LAPD Air Support Division
Encyclopedia
The Los Angeles Police Department Air Support Division (ASD) is the airborne law enforcement program of the LAPD
. It is the largest municipal airborne law enforcement organization in the United States and operates from the LAPD Hooper Heliport
.
While originally devoted to aerial traffic enforcement, it has grown to support a wide variety of police activity. Today, its operations are divided between Air Support To Regular Operations (ASTRO) and Special Flight Section (SFS). The ASD motto is The mission is the same, only the vehicle has changed. The Air Support Division currently operates 19 aircraft of 2 different models, and maintains the largest municipal police aviation unit around the world, in addition to having the world's largest roof-top airport and world's busiest heliport.
G and 47J model helicopters. In 1968, the unit received its first Bell 206A JetRanger
. With a major expansion in 1974, the Helicopter Unit was re-named the Air Support Division. At that time, the ASD grew to 15 helicopters and one Cessna 210
manned by 77 sworn personnel. In 1976, the ASD added the Special Flight Section (SFS), a unit dedicated to supporting undercover police operations. In this support role, SFS is a significant contributor to narcotics and serialized criminal investigations. In 1988, the ASD added its first Aerospatiale AS350B-1. The city replaced all but 4 of the Bell 206
JetRangers and retired the older piston models.
twin-engined aircraft.
The city of Los Angeles briefly flew a fleet of Bell 407
s in the late 1990s as a replacement for the AS-350B1s. However, in 2000 the LAPD started replacing the 407s with more powerful AS-350B2s. Two of the 407s were sold to the General Services Department which uses the helicopters on flights for the Department of Water and Power.
On August 30, 1966 Policemen Larry Amberg and Alex N. Ilnicki, were on traffic patrol in Air 1 (Bell 47G Reg.N1162W) flying in the vicinity of Dodger Stadium, and a media helicopter (Bell 47G reg. N1157W) was also in the area reporting on freeway traffic conditions. Air 1 and the media helicopter collided, resulting in the deaths of both officers and the occupants of the media helicopter. Policeman Ilnicki had about 401 hours of total flight time and 236 hours in type at the time of the crash
On May 29, 1974 Commander Paul J. Gillen was killed when his helicopter crashed.
On June 11, 1976, Officer Jeffrey B. Lindenberg was killed when the Bell 47G-5 helicopter (U.S. registraion N7085J) he was training in lost power and crashed while landing. Lindenberg was practicing simulated urban high-rise rooftop landings by at an off-site pad on top of a small mountain near the Los Angeles Zoo in the hills above Hollywood. On short final approach, the engine lost power and the helicopter impacted 4 inches (101.6 mm) short of the pad. The Helicopter rolled down the mountain side 162 feet (49.4 m). Lindenberg was killed and another officer was seriously injured. Lindenberg had been with the agency for seven years. Lindenberg was an experienced instrument rated pilot with 3575 hours of total flight time and 426 in type.
On March 1, 1983, Reserve Police Officer Taira was killed as a result of a police helicopter crash. Taira, an observer for the helicopter unit, and two other officers were conducting aerial patrols following a tornado. In between patrols the officers were dispatched to investigate a report of a burglar on a roof. As the helicopter took off it struck a power line, causing it to crash. The officers survived the initial impact and Taira was able to exit the aircraft. Taira then returned to the aircraft in an attempt to rescue his two partners. One of the helicopter's rotors struck Taira in the head, killing him. Taira was posthumously awarded the department's Medal of Valor.
On June 13, 1991, Officers Gary Alan Howe and Charles Randall Champe were killed when they experienced an in-flight engine failure which caused their helicopter to crash into a parking lot. They were flying an AS350B1 helicopters (U.S. registraion N214LA).
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
. It is the largest municipal airborne law enforcement organization in the United States and operates from the LAPD Hooper Heliport
LAPD Hooper Heliport
LAPD Hooper Heliport is a city-owned private-use heliport located one nautical mile southwest of the central business district of Los Angeles, in Los Angeles County, California, United States....
.
While originally devoted to aerial traffic enforcement, it has grown to support a wide variety of police activity. Today, its operations are divided between Air Support To Regular Operations (ASTRO) and Special Flight Section (SFS). The ASD motto is The mission is the same, only the vehicle has changed. The Air Support Division currently operates 19 aircraft of 2 different models, and maintains the largest municipal police aviation unit around the world, in addition to having the world's largest roof-top airport and world's busiest heliport.
History
The Air Support Division (ASD) was established as the LAPD Helicopter Unit in 1956 with one Hiller UH-12J two-seat helicopter. They added a second helicopter in 1963 and a third in 1965. The city operated Bell 47Bell 47
The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
G and 47J model helicopters. In 1968, the unit received its first Bell 206A JetRanger
Bell 206
The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
. With a major expansion in 1974, the Helicopter Unit was re-named the Air Support Division. At that time, the ASD grew to 15 helicopters and one Cessna 210
Cessna 210
The Cessna 210 Centurion is a six-seat, high-performance, retractable-gear single-engine general aviation aircraft which was first flown in January 1957 and produced by Cessna until 1985.-Design and development:...
manned by 77 sworn personnel. In 1976, the ASD added the Special Flight Section (SFS), a unit dedicated to supporting undercover police operations. In this support role, SFS is a significant contributor to narcotics and serialized criminal investigations. In 1988, the ASD added its first Aerospatiale AS350B-1. The city replaced all but 4 of the Bell 206
Bell 206
The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
JetRangers and retired the older piston models.
Fleet
Today the Air Support Division consists of 88 sworn personnel and 19 helicopters which include five Bell 206B3 JetRangers, 14 Eurocopter AS-350B2 AStars, and one Beechcraft King Air 200Beechcraft Super King Air
The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
twin-engined aircraft.
The city of Los Angeles briefly flew a fleet of Bell 407
Bell 407
The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. The 407 uses the four-blade rotor with composite hub developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior instead of the two-blade, semi-rigid rotor of the 206L-4...
s in the late 1990s as a replacement for the AS-350B1s. However, in 2000 the LAPD started replacing the 407s with more powerful AS-350B2s. Two of the 407s were sold to the General Services Department which uses the helicopters on flights for the Department of Water and Power.
Current numbers
- 14 American Eurocopter AS350B-2 A-Star
- 5 Bell 206 JetRangerBell 206The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
- 1 Beechcraft King Air 200Beechcraft Super King AirThe Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
Accidents and incidents
On November 30, 1964 Sergeant Norman D. Piepenbrink was killed in a helicopter accident.On August 30, 1966 Policemen Larry Amberg and Alex N. Ilnicki, were on traffic patrol in Air 1 (Bell 47G Reg.N1162W) flying in the vicinity of Dodger Stadium, and a media helicopter (Bell 47G reg. N1157W) was also in the area reporting on freeway traffic conditions. Air 1 and the media helicopter collided, resulting in the deaths of both officers and the occupants of the media helicopter. Policeman Ilnicki had about 401 hours of total flight time and 236 hours in type at the time of the crash
On May 29, 1974 Commander Paul J. Gillen was killed when his helicopter crashed.
On June 11, 1976, Officer Jeffrey B. Lindenberg was killed when the Bell 47G-5 helicopter (U.S. registraion N7085J) he was training in lost power and crashed while landing. Lindenberg was practicing simulated urban high-rise rooftop landings by at an off-site pad on top of a small mountain near the Los Angeles Zoo in the hills above Hollywood. On short final approach, the engine lost power and the helicopter impacted 4 inches (101.6 mm) short of the pad. The Helicopter rolled down the mountain side 162 feet (49.4 m). Lindenberg was killed and another officer was seriously injured. Lindenberg had been with the agency for seven years. Lindenberg was an experienced instrument rated pilot with 3575 hours of total flight time and 426 in type.
On March 1, 1983, Reserve Police Officer Taira was killed as a result of a police helicopter crash. Taira, an observer for the helicopter unit, and two other officers were conducting aerial patrols following a tornado. In between patrols the officers were dispatched to investigate a report of a burglar on a roof. As the helicopter took off it struck a power line, causing it to crash. The officers survived the initial impact and Taira was able to exit the aircraft. Taira then returned to the aircraft in an attempt to rescue his two partners. One of the helicopter's rotors struck Taira in the head, killing him. Taira was posthumously awarded the department's Medal of Valor.
On June 13, 1991, Officers Gary Alan Howe and Charles Randall Champe were killed when they experienced an in-flight engine failure which caused their helicopter to crash into a parking lot. They were flying an AS350B1 helicopters (U.S. registraion N214LA).