By Denis Connolly

The Garda helicopter made its first visit to Bantry Airfield, operated by Rowa Pharmaceuticals Ltd recently. It flew to West Cork on a photographic mission of the coastline where the large consignment of drugs was recovered last year. The photo shoot was in conjunction with the trial on going in Cork at the moment. The helicopter was piloted by an Air Corps pilot, Captain Phil Bonner. On board were a Garda observer and a photographer. The two Garda helicopters have proven to be very valuable weapons in the fight against crime and car theft. Certainly there is no escape from the eye in the sky and the Garda observer on board can direct units on the ground to fleeing cars and vandals when they make a run to escape. As a coincidence, on the same day the helicopter flew in a number of patrol cars and approx fifteen Gardai from divisions around Co. Cork had assembled at the airfield by kind permission of Mrs Brigitte Wagner-Halswick, Managing Director of Rowa Pharmaceuticals Ltd for an evening of specialised training on the deployment of the stinger. The stinger is a very effective and safe way to stop speeding criminals in their tracks, and is now a requirement for all patrol cars to carry one. The airfield proved ideal for this specialised training and the arrival of the Garda helicopter added to the scene.