California Highway Patrol orders 15 Astars

California Highway Patrol Airbus Helicopters As350 AStar

The California Highway Patrol celebrates its 30 year association with Airbus Helicopters by ordering 15 AS350 B3e Astar helicopters.

The initial order is for three helicopters, with deliveries beginning in December 2014. The contract is for three years, with two one-year options. Other state and local government agencies in California can purchase new AStar helicopters through the contract.

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The CHP helicopters will include the Garmin G500H electronic flight information system. Each helicopter will be equipped with a Goodrich 500 pound hoist. Completion services for this contract will be performed by Hangar One Avionics of Carlsbad, California.

Ed Van Winkle, sales manager for Airborne Law Enforcement for Airbus Helicopters, says: “CHP has been operating Airbus Helicopters products for the past 30 years, starting with an AS350B model in 1984. They have flown more than 130,000 hours with their current fleet of 12 Astars. This order to begin replacement of the fleet demonstrates the high level of trust that CHP has in the AStar to perform their wide range of missions.”

More than 220 Airbus Helicopters AS350s are in use in the US with 44 different law enforcement agencies.