![“It’s a helicopter that is in the process, over the years, [of] replacing our older UH-1 helicopters, which are all 57 or 58 years old,” Pilot John Crowley said.](https://media.newscentermaine.com/assets/NCM/images/d2a4251a-d0a7-4a1a-a4a2-b20dd1661ad4/d2a4251a-d0a7-4a1a-a4a2-b20dd1661ad4_1920x1080.jpg)
OLD TOWN, Maine — The Maine Forest Service invited Maine Game Wardens, state troopers, and members of public office to its Air Operations Hanger in Old Town, to unveil its new Bell 407 helicopter.
Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, attended the event, having proposed the budget that led to updating the aging aerial fleet. This new helicopter is a replacement for one that is more than 50 years old.
The helicopter belongs to the Forest Protection Aviation Branch. It will be used to help with fire detection, firefighting, dropping water, and moving firefighters and equipment to rural and remote locations -- all missions the old helicopters would be used for -- but as time goes on that can take a toll on older equipment.
“The Hueys, [UH-1 helicopters], that we have, the other aircraft, they can only be used for certain missions, but they are also old enough where getting parts and maintaining them are difficult,” Chief Forest Ranger Pilot John Crowley said. “So this is the beginning of the transition where we start getting newer aircraft. Where this aircraft is still being made, we can get parts available for it. Out mechanics have been to the school to be trained on it. It is also very fast.”
The Bell 407’s increase in speed will help the Maine State Forest Service respond to the scene of an accident or fire much faster than what was possible before.