Flight Design’s CTLE 'Sheriff One' Enters Duty In CA

A law enforcement model of the Flight Design CTLE was recently shown to the public. “Sheriff One” is the call sign used by the new Flight Design CTLE operated by the Tulare County California Sheriff's Department.

Captain David Williams (pictured) led the county’s acquisition effort for the Flight Design Light-Sport Aircraft to be used for law enforcement work. Though he is now retired from active duty, Williams was given Reserve Sergeant status so that he can continue to play an active role in maintaining public safety in the area. "[CTLE] will do about 95 percent of what a helicopter can do," short of landing and taking off at a single point, Williams told those attending the unveiling. He added that the CTLE cameras can remain focused on a single object (such as a car, a parking lot or a house) while the plane circles. A spotlight with a mile-long range and a video screen lets the tactical flight officer in the right seat view what the camera sees.

Tulare County Sheriff Bill Wittman said one of the planned uses of the plane will be to search for suspected criminals taking apart farm machinery to steal copper wiring to sell it, as well as thieves taking crops, livestock and heavy equipment. Wittman was pleased to show the plane to about 40 interested persons who attended the ceremony.

Between fuel, insurance, maintenance and renting hangar space at the Visalia airport, Sheriff One will cost about $34 for every flight hour used — not counting the salaries of the deputies flying it — only 10% of the cost compared to $300-$400 an hour for a helicopter, Williams said. The Sheriff Department’s new Light-Sport Aircraft costs about $60,000 more than a standard Flight Design CTLS because of the high technology camera, controller and display screen additions, including a glass-panel cockpit.  The CTLE also has digital recording equipment to store camera images.

“I am now flying one or two sorties per week training Tulsa County deputies in the duties of a tactical flight officer (TFO),” said Roger Crow of Echo Flight Resources, LLC, a special mission representative for the CTLE model from Flight Design. “The TFO is the mission commander during these flight. The duties of the TFO include being in charge of ground communications, directing the pilot to specific target areas and camera operations.

“In November, 2011,” Crow continued, “we flew a surveillance mission over the County Courthouse in downtown Tulsa in response to the national movement of Occupy Wall Street. We were operating below the tops of the 50-story buildings, orbiting within a city block area of the Courthouse.” Because of the CTLE flight characteristics in a law enforcement configuration (low & slow), Crow’s CTLE, which has been christened “Talking Bird” has twice been momentarily misidentified as a helicopter by Tulsa Departure Control at the Tulsa International Airport.

“The CTLE has opened new opportunities for Flight Design USA as public-use aircraft can accomplish commercial duties different from other LSA users,” said John Gilmore, National Sales Manager for Flight Design USA. Light-Sport Aircraft may be used for flight instruction or rental for hire but otherwise are not used for fee-generating activities.

The new model will be shown at the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2012. Interested law enforcement officials can contact special mission representative Roger Crow of Echo Flight Resources, LLC to arrange a stop to/from Texas to the Florida event.

FMI: www.flightdesign.org, www.tcso.org