An insight into the design, construction and operation of the Royal Navys classic search and rescue helicopter. For more than 25 years the Agusta Westland Sea King has been that most welcome of sights around the English coast, providing essential Search and Rescue (SAR) capabilities for those in peril both on land and at sea. The Royal Navy variant - the Sea King HU Mk 5, which is the main focus of this book - is estimated to have saved literally hundreds of lives. Author and photographer Lee Howard has been given privileged official access to the Navys SAR air and ground crews to offer fascinating insights into operating, flying and maintaining the Sea King. Hard cover with over 160 pages and many black & white & colour photos.

Police helicopters are operated in the UK by National Police Air Service (NPAS), which brings all 43 forces together and delivers a borderless police aviation capability countrywide. As Head of the Metropolitan Police Service Air Support Unit (ASU) for eight years between 2008 and 2015, Inspector Richard Brandon was responsible for the introduction to service of new custom-built police helicopters fitted with the latest high-tech surveillance equipment and for the training of police helicopter air crews. As such he is perfectly qualified to tell the story of UK police helicopter operations, how they work, what they do and how they do it. Taking the Met's ASU as the centrepiece of this manual, author Richard Brandon describes how police aviation in the UK has evolved since its beginnings in the 1920s; how the Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit (ASU) operates; the anatomy of a police helicopter (the EC135 and EC145); an in-depth look at the surveillance equipment and systems of the police helicopter - Wescam MX15 camera system, Skyforce Observer moving map system, Video Management System, Vislink digital downlink, Airwave digital police radios; the police helicopter crew, crew members and their roles, training and experience, a day in the life of each crew member; tactics - searching, pursuits, Public Order, and the use of infrared; the police helicopter in action - case studies of typical missions from different forces around the UK; and finally behind the scenes - crew recruitment and selection, helicopter maintenance, despatch and flight following. Hard cover with over 190 pages and many black & white & colour photos.

A unique insight into the UK air-ambulance service, with the aim of raising awareness of the remarkable work carried out by the services, and the effort required behind the scenes to ensure the successful, safe and efficient operation of helicopters and crew around the country. This book looks at the history of air ambulance services, the various different models for their structure, how they are funded, organised and run, the helicopters used and the roles of crew members and support staff, with case studies of typical missions undertaken. Written with the cooperation of Haynes' local air ambulance service - Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance - a donation from each copy sold will be made to the national Air Ambulances UK charity. Hard cover with over 170 pages and many colour photos.