Calif. Police Department to Upgrade Fleet with State-of-Art Helicopters

Three state-of-the-art helicopters are expected to arrive at the Huntington Beach Police Department in early November, upgrading its fleet.

The new MD 530FFs will replace helicopters that were from the same manufacturer and about 25 years old. Almost every part on those helicopters has been replaced over the years, said Lt. Thoby Archer of the department’s Air Support Bureau, which also serves Costa Mesa, Irvine and Newport Beach.

But those parts were simply replacements of technology dating back to the Vietnam War — not upgrades, Sgt. Jeff Goodspeed added.

“Imagine going from an old, gas-powered truck to a brand-new, state-of-the-art piece of technology,” said Goodspeed, one of seven pilots in Surf City’s Air Support Bureau.

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In fact, choosing this model was similar to getting a car: The pilots “test-drove” various models from different manufactures before settling on the MD 530FF.

In addition to upgraded infrared capabilities and other technology improvements, a main difference with the new helicopters is a tail rotor that allows for a bigger engine, less heat-related issues, more maneuverability, and a reduced weight restriction.

The three helicopters cost about $10 million in all, but the city was able to cut that tab by about $3 million by letting the manufacturer, MD Helicopters, sell the two remaining aircraft and have the related parts.

They will replace one helicopter sold to an Australian company, another that crashed and killed an officer and injured the co-pilot, and the third that is still in use. The city agreed to purchase the new helicopters in June 2021, well before the fatal February collision, the cause not yet announced by investigators.

While drones are also deployed, nothing compares to the human eye and the ability of a helicopter to follow suspects during a pursuit or give ground officers a bird’s-eye view, Archer said.

“It allows officers in their patrol cars to back off a bit, but we can keep eyes on them (the suspects),” Goodspeed explained. “Sometimes, that will make the suspect drive slower or back off if they think police aren’t on them anymore. It’s safer for everyone.”

On Feb. 19, one of the department’s helicopters crash-landed in the shallow Newport Channel just off of the Lido Peninsula in Newport Beach while assisting that city’s Police Department. The crash killed one officer, Nicholas Vella, and injured his co-pilot.

A preliminary investigation revealed the officers reported mechanical failure in a radio transmission. The crash is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, spokesman Peter C. Knudson said. A full report isn’t expected until next year.

The department’s fleet was temporarily grounded, but no significant mechanical issues were identified.

When the new helicopters arrive, they won’t go immediately into service. The pilots will spend a week in training with an expert from the manufacturer, including classroom work to get comfortable with the new system and prepare for any emergency situation, Goodspeed said.

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