SE-HPM

Information

SE-HPM arrived to Sweden, new from the Bell Helicopters factory, back in 1980. It was purchased by the Swedish National Police via the agent Ostermans Aero AB.

Swedish Police
On 27 September the helicopter was registered SE-HPM by Järfälla based Ostermans Aero AB. After a few weeks of modifications for police purposes (radios, direction finder and so on) the national police took over the ownership of the helicopter. The police gave it the radio callsign "Polis 944" and the individual police radio code 8-0944.

The helicopter was stationed in Boden, northen Sweden.
Polis 944 was responsible for an enormous area (approx one third of Swedens surface). It covered the area between Lycksele in south and Treriksröset in north. SE-HPM was the first Police Long Ranger to be equipped with an Allison 250-C30 engine, replacing the original C28.

As a result of the long distances in Norrland the helicopter was the Long Ranger that flew the most number of hours in the police, an excess of 20000 hrs. With systems like a two-axis autopilot, FLIR, camera, direction finder, stretcher mounts and so on, she is said to be the Long Ranger that the pilots liked the most.

Retirement
In mid-2000 the Swedish National Police decided to purchase seven new Eurocopter EC135P2s destined to replace the Jet- and Long Rangers. The helicopters arrived one by one and in September 2002 SE-HPM's successor SE-HPV arrived to Boden. SE-HPM was moved to Patria Ostermans Aero's facilities at Arlanda Airport, Stockholm, to be prepared for the selling.

SWT Aero
The helicopter was first prepared for a Hungarian costumer, but the purchase was never completed. Instead Stockholm-based SWT Aero acquired the helicopter in mid 2003. SE-HPM was repainted and at it left Patria Ostermans Aero on 27 June 2003.
The retired police workhorse was initially used for private flights within the SWT group, but as the company gained its AOC in early-2004 the helicopter saw the light of profitable operations. It was mainly used for taxi flights, but was also involved in aerial works, a range of film productions and dropping parachutists.

Flygtjänst
After a year of commercial action the helicopter was sold to Vilhelmina based AB Flygtjänst. The company had a fleet of two Hughes 500s and one Schweizer 300, but needed a larger helicopter for its heliski and taxi operations. The helicopter was delivered in early March 2004. It made its first official Flygtjänst operation, a heliski and sightseeing mission at Mt Borgafjäll, on 19 March.

Osterman
SE-HPM was operated by the company until February 2011, when the firm was purchased by HeliAir Sweden. SE-HPM was leased to Osterman Helicopter in March the same year. It was initially operated for the Armed Forces Helicopter Wing for pilot training.

The aircraft was transitioned to the refurbished company Osterman Helicopter i Östersund AB's fleet in December 2011.

HeliAir
SE-HPM returned to its owner, HeliAir Sweden, in March 2012. It came to be used for various operations, including scenic tours, taxi, filming and sling. The aircraft operated throughout Sweden from its main base in Västerås.

The helicopter went through an extensive overhaul in the autumn of 2013. It was repainted into the same colour as SE-JGF. SE-HPM returned to service in the early spring of 2014.

Alpine Helicopter Sweden AB
SE-HPM left HeliAir Sweden for Alpine Helicopter Sweden in 2018.