AS350

The Airbus AS350 is the helicopter used by the Unified Police Department. The AS350 is also known as the AStar in North America.

General Description
The AS350 is the helicopter that can be piloted by trained law enforcement officers within the Unified Police Department. It is an extremely light and fast helicopter, capable of reaching speeds of over 150 miles/hour in the hands of a skilled pilot. It is also incredibly agile, making it easily capable of flying in between buildings in the middle of the city in pursuit of suspects.

Usage
The AS350 is only piloted by individuals who have received extensive training under a Air-1 FTO, and upon attaining the Air-1 Certification, join the Air Corps. There are currently 3 AS350 helicopters used by the Air Corps.

The AS350 is an invaluable asset to the police department, primarily due to its ability to track suspects and their vehicles from afar. During firefights between the police department and suspects, the pilot will fly out of firing range, whilst providing critical information to ground units regarding suspect locations. A more dangerous move utilised by pilots is the 'hot-drop', where the pilot will fly low and fast to drop officers on strategically important locations, usually rooftops, within range of suspect firearms.

The spotlight on the front of the AS350 enables the officer employing the system to ascertain the model of a suspect's car, and the license plate. The night vision mode on the spotlight allows for effective usage of the helicopter at night, and the thermal mode allows for detection of suspects who are hiding behind an object, in most cases, a bush.

The AS350 is capable of carrying four officers: one pilot, one co-pilot, and two gunners. The co-pilot will usually employ the spotlight system to assist the pilot and/or ground units, and may also provide communication on a suspect or suspect vehicle in a pursuit, depending on the experience of the pilot and co-pilot. The two gunners are primarily utilised to shoot down rogue aircraft, or utilise EMPs to apprehend suspects and may be joined by the co-pilot depending on the situation.