Queensland Police launch Polair 2

The Queensland Police Service has formally launched its second police helicopter, Brisbane-based BO 105 VH-PVK, which is scheduled to begin operational policing duties from July 5.

The 1996 model BO 105 CBS-5 will be operated for Queensland Police by Surf Life Saving Queensland on a two-year contract through until July 2015, and has been extensively refurbished and outfitted with a Garmin G500H avionics suite, FLIR, searchlight and loudspeaker.

Polair 2 joins the similarly configured BO 105 Polair 1, which is based on the Gold Coast and has been operational since August 2013.

“It has proven valuable in performing a range of policing functions such as searching for offenders and missing persons, identifying drug crops and managing traffic and major events,” Commissioner Ian Stewart said on Tuesday.

“Deploying a second police helicopter within south-east Queensland will be a significant boost for policing in the area.”

“It also makes the job safer, not just for our police, but for the community as well.”

Both aircraft are crewed by a civilian Surf Life Saving Queensland pilot and two police aircrew officers comprising a mission coordinator sitting opposite the pilot, and a FLIR operator in the rear left seat.

Comments (5)

Taurean Lea

July 4, 2014 at 9:14 pm

This MBB B-105 is VH-NVK.

Garry

July 7, 2014 at 3:30 pm

18yr old Helicopter??, Why wouldn’t you use the professional EMQ Crew they have the guy’s to do the job,

Regards
Garry Pancake

Raymond

July 8, 2014 at 1:26 pm

Did QPS really not have helicopters prior to August 2013? I’m just finding it quite difficult to believe that a huge state like Queensland is only just discovering the benefits of aircraft… Compare this to the much smaller state of Victoria; the Victoria Police Air Wing was officially formed in 1975, with helicopters introduced in 1979.

Raymond

July 8, 2014 at 9:35 pm

Oh, I think the August 2013 date was just referring to the Polair 1 BO 105 operational date, not helicopters as a whole. Still, only two police choppers for all of Qld seems a little deficient.