SE-HPG

Information

SE-HPG arrived to Sweden, new from the Bell Helicopter Company's factory, back in 1972. It was purchased by the Swedish National Police via the Swedish Bell Helicopter agent Ostermans Aero AB. The helicopter was acquired as a replacement for a crashed Bell 47 (SE-HPC).

The aircraft was used as fully operational police helicopter until the late-80s, when it was assigned to be a training helicopter in the Swedish Police Wing. The rest of the fleet consisted of Bell Jet Rangers and Long Rangers at this time.

Despite its role as a pilot trainer the helicopter was occasionally used as a "summer helicopter" for traffic surveillance in the Kalmar/Öland region.

On August 10th 2001, at the official show-off ceremony of the first brand new Police-EC135, the helicopter did its last official flights in service with the Swedish National Police. The helicopter later did a number of flights before it finally was retired. One of the very last flights went from the Police base at Tullinge Airport to Patria Ostermans Aero AB at Arlanda Airport where the helicopter was refreshed and went through an annual inspection before it was flown to the Police Technical Museum at the Police School in Sörentorp, Stockholm.

The helicopter was exhibited as a traditional display item, but kept in air worthy condition. In mid-2002 the helicopter flew to Patria Ostermans Aero to get her airworthiness certification renewed. This flight was combined with a journey to Karlstad in order to participate in a local air show.

The aircraft was displayed at the Sörentorp Police Academy for 10 years before it was transported to Patria Helicopter's maintenance shop at Arlanda Airport in late-2011, where it was repainted into its original black/white livery. It was later transported by truck to the large aviation museum Aeroseum, in Gothenburg, where it was put on display in November 2011.

SE-HPG was returned to an airworthy condition in order to make a tribute flight at the Swedish Police Wing's 50-year anniversary at Säve Airport in Gothenburg on 14 November 2014.