New helicopter for Sanparks

On August 8, 2006 Sanparks chief executive Dr David Mabunda and environmental affairs minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk took delivery of the first of two new helicopters that Sanparks had purchased in July. The second helicopter will be delivered in December. Sanparks is replacing its two EC120 helicopters with two new AS 350 B3 s/n 4091 helicopters from Eurocopter Southern Africa.

The old helicopters have flown more than 3,900 hours over the last six years, and had reached their optimum buy-back value. The new helicopters are more versatile and have advanced capabilities. They can sling a load of up to 1,400kg and are described as “multi-role, reliable, fast and rugged workhorses”. Dr Mabunda commented, “Sanparks is one of the biggest users of helicopters and we are ecstatic to have the helicopter as an additional resource.

Helicopters are an essential tool in all our national parks as they are often used in dayto- day park management activities, specialised and highly sensitive game capture operations, fire fighting, anti-poaching and law enforcement, wildlife census projects as well as emergency rescue operations.”