APD Chief Art Acevedo says the weekend pursuit and shooting is a prime example of why the department needs more choppers.
Early Saturday morning, police were in hot pursuit of an armed, suicidal man racing around Austin highways at 130 miles per hour.
Meanwhile, APD's main air craft, Air One, lay in pieces for maintenance. What was available was Air Two, a 41-year-old Army surplus helicopter, and fuel was running out.
"Fortunately for the citizens of Austin and the police department, DPS was available,” said APD Flight Corporal Wuthipong Tantaksinanukij.
While DPS may have saved APD this time, flight officers say there is no telling what will happen in the future. Starflight can not always help either.
"They didn't sign up to fly on missions where they would possibly get shot at,” Tantaksinanukij said.
Every six to eight months, the Federal Aviation Administration requires Air One to undergo an inspection. It can take up to two months.
"Most every moving part on the aircraft comes off the aircraft. We have to measure things, look at all the hardware, make sure they're within tolerance and if they're not we have to order new hardware,” said APD Flight Lt. Kurt Rothert.
Inspections are required for Air Two as well. As it turns out, Air Two has four more flight hours before it will go down for two days leaving APD's air unit defenseless.
"I think from a homeland security perspective and a public safety perspective we are ill equipped,” Chief Art Acevedo said.
Chief Art Acevedo, in a news conference Monday, said the department's federal partners need to step up to help fund a new chopper.
"Somehow San Antonio was able to get federal funding for helicopters. There's no Capitol there. We need help here in Austin,” he said.
Acevedo would ultimately like three more choppers called a B-2 or B-3. They carry more people than Air One and can also hold more fuel. Each one goes for $3 million. The department is currently pursuing federal grants to cover the cost.
There was no aerial footage of the pursuit, which would have been beneficial given the grand jury investigation that now follows. Air Two does not have video capability. It also lacks a thermal imager which helps police track suspects on foot pursuits.
