The Force’s helicopter has become a familiar sight patrolling the skies of South Yorkshire.

‘SY99’ flew into the area in December 2003 at a cost of £4m.  It’s operated by the Air Operations Unit and aids the work of officers on the ground. The current helicopter replaced its 21-year-old predecessor providing extra space for passengers and much greater reliability.

 

What is the helicopter doing above my house?

If you have ever wondered what the South Yorkshire Police helicopter was doing above your house or workplace you can now find out by following South Yorkshire Police’s Air Operations unit on Twitter.

SY99 is the most expensive resource the Force has but this is money well spent. The aircraft covers Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham preventing crime, tackling criminals and saving lives.

Many people associate the sight and sound of the helicopter with car chases and criminals on the run, thanks mainly to ‘cop’ shows on TV. However, SY99, the pilots and observers play a vital role in reducing antisocial behaviour, gathering intelligence and locating vulnerable missing people, as well as apprehending suspects on the run.

A bit about the aircraft

Model: MD 902 Explorer

Colour:   Midnight blue and yellow, chosen because the contrasting colours increase flight safety

Flying hours per year:   1200

Started flying:   December 2003

Top Speed:   140 Knots or two miles a minute

Equipment:   Tracker, Wescam MX15, Skyshout 700 public address system, Nitesun, NOTAR system

 

Tracker

SY99 is equipped with a tracking system that can be used to track stolen vehicles. The system has been adopted by most police forces in the UK and is most commonly found in patrol cars althought the system is equally effective, if not more so in the helicopter. The system works by tracking a signal that is transmitted by a concealed device inside a vehicle.

 

Wescam MX15

Beneath the nose of the aircraft is the Wescam MX15 observation system, equally effective day or night. It houses two daylight cameras and one thermal imaging camera, which capture video images that are then displayedon colour monitors within the aircraft. The camera system, while the most expensive part of the aircraft, is amongst the best in world. It is used to search open areas, both rural and urban, not only to trace offenders but to locate missing persons resulting in numerous lives being saved. 

 

Skyshout 700 public address system

Although not regularly used, the Skyshout public address system can be invaluable when important information needs to get to large numbers of people on the ground. It can be used during missing person seaches, or floods without having to land.

 

Nitesun

The Nitesun is a powerful lightbeam attached to the underside of the helicopter. The power of the light emitted is equivalent to 30 million candles. The beam is used to illuminate areas that are in darkness and is vital when searching for missing and vulnerable people. The beam can be adjusted to a very wide or narrow angle and can be steered through a wide vertical and horizontal radius.

 

NOTAR

If you have seen SY99 you may have noticed that the unlike conventional helicopters SY99 does not have a tail rotor system. Instead it is equipped with a NOTAR ducted fan system which means it is up to 50 per cent quieter than helicopters fitted with tail rotors. It also means that the aircraft is safer for air and ground crew.