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Safety scare grounds helicopters Safety scare grounds helicopters
(about 1 hour 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 Oxfordshire. It follows an incident involving the London Air Ambulance at Denham Airfield, in Buckinghamshire.
A rotor tail fault, which can cause a sudden drop in height, is understood to be the cause of the scare.A rotor tail fault, which can cause a sudden drop in height, is understood to be the cause of the scare.
Police forces in Dorset, Greater Manchester, Humberside, Sussex and Wiltshire have grounded helicopters until checks are completed. Police forces in Dorset, Humberside, West Yorkshire and Wiltshire have grounded helicopters until checks are completed.
Groundings ordered Emergency landing
Similar earlier faults with the rotor tail have affected other McDonnell Douglas (MD) 902 series helicopters involving the police in Germany, France and the United States. Greater Manchester Police also uses a McDonnell Douglas (MD) 902 series helicopter, but has decided not to ground it at present.
The Gloucestershire-based Police and Medical Air Services, which leases the 902s, said the fault could affect up to 30 craft throughout the UK. South Yorkshire Police said it carried out its own maintenance work and its 902 helicopter was still operating.
And Sussex Police could not say if its helicopter was currently operational.
Similar earlier faults with the rotor tail have affected other 902 helicopters involving the police in Germany, France and the United States. GROUNDED HELICOPTERS Humberside PoliceDorset PoliceWiltshire PoliceWest Yorkshire PoliceGreat North Air Ambulance, DurhamYorkshire Air AmbulanceLondon Air Ambulance
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.
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.
Helicopters flown by Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Humberside Police are among the craft currently out of service. London's Air Ambulance Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (Hems) is still out of service.
South Yorkshire Police said it carried out its own maintenance work and its helicopter was still operating. Chief executive Andrew Cameron said the craft had been on a mission when a fault forced it to land.
It said some coverage was still possible from neighbouring forces who may not be affected. "The skill of the pilots brought it home to Denham safely," he said.
The Great North Air Ambulance helicopter, based at Durham Tees Valley Airport, is also currently out of service. Air ambulance helicopters in Yorkshire and at Durham Tees Valley Airport have also been grounded.