This is the West Yorkshire Police Air Support Unit…

This is the West Yorkshire Police Air Support Unit, a MD902 Explorer. Its police callsign is Xray-99 and the CAA callsign is G-YPOL. West Yorks got a Messerchmitt Bolkow Blohm B0105 DBS4, registration G-WYPA, in December 1989 and this helicopter replaced it in February 2001.



The Explorer was built in Phoenix, Arizona by MD Helicopters Inc. and cost in the region of £3.2m. Equipment carried includes loudhailer, cameras, video equipment, night vision cameras, stabilised binoculars, searchlight, and tracker unit for stolen vehicles.



The helicopter is able to reach anywhere in West Yorkshire within 12 minutes. It has a maximum range of 238 miles, and a top speed of 143 mph. The Explorer has no tail rotor, making the helicopter much quieter and safer on the ground.