Response times
In 2022/23, our aircraft crews were deployed to 4,621 priority one incidents.
These are when there is an immediate threat to a life, a crime is in action or there is a national or terrorism incident.
The average time to reach a scene from receiving a call was 12 minutes, 18 seconds.
Operating a police aviation service involves much more than just putting aircraft in the sky. Our teams need the best equipment to work collaboratively, gather evidence, communicate and stay safe, which is why our Project Delivery Team is an integral part of our service.
Complementing our helicopter fleet are our fixed wing aircraft, which are based at East Midlands Airport and which are deployed across England and Wales to provide national air coverage.
Read about what it’s like being a line pilot as a job - flying a Police fixed wing aircraft.
Between April 2023 and March 2024, our fixed wing crews were deployed 577 times and flew for 506 hours in support of 39 different police forces.
NPAS is the only holder of a Police Air Operator's Certificate (PAOC) in England and Wales.
To retain our PAOC we are required to employ nine European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Civil Aviation Authority-approved Form 4 holders, also known as nominated persons.
NPAS is an Approved Training Organisation (ATO), delivering training specific to the operations we carry out, in fixed wing and rotary aircraft.Our in-house Training Department keeps our pilots and Tactical Flight Officers current, competent and qualified to deliver safe and effective police air operations.
Running an aviation service is a complex business which relies on a wide range of skills, knowledge and expertise.But we are no regular aviation service - our core role is to deliver policing, when and where it is needed.