Imagine telling your Sheriff that you could start up an aviation unit for under the price of a patrol car, with a few hours of training and the ability to access your aircraft at a moments notice. Yes, with a little training, even Bubba could be your department's pilot in command.

Well, that's exactly what the powered parachute industry is doing for many.

As a single engine, fixed wing pilot with a little over three hundred hours, I can sympathize with the concerns of agencies proposing an aviation program. To put it bluntly… it's dang expensive. The last time I went flying for the day, motivated by the phrase, "what's in your wallet", it was quickly followed by, "she's going to kill me when she sees this month's credit card statement". However, the ability to conduct cost effective aerial operations of illegal plant growing, search and rescue, accident and crime scene investigations and fugitive apprehension, has just become a reality.

Powered Parachute

Although a powered parachute slightly differs from manufacture to manufacture, the basic design is the same. A soft winged, aerial vehicle that combines an engine with flexible parachute wing technology or, in laymen terms, a parachute with a motor and wheels. Depending on engine, machine and canopy size, shape and design, the airspeed is typically about 25-35 mph and can operate safely at heights ranging from a few feet off the ground to altitudes as high as 10,000+ feet. This makes a powered parachute ideal for skimming across the canopy of the woods, a field or anywhere a lab or grow operation could be hiding. I will be the first to admit, a powered parachute is NOT a speed demon or something you are going to watch in amazement as it blasts by. But in the grand scheme of things, 25-35 at take-off, in flight and landing is perfect for LE operations.

Most manufacturers I have researched over the years, equip their machines with a 5 or 10 gallon fuel tank which they advise equates to 3+ hours of flying depending on machines specifications, weather conditions etc. There is also no need for trips to the airport to fill up as most powered parachutes use mid-grade or premium unleaded gasoline that you purchase at your local filling station. This adds up to approximately $4.00 an hour.

Operations, Deployment and Transport