AERO SQUADRON THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY SHERIFF’S AERO SQUADRON
aircraft and crash scenes have been
Current Assets (As of December 2021
located over the years with varying
Membership Level)
degrees of support provided.
Active Members
More commonly, the Aero Squadron is
consisting of pilots
called upon to assist ground search and
and observers:
20
rescue teams searching for missing
Licensed Pilots:
15
is an all-volunteer organization
persons throughout the county.
composed of licensed pilots and
Missing persons have typically included
non-pilot trained observers attached to
inexperienced hikers, hunters, off-road
the County Sheriff’s Office to support
Trained Observers (non-pilots):
4
mountain bicyclers, motorcyclists, ATV
Member-owned aircraft:
8 Fixed-Wing+
its airborne search, rescue, surveillance
enthusiasts, lost children and elderly
1 Helicopter
and specialized transportation functions.
people especially including those with mental, emotional or age-induced
Since its founding, Aero Squadron
challenges. The Aero Squadron has
member pilots have utilized their
also been involved in the location and
privately-owned aircraft for mission
recovery of personal remains of those
support operations. Aircraft owners are
who have taken their own lives.
reimbursed only for the aviation fuel and oil used in conjunction with assigned
The Aero Squadron also provides an
missions. Squadron aircraft-owners fly
important airborne communication
their own aircraft as Pilot-in-Command.
relay platform for ground search and
Other pilots may fly as a Flight Officer or
law enforcement teams operating
Observer-only.
within the county’s mountainous terrain and steep valleys. These areas
MISSIONS
normally block line-of-sight VHF radio
One of the Aero Squadron’s vital
ground personnel. Orbiting Aero
original missions was to provide
Squadron aircraft can communicate
transmission and reception between
airborne search, location and rescue-
with search base and remote teams,
support for survivors of overdue and
relaying critical information on a
missing aircraft along the coastal range
real-time basis.
Estimated current market value of Aero Squadron Privately-Owned Aircraft: $2,350,000
2021 AERO SQUADRON TRAINING OPERATIONS The Aero Squadron typically trains approximately two to three times each year with realistic mission scenarios typically involving up to six aircraft at one time. These involve personnel and vehicle location in remote parts of the county usually in a missing person or vehicle surveillance scenario. Other than the Fall Operational Readiness Drill in November, there were no other training missions in 2021.
and remote inland areas. Numerous
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SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
