Airbus Helicopters has landed another contract.
The latest in a series of contracts the company, which has a large-scale production facility in Lowndes County, has been awarded is for up to 15 AS350 AStar helicopters. Company officials announced Monday that the California Highway Patrol has entered into a contract for three years with two one-year options. The West Coast law agency’s initial order is for three of the commercial aircraft with deliveries beginning in December.
The AStars are the best-selling civil and commercial helicopters in the United States and the most-purchased by American law enforcement agencies with more than 220 in use and 75 built within the last five years.
The company recently launched its second full helicopter assembly line for the AStar. The original full line has produced UH-72A Lakota helicopters for the U.S. Military since the plant began operations in 2006.
That contract also received a major boost earlier this year when congressmen passed the FY2015 Defense Appropriations Bill proposed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. That measure will fund production of 55 Lakotas for the U.S. Army, an increase from the procurement of 20 in Fiscal Year 2014. The Army is using the Airbus-produced helicopters to replace aging aircraft.
Airbus officials said the California Highway Patrol helicopters will feature advanced equipment that enhances safety and operational capabilities for law enforcement.
“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,” said Ed Van Winkle, Sales Manager for Airborne Law Enforcement for Airbus Helicopters in a press release. “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.”
Sam Adcock, Vice President and General Manager for the Columbus facility, said in July that the company’s fortunes now look much better than 20 years ago when federal budget cuts compromised the Lakota program. He said that possibility necessitated the need to upgrade the assembly line for the AStar to a full one to maintain the facility’s estimated 260 employees.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
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