In the Air with the Police Bells

Archived article from the JB Aviation & Aero Club database. 

At the end of 2023, the Polish Police Aviation Unit acquired four additional Bell 407GXi helicopters. It’s great to see these helicopters joining the rest of the Bell and Black Hawk fleet, and it’s even better to be there for their delivery and flight to Poland, while also having the opportunity to take a closer look at them both on the ground and in the air.

The Bell 407GXi helicopters are now at the Babice base in Warsaw, in the custody of the Police Aviation Unit, and as of the publication of this article, they are already on duty and conducting flights throughout Poland. Before they were delivered to their new owner, they had to be assembled, undergo pre-flight checks, and be retrofitted with specialized avionics—a process that took several months and took place in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, under the supervision and with the invaluable assistance of top-tier specialists from the Aero Club.

Long-standing partnership with Bell Helicopters

The partnership with Bell Helicopters has its roots in both the Police and JB Investments. The Police Aviation Unit has been operating three helicopters of the same type (407 GXi) for quite some time, and its fleet also included two Bell 206B JetRanger IIIs. Previously, it also operated a Bell 412. It is therefore no surprise that the next four helicopters also come from the Bell factory. In Poland, there are many more Bell helicopters in civilian service—more than a dozen 407s are in private ownership, and the registry also includes models such as the 206, 429, and the latest 505.

JB Investments celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023. During this period, the company has delivered over 300 airplanes and helicopters to various institutions, including the Polish Police. The earlier Belle 407 GXi helicopters were also delivered by the same company. For JB Investments, the delivery of these aircraft represents its largest project to date (following the delivery of two Let 410 patrol and reconnaissance aircraft to the Border Guard).

Use by the Police

In recent years, the police have placed a strong emphasis on improving road safety and developing their technical capabilities. The four newest helicopters will be used primarily to improve safety on Polish roads. Each of these helicopters is equipped with an aerial surveillance system and dedicated communication links with ground patrols. It is worth noting that the purchase and operation of these helicopters is just one component of the entire system, which is largely financed by European funds—other components include equipping and modernizing the fleet and ground-based systems. The total value of the project is nearly 170 million PLN.

The newest Belle 407 GXi helicopters will ultimately be stationed at various units—the current helicopters are deployed in Warsaw and Poznań, and will eventually also be based in Szczecin, Wrocław, Łódź, and Kraków. One of the advantages of their everyday use is the so-called SOL (Aerial Observation System) with radio image transmission. The current aircraft are already being used by the Police Aviation Unit, in conjunction with the traffic police, for dynamic monitoring of vehicle traffic.

These aircraft have their advantages, such as the ability to fly at both low and high speeds across a wide range of altitudes, as well as the ability to operate independently of existing official aviation infrastructure. In their daily operations, the Belle 407GXi helicopters will be used not only to monitor and oversee traffic on major routes and in cities or during major events (e.g., a visit by the U.S. President), but also to detect “traffic violations,” provide visual documentation of disasters or traffic accidents, and pursue perpetrators of traffic accidents or other crimes.

On board

The Bell 407GXi is a helicopter that is very well suited not only for private use but also for public service—in fact, Bell itself advertises it that way. In its standard configuration, the helicopter can carry up to 7 people—2 in the cockpit and 5 in the passenger compartment. The version customized for the Polish Police can carry one fewer person—instead of a seat on the left side, there is a control panel for the camera and floodlight operator, as well as for communicating with ground units.

The cockpit features the latest Garmin G1000H NXi avionics suite, including an autopilot and an additional screen displaying camera feeds. The aircraft is also equipped with an additional communications panel and is adapted for flights using NVGs (Night Vision Goggles). Adapting the aircraft to the NVG standard also required additional modifications to ensure that all backlighting elements functioned correctly with night vision.

The Police 407s are fully certified for IFR flights, with a cruising speed of 133 kts and a range of 337 nm. It’s also worth noting that the Rolls-Royce turbine engine is equipped with a full, two-channel FADEC system, which significantly simplifies the pilot’s job. Also noteworthy are the composite rotor blades, which have no service life limit (unlike other components or other aircraft).

A Visit to Wiener Neustadt

The delivery of the helicopters from the Wiener-Neustadt LOAN airport is scheduled for early December in two batches (two helicopters each). Upon arriving at the airport and heading to the Airborne Technologies hangars, we were greeted by the sight of four helicopters lined up in a row. It’s not every day you get to see four helicopters with the same paint scheme in one place, so this is definitely a treat for aviation enthusiasts and an opportunity to take some unique photos.

The helicopters are still registered as civilian aircraft under the registration numbers SP-NYA, SP-NYB, SP-NYC, and SP-NYD, but their civilian markings will soon be replaced with police markings—incidentally, both the pilots and the police helicopters operate under licenses and permits issued by the Chief of Police.

Once there, we greeted the pilots, our mechanic friends from the JB Aero Club, and a police delegation that had already been in Austria for over a week to verify that the aircraft complied with the tender specifications, confirm that all systems were functioning properly, and review the documentation. We also have the opportunity to take a close look at these aircraft and see firsthand what we had previously only heard about in theory.

The police-spec Belle models look significantly more “aggressive” than the classic versions of this model. The additional camera and spotlight definitely catch the eye and give the entire helicopter a more elongated shape, while the police markings and the Polish flag placed beneath the rotor also lend the helicopter an air of authority. It’s worth noting that modifying helicopters involves not only purchasing specialized equipment, but also installing and integrating it on board. This was accomplished in record time thanks to the efficient work of skilled mechanics who worked day and night, including weekends, to get the helicopters ready on time. It’s worth noting that JB Aero Club is the only authorized Bell helicopter service center in Poland.

After taking a few photos and accepting delivery of the helicopters, it’s time to talk with the pilots, since we plan to fly together to Poland and take some air-to-air photos along the way. At the controls of the helicopters are experienced pilots from Poland—until the official handover of the helicopters at Babice, these aircraft are registered as civilian, which is why civilian pilots are responsible for flying them to the main base. We discuss the flight route to ensure everything goes safely and smoothly, as well as the plan for in-flight positioning. With winter temperatures, we may encounter low clouds along the way, which we’ll avoid by flying “VFR on top,” but everything should go according to plan.

After flying together for about 1.5 hours, we reach the Polish border, and a short time later we break formation—the helicopters land in Kaniów to refuel for the rest of the journey, while we return to the main base.

It’s encouraging that the Polish Police are acquiring even better and more standardized aviation equipment to carry out their operations—it immediately makes people feel safer, both in their daily lives and “on the road.” For now, we can only watch closely as developments and operations in this area continue to unfold in the Polish skies!

Text:Filip Modrzejewski
Photos: Filip Modrzejewski, Daniel Puciłowski.