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Law enforcement helicopters equipped with airborne digital audio system from Becker

Posted by Becker Avionics, Inc. in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL on Aug 14, 2012

Fairfax County Police Department law enforcement helicopters Bell 429 will be equipped with the Becker Avionics airborne digital audio system

In August, 2012, Becker Avionics announced that the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) near Washington DC recently received its second new Bell 429 light-twin law enforcement helicopter / EMS helicopter equipped with Becker Avionics DVCS6100 airborne digital audio system.The aviation unit of the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) received its first light-twin law enforcement helicopter / EMS helicopter in December of 2011 and has since logged 600 flight hours and executed 900 missions to protect and support the 1.2 million people who reside in Fairfax County.

FCPD's Bell 429 law enforcement helicopters are configured for law enforcement operations and emergency medical service. In the first seven months of the year, the FCPD's initial Bell 429 helicopter performed 40 medical evacuations and directly assisted in 34 arrests.

Becker Avionics, Inc.

Both of FCPD’s new 429’s were completed and delivered by Paradigm Aerospace Corporation / PAC International in Mount Pleasant, PA. The Becker DVCS6100 was chosen for both aircraft due to its unique ability to effectively manage and control all audio sources in the aircraft. Becker’s Digital multi-channel audio and intercom system, with its software configurable profiles, provides the flexibility to specifically customize the system to meet the demanding operational requirements of airborne Law Enforcement and Air Medical Transport organizations.

The DVCS6100 provides crystal-clear audio quality and manages up to 8 transceivers, receivers, and several audio warning sources in one central system. It is also the only commercial digital audio product available that can provide simulcast capability on 8 channels.

Brett Gardner, Director of Sales and Marketing, said, “Once again, we are very proud to support Fairfax County Police Department's aviation unit with our DVCS6100 product. It’s well suited to Fairfax’s dual law enforcement and EMS missions, and it will enhance and support their demanding flight operations.”

About Fairfax County PD

Fairfax County lies immediately west of Washington DC in northern Virginia. A largely urban area covering some 400 sq miles, it is home to more than a million people and a center for high-tech and government-related businesses. The Fairfax County Police Helicopter Division was initially launched in 1972, but has had a full-time aviation unit since 1982. The unit has been flying two-Bell 407’s for the last ten-plus years. This past year, the unit purchased two new Bell 429 light-twin helicopters. Their law enforcement missions constitute the majority of the missions flown by the Helicopter Division each year. The unit is composed of six pilots (two sworn officers and four civilian), 10 flight officers who serve as EMTs and operate the helicopter’s thermal cameras, a mechanic and unit Commander, Lt. Andy Hill. The unit flies between one and two regular patrols daily and sometimes gets called for medevac missions several times a day. In 2010, the unit airlifted 92 patients to local hospitals and flew 1,204 total missions.

As in any police department with a rotary-wing component, the division supports ground patrols as they investigate robberies, suspicious events and burglaries. Other typical missions include helping to locate missing persons, monitoring public gatherings and assisting in capturing fugitives. The Helicopter Division members train regularly with dive teams, and tactical teams in case use of force from the air is ever called for. With its trained paramedics, the unit can serve as an advanced-level medical provider at a scene. Medevac operations run at around 10% of their total unit missions.