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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Safety scare grounds helicopters | Safety scare grounds helicopters |
| (2 days later) | |
| A number of police and air ambulance helicopters have been grounded while maintenance checks are carried out. | A number of police and air ambulance helicopters have been grounded while maintenance checks are carried out. |
| It follows an incident involving the London Air Ambulance at Denham Airfield, in Buckinghamshire. | It follows an incident involving the London Air Ambulance at Denham Airfield, in Buckinghamshire. |
| An internal fan system fault, which can cause a drop in height, is understood to be the cause of the scare. | An internal fan system fault, which can cause a drop in height, is understood to be the cause of the scare. |
| Police forces in Dorset, Humberside, West Yorkshire, Sussex and Wiltshire have grounded helicopters until checks are completed. | Police forces in Dorset, Humberside, West Yorkshire, Sussex and Wiltshire have grounded helicopters until checks are completed. |
| Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire Police forces also use McDonnell Douglas (MD) 902 series helicopters. | Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire Police forces also use McDonnell Douglas (MD) 902 series helicopters. |
| But both said they carried out their own maintenance work and their helicopters were still operating. | But both said they carried out their own maintenance work and their helicopters were still operating. |
| GROUNDED HELICOPTERS Humberside PoliceDorset PoliceWiltshire PoliceWest Yorkshire PoliceSussex PoliceGreat North Air Ambulance, DurhamYorkshire Air AmbulanceLincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air AmbulanceLondon Air Ambulance | |
| The 902 series does not have a tail rotor and instead uses a fan exhaust system. | The 902 series does not have a tail rotor and instead uses a fan exhaust system. |
| It is believed that similar earlier faults with fan belts in the internal system have affected other 902 helicopters involving the police in Germany, France and the United States. | |
| The Gloucestershire-based Specialist Aviation Services, which leases the 902s, said the fault could affect up to 30 craft throughout the UK. | The Gloucestershire-based Specialist Aviation Services, which leases the 902s, said the fault could affect up to 30 craft throughout the UK. |
| Sales and marketing director Nigel Lemon said many of the helicopters could be back in service later on Monday if checks could be done quickly enough. | Sales and marketing director Nigel Lemon said many of the helicopters could be back in service later on Monday if checks could be done quickly enough. |
| McDonnell Douglas has ordered the groundings until maintenance checks are carried out over the coming days. | McDonnell Douglas has ordered the groundings until maintenance checks are carried out over the coming days. |
| London's Air Ambulance Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (Hems) is still out of service. | London's Air Ambulance Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (Hems) is still out of service. |
| Chief executive Andrew Cameron said the craft had been on a mission when a fault forced it to land. | Chief executive Andrew Cameron said the craft had been on a mission when a fault forced it to land. |
| "The skill of the pilots brought it home to Denham safely," he said. | "The skill of the pilots brought it home to Denham safely," he said. |
| Air ambulance helicopters in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire and at Durham Tees Valley Airport have also been grounded. |