Air Support Unit

## General Description

Air Support Unit is a combined emergency services unit led by **Ruby Oz** that controls the **certifications** for emergency services to operate air support units namely:

### Helicopters

* **Air-1 (AS350)**
* **Helimed-1** (**SuperVolito** or **Swift** or **MH65**)
* **Helifire-1** (**B412**)

### Fixed Wing

* **Survey-1** (**Mammatus**)
* **Scramble-1** (**F35**)

The Air Support Unit or ASU certification for both Helicopters and Fixed Wing is available to all senior sworn law enforcement officers in Los Santos.

The ASU certification for Helicopters is also available to medics and firefighters.

The Helicopter certification grants access to a department's fleet of helicopters. Each of these vary by department and the mission for which the helicopter is required. Law enforcement helicopters are primarily used to allow officers to pursue fast-driving vehicles, keeping ground units up-to-date through radio communications as well as conduct fugitive search operations. Medical or Fire Dept helicopters are principally concerned with search and rescue operations especially within remote parts of the State.

The Fixed Wing certification grants an officer access to a small fleet of aircraft. The Mammatus is used primarily for survey especially by Park Rangers to keep track of hunting activities. The most senior officers will also be granted access to the Hydra. These vehicles allow officers to locate and pursue rogue aircrafts. Due to its age it is speculated that the Hydra will be replaced with a more modern demilitarised VTOL capable aircraft such as the F-35.

## Training (Helicopter)

### Co-pilot

In order to begin training for the ASU certification, an officer must display excellence in their communications, especially with a proven record of pursuit communications.

Upon being approved for training, the officer will first begin as a co-pilot. During this phase, they will be taught by one of the ASU FTOs to effectively communicate with ground units from the air through radio communications, simultaneously communicating with their pilot within the helicopter. They will receive training on the operation of the helicopter camera system, spotlight, night vision/thermal vision and waypoint marking capabilities. At this point they will be signed off as a member of the ASU to operate only as a co-pilot. Once the officer is deemed a competent co-pilot, an ASU FTO can approve them to begin their training as a pilot.

### Pilot

The pilot training phase is undertaken at **Sandy Shores Flight School**. On passing the helicopter flight test the officer will again fly with an ASU FTO where they will be taught to, communicate effectively with their co-pilot, Air Traffic Control, and pilot intelligently in order to enable their co-pilot to provide high-quality radio communications. On successful completion the pilot will be certified to fly pursuit missions. Further training is required if the pilot wishes to be able to conduct special operations which include SWAT and Search and Rescue missions.

## Training (Fixed Wing)

No training currently exists for the operation of the Mammatus on surveillance missions as these are rarely conducted.

The training on the Hydra is all conducted by ASU FTOs and is open only to those of rank Lieutenant and above, it is expected that the officer will have obtained their fixed wing licence from Sandy Shores Flight School, the officer will also have to have completed Helicopter pilot training including special operations due to the nature of the operation of the Hydra.

## Equipment

The Air Support Unit doesn't have any equipment however it is responsible for training of crew across the Unified Emergency Services and as such the instructors are trained in the operation of all aircraft used by them.

LSPD MaverickSANSTAR SuperVolitoSASP Mamatus