American Eurocopter today announced the Hillsborough County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) has exceeded 10,000 hours of flight time on its fleet of aircraft from American Eurocopter — three AS350 B2’s and one EC120. Since the delivery of the first AS350 in September 2002, the HCSO has utilized its fleet to answer more than 17,000 calls for service.

“The all-Eurocopter fleet in service with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office demonstrates the dependability of the AS350 series and the EC120,” said Ed Van Winkle, American Eurocopter’s Law Enforcement Market Manager. “It also showcases their flexibility to perform a wide variety of missions with power to spare and low maintenance requirements.”

Missions for the HCSO include law enforcement patrol, search and rescue, firefighting operations utilizing the Bambi Bucket, vehicle pursuits, locating lost and missing persons, and assisting other local, state and federal agencies.

“As we have reached the 10,000 hour milestone, I am proud to say that our Eurocopter fleet has performed well and met the needs of our agency,” said HCSO Sgt. Jeff Brunelle, Aviation Unit supervisor. “Our helicopters have never missed a call for service due to maintenance issues.

The AS350 AStar® is a single-engine workhorse with the best performance in its category. Built and certified in the United States, this cost-effective helicopter accommodates a pilot and five passengers in all forward-facing seats. High performance, enhanced maneuverability and reduced pilot workload make American Eurocopter’s AS350 the helicopter of choice for U.S. law enforcement agencies.

The EC120 offers quiet operation, effective maneuverability and enhanced safety features. The sturdy airframe accommodates a wide range of externally- and internally-mounted mission equipment, including thermal and video sensors, searchlights, digital video downlink systems, moving map displays, and a selection of both VHF and FM communication packages.

For more information on either the AS350 or EC120 product lines, stop by Eurocopter booth #1917 at Heli-Expo or visit www.eurocopterusa.com.