AERO SQUADRON

THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY SHERIFF’S AERO SQUADRON

is an all-volunteer organization composed of licensed pilots and non-pilot trained observers attached to the County Sheriff’s Office to support its airborne search, rescue, surveillance and specialized transportation functions.

Since its founding, Aero Squadron member pilots have utilized their privately-owned aircraft for mission support operations. Aircraft owners are reimbursed only for the aviation fuel and oil used in conjunction with assigned missions. Squadron aircraft-owners fly their own aircraft as Pilot-in-Command. Other pilots may fly as a Flight Officer or Observer-only.

MISSIONS

One of the Aero Squadron’s vital original missions was to provide airborne search, location and rescuesupport for survivors of overdue and missing aircraft along the coastal range and remote inland areas. Numerous aircraft and crash scenes have been located over the years with varying degrees of support provided.

More commonly, the Aero Squadron is called upon to assist ground search and rescue teams searching for missing persons throughout the county. Missing persons have typically included inexperienced hikers, hunters, off-road mountain bicyclers, motorcyclists, ATV enthusiasts, lost children and elderly people especially including those with mental, emotional or age-induced challenges. The Aero Squadron has also been involved in the location and recovery of personal remains of those who have taken their own lives.

The Aero Squadron also provides an important airborne communication relay platform for ground search and law enforcement teams operating within the county’s mountainous terrain and steep valleys. These areas normally block line-of-sight VHF radio transmission and reception between ground personnel. Orbiting Aero Squadron aircraft can communicate with search base and remote teams, relaying critical information on a real-time basis.

Current Assets (As of December 2021 Membership Level)

Active Members consisting of pilots and observers: 20

Licensed Pilots: 15

Trained Observers (non-pilots): 4

Member-owned aircraft: 8 Fixed-Wing+ 1 Helicopter

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.

Annual Fall Joint Operational Readiness Drill with SLOSAR

The Aero Squadron participated in this year’s practice ground missing persons search and rescue exercise with three aircraft. We provided one member-owned aircraft flying at 7,500’ MSL as our High Bird communications relay, a memberowned helicopter flying a low search pattern and the Sheriff’s C182R flying at an intermediate altitude search pattern. Our Sheriff-provided Ford F150 communications vehicle provided Air Operations support between all search aircraft and SLOSAR’s Search Base operations.

Sheriff’s Aircraft Flights

The Sheriff’s 1982 Cessna 182R aircraft was returned to service in late 2020 after an extensive avionics upgrade. Sheriff’s Aero Squadron members performed numerous training and pilot checkout flights in the aircraft throughout 2021. The aircraft participated in the Fall Operational Readiness Drill with SLOSAR flying an active low altitude search pattern in search of volunteer missing persons on the ground.

Total Aero Squadron Aircraft Flight Time 10 hours

Total Aero Squadron Man-hours 20 hours