22-Jul-2022Source: Maryland Law Enforcement
This month marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of a permanent Maryland State Police Aviation Command helicopter base in Southern Maryland. On July 1, 1987, the Maryland State Police Aviation Command (MSPAC) opened the doors for the section, known through the Southern Maryland region as “Trooper 7.” The helicopter section was originally based at... Read more
23-Mar-2020Source: Maryland Government
The Maryland State Police Aviation Command marks the 50th anniversary of the first civilian medevac mission flown in our state and the commencement of an integrated emergency medical system whose members have helped saved tens of thousands of lives since. On March 19, 1970, at 11:20 a.m., Maryland State Police “Helicopter 108,” crewed by pilot... Read more
13-Mar-2017Source: HeliHub.com
Late last year, Maryland Natural Resources Police received their helicopter back after seven years. Their 1972 Bell Jet Ranger, named Natural 1, was transferred in 2009 to Harford County Sheriff’s Office due to a budget cut. Mark Belton, the NRP’s secretary went to great lengths to reacquire the helicopter and spent $158, 000 on an... Read more
15-Jan-2015Source: NTSB
What is the issue? The safety of public helicopter operations is often overlooked. Every day, hundreds of federal, state, and local helicopter pilots fly emergency medical service, law enforcement support, and search and rescue missions, as well as a host of other public operations. The public trusts these operators and relies on them to conduct... Read more
28-Aug-2014Source: Baltimore Sun
Law enforcement agencies in the Baltimore area and across the country are researching drones, intrigued by their potential for high-risk tactical raids and gathering intelligence. See Full Story... Read more
6-Aug-2014Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland has delivered to Maryland State Police the 10th AW139 to be used for the state’s emergency medical, search and rescue, law enforcement and homeland security missions. All 10 of the aircraft ordered have been fully built and delivered from the company’s Philadelphia assembly line, with continued technical support provided by the Philadelphia-based Customer Support... Read more
5-Mar-2014Source: WBFF Television
Maryland State Police have disclosed they flew 136 community outreach missions in 2013 amid mounting costs for maintaining dual medevac fleets during a troubled transition to new AW-139 helicopters. See full story... Read more
4-Feb-2014Source: Fox 45
State Senator John Astle says he wants more details about a spate of recent emergency repairs on the older Dauphin helicopters and the apparent slower-than-planned roll-out of the new AW-139s. See full story... Read more
15-Oct-2013Source: WBFF Fox 45
Pilot error was the reason a state medevac helicopter hit the tarmac without its landing gear deployed last month, state police confirmed see full story See also HeliHub.com page for this incident 25-Sep-13 N95MD Eurocopter AS365N3 Leonardtown, US-Maryland... Read more
25-Sep-2013
State Police helicopter made wheels-up landing and remained upright on the fuselage... Read more
12-Sep-2013
Helicopter grounded after pilot found hole (possibly from a bullet) in a rotor blade on pre-flight inspection... Read more
28-Feb-2013Source: Frederick News Post
Years after a multimillion-dollar contract to replace the state’s fleet of aged medevac helicopters caused controversy in Annapolis, two newly purchased aircraft arrived Tuesday at the aviation command of the Maryland State Police (see full story)... Read more
12-Oct-2012Source: Your4State
A Maryland State Police Dauphin touched down for the first time Thursday morning for a test landing at Frederick Memorial Hospital’s new rooftop helipad. (see full story)... Read more
7-Oct-2012Source: Maryland State Police
On Fridya, Governor Martin O’Malley joined Colonel Marcus Brown, officials from AgustaWestland, representatives from the state’s emergency medical services community, and other officials to unveil the first new Maryland State Police medevac helicopter, an important step forward in replacing Maryland’s aging medevac helicopter fleet. “The most sacred responsibility that any government holds is to protect... Read more
19-Jul-2012Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that Maryland State Police Aviation Command has executed options under their current contract for three additional AW139 medium twin helicopters. These aircraft will be used for emergency medical, search and rescue, law enforcement and homeland security missions. This order follows an initial contract for six AW139s placed... Read more
21-Jun-2012
The Maryland Board of Public Works voted Wednesday to grant $500K more to AgustaWestland to account for a remodeled searchlight and medical interiors on their nine AW139s, none of which are yet delivered. (see full story)... Read more
20-Feb-2012
Engine vibrations in flight, made emergency landing and there was a fire in the engine too... Read more
9-Feb-2012Source: HeliHub.com
Ontario’s air ambulance operator Ornge has had a number of problems recently, a number of them documented here on HeliHub.com. One ongoing aspect is the “emergency room in the air” EMS interior fitted to the AW139s which have been deemed unsuitable for the role they are intended for. Problems identified particularly include the height of... Read more
28-Jun-2011Source: Dagger Press
Knowing minutes can mean the difference between life and death, the Maryland State Police Aviation Command is implementing a plan to pre-position the medevac helicopter stationed in Baltimore County closer to where it is most frequently used in Northeastern Maryland during hours of peak mission demand.... Read more
1-May-2011Source: US Coast Guard
BALTIMORE – The Coast Guard hosted the 2011 Search and Rescue Conference at Coast Guard Sector Baltimore to improve cooperation between search and rescue agencies in the upper Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River, Friday. Approximately 100 members from the Coast Guard, Maryland Natural Resources Police, Maryland State Police, and supervisors from more than 25... Read more
15-Apr-2011Source: Baltimore Sun
In its latest filing, the federal government says the pilot failed to properly assess the risk of landing the helicopter and executing an approach to the base’s runway, and that he attempted to descend too quickly.... Read more
19-Mar-2011Source: WBAL 11 News
The state is looking into the possibility of billing each patient transported, according to 11 News reporter David Collins. This would be a huge departure from current policy, which uses tax dollars to fund the program, without charging patients.... Read more
13-Jan-2011Source: Buffalo News
The state of Maryland has filed a $4 million lawsuit against the federal government over the 2008 crash of a state police helicopter that killed four people.... Read more
6-Jan-2011Source: Maryland State Police
The Maryland State Police Aviation Command has selected Sergeant Jonathan Longest as the 2010 Non Commissioned Officer of the Year. Sgt. Longest is assigned to the Medical Operations Section at Aviation Command Headquarters and was selected by his peers for this annual award based on proven performance, dedication and commitment to the mission of the... Read more
14-Dec-2010Source: Gazette
The sole survivor of a 2008 Maryland State Police helicopter crash in District Heights has filed a $50 million lawsuit against the FAA, alleging negligence on the part of air traffic controllers.... Read more
25-Nov-2010Source: Eldersburg Patch
David H. Hopwood, 35, of the 7000-block of Bristol Place in Sykesville was charged with reckless endangerment, attempted second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer and prohibited use of a laser pointer.... Read more
20-Oct-2010Source: AgustaWestland
(HeliHub.com editor note – we have already run this story as reported in Maryland local press – this the confirmation from AgustaWestland via a press release) AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce today that it has been awarded a contract by the Maryland State Police Aviation Command to provide six AW139 helicopters for... Read more
17-Oct-2010
A state tender for six helicopters closed this week with AgustaWestland’s $72M bid the only one placed. Questions now being raised as to why they were the only manufacturer to bid, and why helicopters as large as AW139s are used for State police and EMS work... Read more
15-Oct-2010Source: Baltimore Sun
The AW139 was the only bid – a year back Eurocopter alleged that the state’s specifications for new aircraft were skewed in favour of AgustaWestland... Read more
7-Sep-2010Source: WBAL
Maryland State Police said Monday that one of its helicopter crews was recently targeted while trying to land in Ocean City to pick up a trauma patient.... Read more
16-Oct-2009Source: WBAL
Eurocopter, the manufacturer of the current Maryland State Police fleet, filed a formal protest and is not making an offer to replace the aging helicopters. The company alleges that the state’s specifications for new aircraft are skewed in favor of AgustaWestland.In a letter to Gov. Martin O’Malley and to the state Department of Transportation, the... Read more
9-Sep-2009Source: American Eurocopter
The Public Service award was presented to pilot Jim MacKay and trooper/flight paramedic Nate Wheelock, who received this distinction during the Rotor & Wing 2009 Search and Rescue summit in Reston, Virginia.... Read more
