Police plane?

[pip 40]

I live in manchester and we have a police plane that flys round it can be out for 5 hours. but what good are they? becaues they cant manouvre like helicopters and cant hover.

[kempie]

The plane, a BN 4000 Defender, has a similar role to the MD902 Explorer helicopter in aerial observation to support ground patrols but whereas the helicopter's primary function is reactive i.e. is called upon at short notice and may only be needed for half-hour or so of (noisy) flight-time, the plane can fly around for hours on end for proactive patrols.

http://www.gmp.police.uk/mainsite/pages/asu.ht m

http://www.ebanmagazine.com/mag_story.html?ide nt=105056

[Gromit]

The Defender alone costs near to �1,000,000 a year to fly and maintain (at a cost of about �1500 an hour).

How many Police on the ground you could get for �1500 an hour and which is more effective, is a tactical debate for the police, and not us mere taxpayers.

But Merseyside Police have got one, so we want one.