  Aviation
Unit
  n
July of 1998, the city purchased two Police helicopters that are
equipped with the latest in police aerial technology. Our aircrews
have assisted patrol and specialized units as well as, the U.S.
Coast guard, the Philadelphia Fire Department, and our city's
Emergency Response Services in preparation for major disasters.
The primary mission of the Philadelphia Police Department Aviation
Unit is to directly support and assist uniform and investigative
personnel in their efforts to prevent crime, apprehend criminals,
and serve the citizens of Philadelphia. The safety of flight
personnel, passengers, and the public supersede all other factors
as the unit attempts to carry out its mission. Every effort
is made to accomplish these tasks in the most efficient, safe,
and effective manner possible. The Aviation Unit is budgeted
for 4 hours of flight daily.
The Aviation Unit is under the direct command of the Inspector,
Tactical Division. Current personnel assigned the Aviation Unit
include one Captain (supervisor), one Lieutenant (supervisor/pilot),
three police officers (tactical flight officers), and one civilian
chief pilot.
In 1998, the city purchased two new Bell 206 L-4 Long Rangers
which have single gas turbine engines. They are designed to
take off and land on any reasonably level terrain. Both the
main rotor and tail rotor have two blades. The aircraft holds
110 gallons of jet fuel. The ships maximum airspeed is 110 knots
and the helicopters weighs 3100 pounds.
The utilization of the helicopter in the patrol function has
proven to be a valuable asset. The helicopters take over vehicle
pursuits from ground units which is safer for our officers and
the public. Litigation is also minimized due to this effort.
The use of our LoJack tracking systems has also proven successful.
Countless stolen auto arrests have been made and the recovery
of millions of dollars of property has been realized. This is
due to the ability of the flight crews to zero in on fleeing
felons unnoticed. When a LoJack signal is traced to a building
or warehouse, ground units are notified of the location and
they make the arrest.
Many of the specialized pieces of equipment that are on the
helicopter are protective in nature. The helicopter is equipped
with wire strike protection, a customized wedge type wire cutter
that lend protection to the frontal area of the helicopter,
because the city's electrical wires are above ground. The aircrew's
seats are protected by bullet resistant Kevlar.
Communication to fleeing felons, drivers, etc. is provided
by a public address system and siren. This low-profile, durable
PA and siren system is mounted directly in the front panel.
The unit is capable of delivering 2 channels of 110 watts RMS
each to power dual horn and driver assemblies. The nose mounted
Infra-metrics IRTV-445G MKII modular system, provides a combination
of thermal imaging and day TV camera. The high-resolution cameras
can search wide areas and magnify any portion up to 8Xs with
directional control through 360 degrees. Its infrared scanner,
with a zoom, provides four fields of view. Switching between
them is virtually instantaneous. Inside the ship, electronics
include video monitor, pistol grip control, support electronic
module, and video recorder. The rear mounted Spectrolab Inc.
SX-16 Nightsun, is a 1600 watt searchlight with 30 million candlepower.
The direction and beam width are both remotely controlled from
the cabin. The beam is continuously adjustable from 4 degrees
to 20 degrees.
The LoJack Anti-car Theft Tracking system is also installed
in the aircraft. The LoJack signal can be received by the aircraft
for a 20 mile range. Observation equipment onboard for crew
members also includes a pair of Gyrostabilized binoculars. The
use of down linking TV-signals in our daily operations and its
use during special events have become routine.
Existing members receive required recurrent training as well
as training toward advanced ratings. Advanced training programs
are being developed in "Special Operations and Rescues"
to include water rescues, high-rise fires, and sling loads.
These training programs are given during both day and night
operations.
The unit has assisted in a number of events throughout the
city, providing aerial security for Presidential and Vice Presidential
visits, the Greek Picnic, Army and Navy Games, as well as other
events. The unit has flown aerial missions for Narcotics, Homicide,
Accident Investigations, Internal Affairs Division, Special
Investigations Bureau and other investigative units. Commanding
Officers can and have requested assistance to help with specific
crime patterns, resulting in a reduction in crime as a direct
result of the helicopter's presence.
The Aviation Unit, in cooperation with Licenses and Inspections
and the Health Department, have flown missions to locate stagnant
bodies of water which act as breeding pools for the mosquitoes
that spread the West Nile Virus. This eradication effort has
proven successful in the Philadelphia area.
The unit continues to receive requests for assistance from
outside police departments. The requests have ranged from Alzheimer's
patients lost in the woods to locating homicide suspects hiding
from police.
The Aviation Unit continues to rise to new heights in utilizing
helicopters to support the growing needs of the Police Department.
 Aviation
Unit Photo Gallery
Aviation Unit Choppers
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On Display with Tac-Air
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Front View at Sunset
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The Pilot's Front Office
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Aviation Unit Crew
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The Engine & Plumbing
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| Information
listed here is believed to be current at the time of publication.
However, some of the material presented here may have expired
since it was posted. Persons should contact a Philadelphia Police
representative whenever relying on dated material or information
that is subject to change. |
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