The Cost of Acquiring and Maintaining a UH1H Helicopter for B.D.F. Air Wing

A new helicopter for the Belize Defense Force Air Wing can cost twelve million dollars at minimum. Chief of Staff Burns highlighted this fact, when asked about efforts to replace the helicopter that crashed back in February of 2020 near the Gales Point Wildlife Sanctuary.

Jermaine Burns

Jermaine Burns, Chief of Staff, B.D.F.

“If it isn’t a donation, we would have to look at de-reserve a lot of tax payers’ dollars to purchase something like that. And, a one off purchase of really good helicopter, if you are buying out of the bell shop is looking at twelve million Belize dollars, six million U.S., the basic helicopter the B.D.F. would require. The initial purchase is not the issue. It is the maintenance. It would cost you three times that amount, depending on what coverage you want to have over the country. So, helicopter flying is pretty expensive.”