AIR SUPPORT UNIT

Air Support Unit – Baton Rouge Operations Base


Location of Baton Rouge Operations Base
Baton Rouge Operations Base
Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR)
8900 Jimmy Wedell Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70807

The mission of the Baton Rouge Operations Base is to enhance public safety by providing effective aerial support to the Louisiana State Police and other law enforcement agencies in South Louisiana. The base operates from the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The Air Support Unit currently has three Pilots assigned to the Baton Rouge Operations Base able to respond to police emergencies twenty-four hours a day in a 30 parish area which encompasses the parishes of Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermillion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana. These parishes are in Patrol Troop A, Troop B, Troop C, Troop I, and Troop L, as well as, Criminal Investigations Division – Region 1 and Criminal Investigations Division – Region 2.

One Cessna 182 and one Cessna 172 airplane, and two Bell 430, one Bell 206L-IV Long Ranger, one Bell 206B-III Jet Ranger, and one Bell OH-58A+ helicopters are stationed at the Baton Rouge Operations Base for rapid deployment. The helicopters are configured for Night Vision Goggle (NVG) operations and is equipped with a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera and Night Sun searchlight. These seven aircraft allow the Pilots stationed at the Baton Rouge Operations Base to conduct a wide-variety of missions, including dignitary transportation, helicopter demonstrations, disaster relief, criminal surveillance, photo reconnaissance flights, marijuana eradications, manhunts, speed enforcement, SWAT operations, downed aircraft searches, missing persons searches, and other emergency police response missions.


Cessna 182 – N430M
Cessna 182 – N430M
Speed: 115 knots Max Weight: 3100 lbs.
Endurance: 6.0 hours Empty Weight: 1812 lbs.
Range: 690 NM Useful Load: 1288 lbs.

Cessna 172 – N9750L
Cessna 172 – N9750L
Speed: 100 knots Max Weight: 2300 lbs.
Endurance: 5.0 hours Empty Weight: 1522 lbs.
Range: 500 NM Useful Load: 777 lbs.

Bell OH-58+ - N354SP
Bell OH-58+ - N354SP
Speed: 100 knots Max Weight: 3259 lbs.
Endurance: 2.5 hours Empty Weight: 1949 lbs.
Range: 250 NM Useful Load: 1803 lbs.

Bell 206B-III Jet Ranger – N373SP
Bell 206B-III Jet Ranger – N373SP
Speed: 100 knots Max Weight: 3200 lbs.
Endurance: 3.0 hours Empty Weight: 2161 lbs.
Range: 300 NM Useful Load: 1039 lbs.

Bell 206L-IV Long Ranger - N357SP
Bell 206L-IV Long Ranger - N357SP
Speed: 110 knots Max Weight: 4450 lbs.
Endurance: 2.5 hours Empty Weight: 2966 lbs.
Range: 275 NM Useful Load: 1484 lbs.

Bell 430 – N810SP and N918SP
Bell 430 – N810SP and N918SP
Speed: 140 knots Max Weight: 9300 lbs.
Endurance: 2.5 hours Empty Weight: 6513 lbs.
Range: 350 NM Useful Load: 2787 lbs.