Lee County, Florida acquires six Airbus H125s to upgrade fleet for airborne mosquito control missions

FAA approved STC allows higher operating weight for aerial spraying.

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX. (15 May 2018) – Lee County Mosquito Control District in Florida is operating six new Airbus H125 helicopters as part of a major upgrade of its aircraft fleet. The new aircraft are being used to support aerial spraying to control the mosquito population in the roughly 1,000 square-mile district in southwest Florida, which includes the city of Fort Myers.

Lee County officials selected the H125 because of its superior performance and ability to carry a heavier load. Each H125 is capable of hauling about 1,000 pounds more equipment and mosquito abatement product than the previous aircraft in certain configurations, allowing the district to cut the number of helicopters it operates from 10 to six.

will improve our fuel efficiency and cut down on maintenance," said Rick O’Neal of the Lee County Mosquito Control District." "Six aircraft will now do the work that 10 used to do."

Airbus Helicopters Inc. received a supplemental type certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to allow the Lee County aircraft to operate at the higher weight necessary to meet the mission requirements.  

"We take great pride in helping our customers achieve their missions," said Chris Emerson, president of Airbus Helicopters Inc. "The H125 is the leading high-performance single-engine helicopter available, and we are pleased that the Lee County Mosquito Control District selected it to conduct their missions of protecting citizens by fighting disease-carrying mosquitoes."

Created in 1958, the Lee County Mosquito Control District is committed to improving the quality of life, facilitating outdoor activities and protecting public health by implementing environmentally sound practices that control mosquito populations throughout the Gulf Coast county. The district operates both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

The district expects to operate each of the H125s 200 to 250 hours a year, O’Neal said. The peak mosquito-fighting season is May through September.

Airbus Helicopters Inc. produces the H125 at its final assembly plant in Columbus, Miss., by a workforce that includes about 40 percent U.S. military veterans. The H125 is known for its high performance, payload, reliability, and multi-mission flexibility.

Airbus Helicopters Inc. is the leading provider of civil and commercial helicopters in the U.S. The company is based in Grand Prairie, Texas where it operates helicopter completion, paint, and MRO facilities, performs flight test and engineering support, and flight and maintenance training for customers. The Columbus, Miss. plant produces UH-72A Lakota helicopters for the U.S. Army and the H125 for the civil market.

Two H125s help rescue climber in Pakistan

Two H125Ms were used in the rescue of a distressed climber on Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat peak. Their transport of four members of a rescue team to within a day’s journey saved crucial time in getting Elisabeth Revol to safety.

On 26 January 2018, five members of Pakistan’s Army Aviation HA Squadron received orders from Headquarters Force Command Northern Areas (FCNA) to evacuate climber Tomek Mackiewicz, who was trapped at an elevation of about 7,400 metres on Nanga Parbat, Pakistan (in the Himalayan mountain range) and Elisabeth Revol, at about 6,500 metres.

The mission involved picking up four members of a rescue team who were attempting a winter summit of another peak, K2, and dropping them at Nanga Parbat base camp to extricate Ms. Revol, who was suffering from high-altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE) and frost bite.

On 27 January 2018, the two helicopter crews flew to K2 base camp in marginal weather conditions with clouds 500 feet above the glacier, strong winds of over 35 to 40 knots, low clouds and low visibility. They landed their two H125s at K2 base camp at an elevation of 5,560 metres above sea level.

Each helicopter picked up two members of the rescue crew with their survival equipment, and flew them first to Skardu before attempting the flight to Nanga Parbat base camp. With sunset approaching, the helicopter crews ascertained that Ms. Revol’s survival was only possible if the rescue team were dropped that same day, above the base camp, at Camp 1 of Nanga Parbat.

Faced with bad weather and never having carried out a landing at Camp 1 (at 4,900 metres), the helicopter crew’s experience and skill came to bear at Nanga Parbat, where winds at Camp 1 were over 35 knots. The two helicopters landed -- one skid touching the rocky surface – and the crews dropped off the four members of the rescue team. The helicopter crews’ actions saved the rescue team one day of trekking from Nanga Parbat base camp to Camp 1.

The next morning, the helicopter crews returned to pick up the rescue team with Ms. Revol. A delay in the rescuers’ descent from Camp 1 caused the helicopter crew to land at base camp at 4,300 metres and to switch off the helicopters’ engines at -18° C to save time and resources. (Helicopters are usually not switched off at this altitude and at such low temperatures). When the rescue team neared the base camp, the helicopter crews started up again and Ms. Revol, along with her four rescuers, was brought back to safety.

*Because of the extremely adverse weather conditions and his location on the mountain, rescuers were unable to rescue Tomek Mackiewicz