What do you think the police force in my state, Tasmania, would need a fixed wing pilot for?

Question

I really want to be a pilot and also would like to be in the police force. Can anyone please give me some reasons why the police force would need a fixed wing pilot?

Answer 1

I don't know about Tasmania, but in Queensland the fixed wing planes are used to transport Police and prisoners from city to city eg Cairns in far north Qld to Brisbane.  Beats driving the long distances.  They aren't used for searches etc as Police have the Emergency Services helicopters at their disposal.  Also, I don't think the pilots that fly the Qld Police planes are actually Police.  I think NT and Western Aus Police also have fixed wing planes due to the distance.  I would think that Tasmania may not require a fixed wing plane, as distance is not really a problem. But in saying that, they may have a plane to fly high ranking Police and dignitary's around Aus. If you really enjoy the whole flying thing and still want to be a copper, perhaps try being a helicopter pilot and volunteer your services for the Emergency Services helicopter..they get plenty of work up here.  Good luck in whatever venture you decide.

Answer 2

Highway patrol - lost person search - drug crop search - prisoner transport - dignitary transport. Just to name a few.

Answer 3

To time traffic and catch speeders.

You may think, how can they time traffic when the airplane is moving? The aircraft, let's say a cessna 172, can fly "slow flight" with full flaps, and rpm's cut back.

Have you ever been driving along on an interstate highway and seen a white stripe, painted perpendicular to the roadway (crossways on the road)? They are painted 1/10 of  a mile apart for about a mile. These are speed markers. Your speed can be timed by the length of time it takes to get from one mark to the other.

If it takes 6 seconds to get from one mark to the next, you are traveling 60 MPH.

Answer 4

For searches and fire lookout.