Brevard Buys Helicopters For Mosquito Control, Firefighting
By SpaceCoastDaily // October 31, 2012
mosquito control
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Brevard County government has closed a deal for two AS350 B3e helicopters from American Eurocopter, which will replace an AS350 B3 and two 206Bs currently in use.
“We carefully considered our options before making the purchase,” said Brevard County Mosquito Control Director, Craig Simmons.
American Eurocopter is the U.S. affiliate of Eurocopter, the largest helicopter manufacturer in the world, and a subsidiary of EADS North America Holdings, the North American operations of EADS, the second largest aerospace and defense company in the world. Company headquarters and main facility are in Grand Prairie, Texas, with a large manufacturing and production facility in Columbus, Miss.
The helicopters will be used in mosquito control, firefighting and herbicide application throughout the county and are scheduled for delivery in July 2013.
“We carefully considered our options before making the purchase,” said Brevard County Mosquito Control Director Craig Simmons.
“Our main focus was searching for a proven aircraft that could carry heavy exterior loads for mosquito control spray applications, while maintaining considerable flight range. The low acquisition and operating costs for the new AS350 B3e, along with the extra payload and safety features of the aircraft, were a perfect fit for our operations.”
The helicopters will primarily be used for mosquito control as Brevard experiences extreme and heavy mosquito breeding activity countywide. The 2011 mosquito season in Brevard was more than double what had been experienced in years past with more acres treated last year than the previous two years combined, an increase of more than 250 percent over 2010.
“We are extremely pleased to once again provide our products and services to Brevard County,” said American Eurocopter Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing Treg Manning.
“We believe the increased performance and safety features of the B3e will enhance their mission capabilities. American Eurocopter is a helicopter manufacturer and markets, sells and supports the broadest range of civil and parapublic helicopters offered by any manufacturer. The product line represents the most cost-effective, technologically-advanced helicopters, ranging from light single to heavy twin, serving all markets and missions.”
The AS350 AStar is a single-engine helicopter that is built and certified in the United States. The AS350 AStar accommodates five to six passengers in all forward-facing seats. High performance, enhanced maneuverability and reduced pilot workload make American Eurocopter’s AS350 the preferred rotary-wing aircraft for a growing number of U.S. civilian users, air medical services and law enforcement agencies.
The AS350 B3e offers faster cruise speeds, 30 minute take-off power, longer engine TBOs (6,000 hours mature), lower DMCs and improved tail rotor controls.
