Police Aviation has certainly come a long way in seventy or so years of existence. Today's modern police aircraft is equipped with the very latest in global positioning systems, microwave down linking equipment and heat seeking cameras (FLIR). Many will agree that police aviation has become an integral tool in law enforcement. Unfortunately, there are operational limitations that can hinder the efficient operations of police law enforcement units and can be frustrating for both ground personnel and aviators.
Maintenance
Before an aircraft begins flying, the pilot performs a complete and relatively detailed "pre-flight" inspection. This consists of checking key fluids, looking for any problems and/or discrepancies and in general, making sure the aircraft is in an airworthy condition and safe for flight. The inspection can take anywhere from a few minutes to one-half hour depending on the pilot and the complexity of the machine. Just imagine giving your own cars the same treatment! If a problem is found, the pilot must determine if it needs to be fixed immediately or can be deferred to after the flight. Aircraft are very fickle creatures and do require a lot of attention. If the problem must be corrected right away, the aircraft is grounded and cannot perform any missions.
Systems checks
Anytime an aircraft flies, the pilot is required to perform some systems checks before take-off. This can range from a simple check of the instruments and controls to a complex and complicated check assisted by computers. Once again, all systems must be working or the mission must be scrubbed. Many an aviator has felt immense frustration when an emergency call is received but a certain system fails the "systems check" and the aircraft cannot respond. Many times, the indicators are "false alarms" however they cannot be ignored and must be checked.
Weather
Although many of the law enforcement aircraft in service today have highly advanced and sophisticated navigation systems, most missions still require the pilots to be able to see the ground. Unfortunately, most navigation systems and the air navigation system are designed for airport to airport use. If the weather including heavy rain, fog or snow prohibits fair visibility, the mission must be aborted. In addition, thunderstorms and icing conditions would also cause a mission to be cancelled.
Air Traffic Control
Recently, there has been much media attention on the huge delays at major airports. Indeed, some major metropolitan areas have an aircraft landing and/or taking off every sixty seconds. In fact, if runway configurations permit, there can be multiple takeoffs and landings conducted simultaneously. There is absolutely no police flight crew that would ever consider scrubbing an emergency mission due to air traffic concerns. If the aircraft is absolutely needed because there is imminent danger to life or limb both police aviators and air traffic controllers will do everything they can to make certain the mission is accomplished. The stickier situation exists when ground units call for an aviation asset for a mission that is not involving imminent threat to life or limb. No police aviation wants to abuse the good will and courtesy extended to them when real emergency exists and will often not press the issue with air traffic control. Think of the boy that cried "wolf" too many times. Most units want to make the request for an emergency when one really exists. The request will cause headaches for hours, if not a few days for a particular facility, so they like to use their emergency requests appropriately.
Fuel
If you think the big large SUVs are bad on gas, most aircraft would make them look very efficient. Most turbine helicopters burn, at a minimum, around 25 gallons of fuel an hour. Fuel also adds weight and requires very careful consideration by flight crews. The trick is to balance the right amount fuel with the needs of the mission. Obviously, a flight crew will very carefully monitor fuel because they cannot simply pull over if they run out of gas. The flight crew will stay "on scene" as long as possible but they must leave when the fuel reaches a certain, usually pre-planned, level. This minimum fuel keeps in consideration the flight time back to their refueling area, and must also take into consideration the possibility of any delays or problems that might prevent their immediate landing. Of course, if fuel reached an emergency level, a helicopter crew would land at any available landing spot such as a park or field rather than run out of fuel. Thankfully, these instances are extremely rare, if almost unheard of.
The Bottom Line: Safety!
Police Aviators find is easier to say yes than no to a mission. However, flight safety must take precedent and they will never compromise their safety or the safety of those persons on the ground in order to accomplish a mission. Safety first!
