From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Victoria Police Air Wing
Victoria Police Air Wing
Air Wing surveillance and traffic patrol in the country areas of Vic-
toria, as well as pilot training duties.[1] [5]
150px In 1996 police helicopter services began to be out-
Active 1975 - Present sourced and the helicopters sold to Lloyd Helicopters of
Australia (now CHC Helicopters), with the aircraft and
Country Australia their maintenance being leased back. Pilots and tactical
Branch Victoria Police flight officers (TFO) continue to be provided by the Vic-
toria Police.[5] From 2001 the Air Wing began to re-equip
Role Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue and
Aeromedical
with new aircraft provided by CHC Helicopters, with the
"much loved"[5] SA365C1 models being replaced by their
Garrison/ Essendon Airport more powerful and much upgraded derivative, the
HQ
AS365N3 Dauphin.[5]
Along with the 3 new Dauphin helicopters, the Squir-
The Victoria Police Air Wing is the police aviation sup-
rel has also been replaced with a new twin-engined Euro-
port unit of the Victoria Police.[1]
copter EC135 T2+ that fulfills the same role. The two en-
gines of the EC135 means it is now able to safely operate
History over urban areas where the single-engined Squirrel was
limited or excluded.[5] While the new aircraft have much
greater capabilities over the previous generation, such
as HD Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) and Night Vision
Goggles (NVG), the new aircraft are also significantly qui-
eter, an important feature when operating over urban ar-
eas.[5] In February 2009, the Air Wing moved into new,
larger facilities at Essendon Airport that allowed them to
be co-located with Air Ambulance Victoria, with whom
they have a partnership, and their Bell 412 specialist
aeromedical helicopter.[5]
Roles
Dauphin 2 helicopter The Air Wing undertake a wide variety of roles includ-
ing:[1]
The Air Wing was formed in 1975 after the members of • Crime prevention and detection through regular
the Victoria Police Aero Club demonstrated the potential patrols,
of utilising aviation assets for policing roles. At first all • Traffic surveillance of major traffic thoroughfares,
Air Wing operations were conducted by leasing two twin- • Air-to-ground direction, guiding police on the
engine Aero Commander aircraft that transported police ground to their targets,
personnel and support staff around the state.[1] • Search and Rescue for missing people at sea and in
The first helicopter to be operated by the Air Wing remote places,
was a twin-engined Aérospatiale SA365C1 Dauphin 2 pur- • Fire duties utilising a fire bucket as an aerial fire
chased in 1979 (VH-PVF), the first of its kind in Australia, bomber, and providing the Country Fire Authority
with another two former VIP aircraft purchased in 1986 (CFA) and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) with
from the Romanian Government (VH-PVA and VH- aerial observation support,
PVK).[2][3] On Sunday, 9 August 1987, Air 495 (VH-PVA, the • 24 Hour Air Ambulance service,
Air Ambulance) was hit by gunfire during its part in the • Photographic tasks providing aerial photography for
Hoddle Street massacre, and was forced to land in a near- crime, traffic, planning and routine operations, as
by park. [4] well as covert surveillance, observation and
A single-engined Aérospatiale AS350B Squirrel was photography of criminal activities.
added to the fleet in 1988 for routine operations such as
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Victoria Police Air Wing
Current Aircraft
Model Registration Serial No. Year Built Introduction Notes
Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin VH-PVH 6604 2001 2001 Police pur-
posed.
Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin VH-PVG 6597 2001 2001 Aeromedical
purposed,
painted in red
Air Ambu-
lance colours.
Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin VH-PVD 6846 2009 2009
Eurocopter EC135 T2+ VH-PVE 0834 2009 2010
Past Aircraft
Model Registration Serial No. Year Built Years Notes
Aero Commander 500 type 1975 - ?
Aero Commander 500 type 1975 - ?
Aérospatiale SA365C1 Dauphin 2 VH-PVF 5042 1979 - 2002 First Air Wing
helicopter. In
private hands,
with plans for
restoration.
Aérospatiale SA365C1 Dauphin 2 VH-PVA 5025 1986 - 2010
Aérospatiale SA365C1 Dauphin 2 VH-PVK 5033 1986 - 2001 Donated to CQ
Rescue,
Queensland.
Withdrawn
2010.[2]
Aérospatiale AS350BA Squirrel VH-PVM 2058 1987 1988 - 2010
Air Ambulance Victoria [2] ^ Bastable, Kate (21 January 2010). "Second rescue
chopper for region". Daily Mercury.
The Victoria Police Air Wing has a partnership with Air http://www.dailymercury.com.au/story/2010/01/
Ambulance Victoria (AAV) to provide a 24 hour emer- 21/second-rescue-chopper-for-region/. Retrieved
gency air ambulance capability utilising one of the 24 October 2011.
AS365N3 Dauphin helicopters is fitted out for the [3] "Helicopter Emergency Medical Services 1".
aeromedical role.[5] This partnership covers joint opera- http://www.colacambulance.com/HEMS%201.htm.
tions and joint use of the aeromedical Dauphin so it can Retrieved 24 October 2011.
be utilised for police roles when not required for evacu- [4] Bruce Tobin; Brian Walsh (10 August 1987). "City
ation, as well as providing a replacement Dauphin heli- massacre". The Sun. p. 1.
copters while it is receiving maintenance.[5] This co-op- http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/image/5-dead-20-hurt-
eration is aided by having the two organisations sharing helicopter-shot. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
facilities at Essendon Airport. [5] ^ Moclair, Tony. "Sky patrol, Victoria Police Air
Wing". Australian Aviation (Phantom Media)
Aircraft 2011:
October 2011 36–39. ISSN 0813-0876.
References See also
[1] ^ "Air Wing". Victoria Police. 20 February 2009. Similar Australian units
http://www.police.vic.gov.au/
• New South Wales Police Force - Police Aviation
content.asp?Document_ID=172. Retrieved 24
Support Branch
October 2011.
• Northern Territory Police - Air Wing
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Victoria Police Air Wing
• Queensland Police Service - Police Air Wing
• Western Australia Police - Police Air Wing
External links
• Victoria Police official website
Related articles • Colac Ambulance - Numerous images of Air
• Victoria Police Special Operations Group Ambulances VH-PVA and VH-PVG in action
• Victoria Police Critical Incident Response Team
• Air Ambulance Victoria
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Victoria_Police_Air_Wing&oldid=461696851"
Categories:
• Police units of Australia
• Law enforcement units
• Law enforcement agencies of Victoria (Australia)
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