Welcome to Episode 114 of The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.

This is Part Two of a series with Derek, Kyle and Tanya from the Calgary Police Service aviation unit, referred to as the HAWCS program. HAWCS stands for Helicopter Air Watch for Community Safety. 

In this episode, Hangar Z host Jon Gray and his guests continue their conversation about Calgary’s aviation program. They speak about the process for testing and selecting tactical flight officers in Calgary, and the history of the HAWCS program.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Constable Rick Sonnenberg and his partner, who attempted to stop a reportedly stolen vehicle by laying down a spike belt.

Sadly, Constable Sonnenberg was struck by the speeding car and died instantly.

Constable Sonnenberg was with the Calgary Police Service for just under four years, and was about to announce his engagement to be married. He was also survived by his mother, his sister and his niece.

Following Constable Sonnenberg‘s death, his sister Lisa Stinson led a campaign to raise funds for a police helicopter. Because of her efforts, the Calgary Police Service acquired an MD 520N, known as HAWC1, in July 1995, and HAWC2 in April 2005.

The Hangar Z Podcast wishes to thank sponsors Garmin, SHOTOVER, and Metro Aviation.