MD 500 is further improved by the elimination of the exposed tail rotor assembly, which reduces overall helicopter vibrations and increases passenger comfort while reducing pilot fatigue.