By Kevin McKenzie
The Commercial Appeal
MEMPHIS — It’s hard out here for a Memphis Police Department helicopter.
• One of three Bell Jet Rangers has been grounded since a hard landing on May 30, 2010
• A second Bell awaiting a transmission overhaul hasn’t been in the sky since June 2011
• The third one, due for an engine overhaul, has been out of service since November 2011
That left the department’s Air Support Division with one chopper flying, a Eurocopter A-Star until July 16.
A parts manufacturer is having the turbine wheels on that helicopter replaced at no cost after a failure elsewhere in the country. A tail rotor inspection also is in the works.
Memphis police Maj. Vernell Stepter said Wednesday that at least one is expected back in the air as soon as Thursday.
A maintenance engineer from a Nashville-based parts company, Helicorp, is working to install a top case ordered in June 2011 for the Bell Jet Ranger having its transmission overhauled, Stepter said. That will allow the transmission to be reinstalled and the helicopter to fly, at a cost of $61,720.
The issue with this helicopter was the nonavailability of parts, until now, Stepter said by e-mail.
A second grounded helicopter, the Eurocopter A-Star, is expected to return to the sky as soon as Friday. Engineers and the replacement turbine wheels have arrived. The tail rotor is to be inspected and will cost $6,100 if replaced.
That leaves a second Bell helicopter waiting for its routine engine overhaul, for a contracted cost of $70,000.
The hard times won’t end soon for the Bell that made a hard landing two years ago, causing an estimated $400,000 in damage. Increases in the prices of parts and labor have lifted the repair cost estimate to $600,000.
An insurance settlement was received on the damage, and we are waiting for the approval to proceed with the repairs or replacement of the helicopter, Stepter said.
The air unit has two mechanics, three lieutenant pilots, seven line pilots who bid to join the unit and one pilot trainee for the fleet, which includes 1988, 1989, 1999 and 2004 models. The unit is staffed 16 hours a day.
While the helicopter fleet hasn’t been flying, one lieutenant is off sick, another took vacation and the third works the night shift, according to Stepter. Two of the line pilots are assigned to the hangar near the Police Training Academy to assist mechanics, one is serving in Afghanistan, one is assigned to the department’s Investigative Services, two are monitoring telephones on the day and night shifts, and one is on administrative leave.
The aviation unit’s approved budget has hovered at about $550,000 a year since 2009. But in the last two fiscal years, which have included grounded helicopters, little more than half of the funds were actually spent. The budget for this fiscal year, which began July 1, has dipped to about $493,500, according to department figures.
While the Memphis police helicopter fleet has been down, the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, which has three helicopters, has flown up from Mississippi to provide air cover. On Wednesday, DeSoto County provided eyes in the sky in the successful search for a missing Memphis woman.
Copyright 2012 The Commercial Appeal, Inc.