DOZENS of media, police, councillors and passersby stopped to admire the launch of the long-awaited $1 million police helicopter -- 'Long Ranger' -- in Main Beach on Saturday.
To show off the chopper in action, Mayor Ron Clarke and Assistant Commissioner Paul Wilson were flown around the Gold Coast for about 20 minutes by Heliwest pilot Matthew Wallace.
Once they landed safely at the Gold Coast Water Police Headquarters, which is where the chopper will be stored, Cr Clarke's smiling face said it all.
''It is phenomenal,'' he beamed.
''The most important thing was that you could see such detail so high up.''
The single-engined Bell 206, which is supplied by Perth-based company Heliwest, is due to start its $500,000 six-month trial tomorrow.
Heliwest director John Wells said the entire 'platform' was valued at over $4 million, after including the camera with infra-red sensors valued at $3 million and three pairs of night-vision goggles valued at $65,000 each.
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