Episode Details

Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.

On today's episode, we're taking you to California's Central Valley as we visit the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit. Joining us are Deputy AJ Nikkel and Deputy Tyler Liburdi, who both serve as pilots and tactical flight officers. 

We'll explore the fascinating evolution of their aviation unit—from its beginnings as a volunteer organization to the professional operation it is today. 

We also discuss long-line rescue operations, the training and proficiency required to perform these demanding missions, and the unit's first successful real-world water rescue. Plus, we talk about the importance of providing support from above and the value of working seamlessly with neighboring aviation units. 

We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Thank you to our sponsors Bell, Precision Aviation Group and Spectrolab.