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The long-awaited new city police whirlybird is expected to be airborne over Edmonton by the end of summer.

The $5.96-million Airbus H-125 is being assembled in Ontario and will be flown to Calgary where the latest police gadgets will be installed before it arrives in Edmonton.

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The police force expects the helicopter to take to the air around August or September, a spokesperson confirmed this week.

Once it is fully operational, the Edmonton Police Service will retire one of its two existing helicopters, but no decision has been made as to which one.

The residual value from that aircraft will offset a portion of the cost of the new helicopter.

A business case for the newest aircraft was developed in late 2014 and a tender process completed in September 2016.

Police originally asked for $7.2 million to buy a new twin-engine Airbus EC135, but city council grounded that idea.

There were even talks of getting two helicopters for the same price, but that idea didn’t get off the landing pad.

Photo by DARRYL DYCK / Postmedia

Originally pegged at $3.47 million, the final price tag of the new helicopter jumped significantly because of the drop in the value of the Canadian dollar.

Police say the new single-engine helicopter will have more speed, endurance, and will be able to stay in flight for a longer period of time.