Omaha Police Department launches Bell 505

Nebraska’s Omaha Police Department’s (OPD) Air Support Department has begun operations with a new Bell 505 Jet Ranger X light helicopter delivered to the department by Bell Textron in February 2022.

The US$3 million aircraft, registered as N240PD, features a dual channel FADEC-controlled Safran Arrius 2R engine and a fully integrated Garmin G1000H NXi avionics suite, and is equipped with policing tools such as a camera, mapping system, spotlight and thermal imaging equipment.

It has a maximum cruise speed of 231km/h, with a 566km range and a 4.4km hover ceiling, with a useful internal load of 680kg.

The aircraft is the third helicopter in OPD’s aerial fleet

“OPD has operated Bell aircraft for 25 years,” said Frank Peck, Chief Pilot for the Omaha Police Department’s Air Support Unit. “In addition to our current fleet, the Bell 505 will add enhanced capabilities, specifically night vision capabilities, performance and safety, while also decreasing direct operator and maintenance cost.”

The aircraft is the third member of OPD’s fleet – according to data by helis.com, the department also operates a Bell 206 and a Bell 407.

Omaha City Council approved the purchase of the aircraft was approved in September 2021, deeming that it was a necessary expense to support the continued operation of aerial services in support of the two older helicopters.

The acquisition makes OPD the ninth police force in North America to operate the 505 in law enforcement configuration. Other departments include the Sacramento Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, and California’s Stockton Police Department, which received the first law-enforcement configured Bell 505 in March 2019.