A NEW police helicopter will soon be in the skies over Dorset.

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) at Bournemouth Airport has taken delivery of an Airbus chopper which they say will sound slightly different to the public below.

But officers say the volume won’t be much different – and that the helicopter is only scrambled when absolutely necessary.

NPAS says it brought the Airbus EC 135, built in 2004, to Bournemouth because it makes sense to move to having one kind of aircraft in its fleet.

The aircraft is not currently flying while the crew at Bournemouth go through ground training, but Dorset incidents will be covered by neighbouring bases including Exeter, Bristol and Redhill in Surrey.

Russ Woolford, assistant operations director with NPAS, said: “It’s a two to three week process to convert everybody to the new type but in the meantime because this is a borderless national service, air support will still be provided to Bournemouth and Dorset by a number of bases.”

He said the engine had a “different pitch” but would be no louder.

The helicopter can remain airborne for around an hour and 45 minutes. It can capture broadcast quality video in the daytime and thermal imaging in total darkness.

It has a high magnification lens, an aerial mapping system with a full address database, a public address system and a searchlight with 30million candle power.

It also has a digital microwave downlink, allowing it to send video in real time to police control rooms.

NPAS took over the helicopter service from Dorset Police in 2014. Mr Woolford said choppers were only scrambled when necessary, after a request from the force was assessed by the NPAS national operation centre in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

“Forces pay NPAS for the service, so they’re very mindful that if they call for the aircraft, it’s going to cost them,” he said.

Two thirds of helicopter callouts are for searches – either for suspects or vulnerable people.

As well as assisting police operations directly, helicopters can be used to quickly transport specialists such as dog handlers, negotiators or armed officers.

Bournemouth base manager Sgt Neil Cartwright said: “We will only deploy if absolutely necessary and if it’s in a position to make a positive impact on that task. We don’t wake people unnecessarily at two in the morning over Bournemouth unless we have to.”

The new arrival is itself to be replaced later this year by a similar aircraft with upgraded kit.

Mr Woolford said: “The one that arrives in August will be a significant step up, with world-leading, state-of-the-art equipment.”

The Airbus EC 135, built in 2004, replaces the MD 902 which was previously based at Bournemouth.

The old helicopter had no tail rotor thanks to the Notar system, but the new one uses the Fenestron arrangement – a way of enclosing the tail rotor in a duct to make it safer.

It has a cruise speed of 140 knots and can remain airborne for around an hour and 45 minutes, after which another NPAS helicopter can take over if necessary.

It is equipped to capture broadcast quality video and thermal imaging for total darkness.

Other equipment includes:

== a high magnification lens

== a Skyforce aerial mapping system with full address database

== a 700W public address system for giving public safety messages or speaking to people who are stranded.

== a Nightsun searchlight with 30million candle power.

== a digital microwave downlink, allowing video to be sent to police control rooms in real time.