Police pilots scramble emergency missions from new Doncaster Sheffield Airport base
A police spotter plane fleet is being set up and based at Doncaster airport, bosses have revealed.
Four new fixed-wing aeroplanes are being added to the existing national fleet of police helicopters, operating from Finningley, with the aim of delivering a more responsive service to the 43 police forces of England and Wales.
Flying out of a custom-built base at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, the fleet of new planes will travel the length and breadth of England and Wales and respond to the same range of tasks as the helicopters.
With faster flying speeds and able to spend longer in the air, the planes are expected to increase attendance rates to some of the more remote areas of the country and help to keep more people safe from the air.
Two of the four planes are already certificated to fly on task and have responded to 100 tasks across the UK in the last two months.
The Doncaster base becomes one of 14 National Police Air Service air bases.
Ian Vause, assistant operations director for the National Police Air Service said: “Providing a unique aerial view to police officers on the ground, the addition of aeroplanes to the National Police Air Service helicopter fleet has already boosted our ability to respond to policing needs across the UK.
“Supporting the location of suspects and vehicles, of vulnerable missing people and the policing ‘command and control’ of large public gatherings, such as sports matches and other events, air support is a vital tool in combatting crime and disorder and keeping people safe.
“We save local police time when it really matters and I am delighted to be able to do this more often and in more locations through the addition of this new arm to our fleet.”
The police base is the latest air service to set up at Doncaster. Earlier this year it was revealed that HM Maritime and Coastguard Agency was basing planes at the airport, to be dispatched on lifesaving missions in the waters around Britain’s coastline.