RCIPS chopper heads to US for damage assessment
Damaged RCIPS helicopter ready to be shipped
(CNS): The fate of the first Royal Cayman Islands Police Service helicopter hangs in the balance as it is on its way to Louisiana, via Texas, to find out whether or not it can be repaired. The helicopter was wrapped and delivered to the George Town dock earlier this week to be shipped to the United States to undergo a detailed assessment by the manufacturer, Airbus. If it is deemed beyond a cost-effective repair, the public purse will be paying for a new chopper.
The helicopter was purchased in 2007 for $1.8 million, a move that came in for considerable criticism at the time. However, it turned out to be a significant additional tool in the fight against crime. But in February it crash landed just after take-off at Owen Roberts International Airport as a result of a faulty machine part, severely damaging the tail as it hit the ground.
The RCIPS Air Operations Unit is already making use of the new multi-purpose helicopter which arrived on-island in March. The second machine was purchased with the support of the UK so it could be deployed to other overseas territories in emergencies.
But the new helicopter was meant to augment the law-enforcement capabilities of the original chopper, adding search and rescue, medical evacuations and the ability to fly farther.
Therefore, government officials, including the premier and the police commissioner, have said that if the older machine cannot be repaired, government will look at acquiring a second brand new helicopter.
Switch it out for a submarine.
It is fully insured and it is the insurance company that are shipping it. One place it does not need to be is in the Cayman Islands, many more options where the ability to repair or salvage it, and investigate properly. They said early on the UK Accident Branch is investigating, they take ages to issue their reports. The manufacturers have already issued a service bulletin. Perhaps CNS could follow up with the people that know.
CNS,
Head line should read:
“RCIPS Chopper Heads to US for Chopping Block”
I bet it ain’t coming back.
Don’t bring it back. It was salt from the very start of its purchase. Oh how we can forget so easily.
If the damage was caused by a faulty part, then where is the insurer of whomever warranted the performance of that part? That’s what insurance is for.
Was this part sold “as-is” from a shop tearing down stolen Honda civics? C’mon CNS, a little inquisitive reporting would be helpful. If this part was “faulty”, then where is the manufacturer?
I hope they publish the accident investigation to prove it was actually “faulty equipment” that caused the crash…..
A lot already out there in the aviation world
Shouldn’t the manufacturer of the “faulty machine part” have some liability for this repair or replacement? Was this pursued by anyone? RCIPS? CIG? Helicopter maintenance organization? And who made the determination that it was, in fact, a faulty machine part? FAA? NHTSA?
Get da piece a sh*t outta ya!
Let’s see how smart they are , going to ship it there to be told that it’s a right off , total cost $20,000., flying the expert in and be told total right off $5.000 and could have used it for dive site , but now they have to pay another $20,000 to ship it back to CI .
Worth it. If it can be fixed and flown safely it would be far cheaper than buying a new one.
2:28 Even if it’s not repairable it’s still worth a heck of a lot more than the shipping costs (and where did the $20K figure from?) parted out for spares.
Hang on guys. Wouldn’t it had been cheaper to pay the manufacturers to send down a couple persons to do the evaluation here? On no but I remember it the tax payers that is footing the bill and not those who make these decisions
Folish decision made by the idiots…..their hand iching them to spend some more crazy amount of money…….out of the public purse and while our education system is in shambles!!!!!!! Only God can help us…….
No insurance,??????.
Would have been cheaper just to chuck it on the landfill with the rest of the trash.