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Sheriff urges county to pursue Bell 407 platform, suggests $4M ‘ceiling’ for helicopter purchase
Summary
Sheriff Tanner recommended that Beaufort County replace aging OH-58 aircraft with a more capable Bell 407 (or similar used low-hours airframe), proposing a $4 million budget ceiling and asking staff to return with financing and hangar options.
Sheriff Tanner told Beaufort County Council the county needs a more capable public-safety helicopter than the 1971 OH‑58 platform it currently operates and recommended pursuing a Bell 407 as the appropriate replacement.
Tanner described operational limitations of the older OH‑58 — limited lifting capacity, no bucket or hoist capability and reduced capability in adverse weather — and argued that a 4‑blade Bell 407 would allow search-and-rescue, hoist and air-ambulance missions. "The Bell 407 is the appropriate helicopter that we need to invest in," Tanner said, pointing to used low‑hour airframes and a folding‑blade kit as a cost-saving path.
He suggested a budget 'ceiling' in the neighborhood of $4,000,000 to allow buying a used unit and conducting necessary hangar upgrades. Tanner said staff has identified potential private donors and grant opportunities and that training for the pilot cadre on a new platform would be modest (roughly 32–40 hours for conversion training). He discussed financing options ranging from lease-purchase to outright purchase and said the county already included a $500,000 CIP line for the program in a prior budget.
Council members expressed support for acquiring the right tool but also asked questions about whether the county should buy or lease, how to fund hangar upgrades, and whether to retain older helicopters as back-ups. Staff confirmed the CIP currently contains a $500,000 placeholder and agreed to return in January with a package of options for purchase, financing and hangar needs.
No formal action was taken; council directed staff to develop detailed options for committee review.
