MD Helicopters has been selected to supply MD 900 Explorers to the Dutch National Police. The deal, which has not yet been officially confirmed, covers eight aircraft and two options. Deliveries are to begin in April 2001, with six aircraft due that year, and two in 2002 (along with the options, if picked up). The Dutch Explorers will chiefly replace Eurocopter BO 105s, but will take on the role of five different helicopter and fixed-wing types now in Dutch police service.

The Explorers will come in "heavy mission" configuration. For operations over water along the Dutch North Sea coastline they will be fitted with flotation gear and carry a door-mounted rescue winch. They will also be fitted with a FLIR/daylight TV system and weather radar.

The Dutch Explorers will be very similar to the two MD 900s already in service with the Belgian Gendarmerie, which has a third on order. Other new follow-on orders in Europe include five Explorers for Police Aviation Services in the UK, which already has five in service and is now the world's largest MD 900 operator. Another UK order is for a single MD 900 for the Virgin HEMS air medical service. In Germany, the state police in Baden-Wurttemberg has ordered five MD Explorers.

At Farnborough MD Helicopters hopes to announce a pending order for four MD 500Es from the Finnish Defense Forces. These would augment Hughes 500s already in Finnish military service.

Other announced orders at the show, to U.S. law enforcement customers, include the San Diego, California County Sheriff (one MD 500E, one MD 530F), and the Columbus, Ohio police (fifth MD 500E). Two MD 520Ns and two MD 500Es have been sold to undisclosed U.S. customers-believed to be the Prince George's County, Maine and Cleveland, Ohio police departments.

By Robert Hewson