Sheriff's
Sheriff's Air Squadron Fly-in, Cameron Park
Photo ©Rick Cochran
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The El Dorado County Sheriff's Air Squadron (SAS) is a volunteer organization sponsored by the El Dorado County Sheriff. Currently we support the Sheriff's Office by providing fixed wing aircraft for surveillance, and photo missions, and are available for search missions. Although we are not technically the "SAR Air Team", we can serve as a search resource to the SAR organization, providing fixed wing aircraft for a variety of missions as directed and approved by the Sheriff or his designated representative.
In the search environment, fixed wing aircraft can sweep ridges and open areas and report where the subject is not, thereby reducing the search area. We can do hasty searches over large amounts of geography in a minimal amount of time. Orbiting a found subject, we can direct ground units or helo aircraft to the scene. We can provide "Cap Comm" or Air Boss services by placing an aircraft over the search scene at sufficient altitude to visually coordinate and direct lower flying fixed wing and helo aircraft and units on the ground. We can usually launch an aircraft within one hour of notification.
The membership and Board meet on the third Tuesday of the month in the Cafeteria of the County Building at 7:00 p.m. All interested parties are invited to attend. Our current membership count is eighteen, fourteen pilots and four observers. We currently have six search rated pilots and three search rated observers. We are currently building a new training curriculum and our first training flying exercise of 2000 will be on Saturday, May 13, out of the Placerville Airport.
Pilots are required to keep all personal FAA documentation current and provide copies of same to the Commander. They are also required to provide current proof of airworthiness documentation on their aircraft. Pilots desiring to participate in search missions must pass a flight checkride with a designated Squadron Check Pilot. Pilots who are not search qualified are eligible to fly transport missions and with some training may fly surveillance missions. Observers must pass a Flight Observers course, based on the CAP Scanners course, and then complete a check ride with the Training Officer or a designated Check Pilot.
The SAS participates in the Western States Sheriff's Air Squadrons, an organization of Sheriff's Air Squadrons throughout the western states. Several fly-ins are held each year, andSquadrons compete for ranking in several categories, including search flying, message drop, spot landings, and pistol shooting competition. Safety seminars, and related courses are part of the fly-ins.
The Squadron also sponsors several social events during the year, such as our fly-in to Castle AFB last year, where we toured the Air Museum and enjoyed lunch at the Base before the return flight.
We do not have a membership chairperson at this time. Interested parties should attend one of the monthly meetings to obtain membership details. Dual membership in the SAS and SAR is encouraged.
Our officers are as follows:
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Area Code 530
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Commander
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Dave Ramacciotti |
621-0434
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Vice Commander
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Bob Peterson |
676-8604
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Secretary
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Carol Wilson |
676-3829
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Treasurer
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Bob Arnold |
677-1976
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Training Officer
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Kay Morgan |
677-4503
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Quartermaster
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Irene Arnold |
677-1976
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Liaison Deputy
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Oscar Betts |
621-6575
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