he^ green‐uniformed^ CarabinerosTde^ Chile^ in^2017

their^ 90th^ anniversarycelebratedof^ their^ official^

There^ were^ otherfounding.watch^ and^ local^ policing

organisationsthe^ in^ Chile,^ earliest^ possibly^ being^

Dragones^ de^ latheReina^ (Queen's^ Dragoons)^ created

inlocal^ 1758.^ Such^ police^ organisations^ reported^

andthe^ local^ authorities^ to^ not^ the^ central^ government.

Afterwhere^ various^ instances^ the^ local^ officials^

this^ power^ for^ theirabusedown^ political^ ends,^ it^ was

decided^ to^ have^ one unified,^ paramilitary^ and^ na‐

thesecurity^ institution^ under^ tional^ direction^ of^ the^ national

government.^

beingCarabineros^ de^ Chile,^ The^ a^ gendarmerie‐type^ police

corps,^ reported^ until^2011 to^ the^ Ministry^ of^

agoDefence.^ Six^ years^ National^ their^ control^ was^ transferred

to^ the^ Ministry^ of the^ Interior^ and^ Public^

responsiblewhich^ thus^ became^ Security,^ for^ all^ the^ Chilean

policealso^ forces^ which^ include^ the^ Investi‐

andPolice^ of^ Chile^ gations^ the^ Maritime^ Police.^ Although

fullythe^ separated^ from^ other^ three^ military^

Air(Army,^ Navy^ and^ branches^ Force)^ and^ reporting^ to

thethe^ civilian^ authorities,^ Carabineros^ are^ still^

a^ part^ ofconsideredthe^ armed^ forces.^

Carabineros^ connection^ withTheaviation^ started^ in^

Club^1948 when^ the^ June^ Aéreo^ de^ Carabineros^ was
The^ Aero^ Club^ receivedformed.in^ August^1949 its^
aircraft,^ a^ Cessna145,firstthe^ 145hp^ Warner^ Super
radial^ piston^ engined^ versionScarabof^ the^ Cessna^ C‐^34
Airmaster.in^ Four^ years^ later,^ 1953,^ it^ was^ decided^
besee^ if^ it^ would^ to^ possible^ to^ integrate^ aircraft^ into

police^ operations.^ Thus^ the Aero^ Club^ became^ in‐

operationsin^ police^ air^ volved^ mostly^ using^ its^ Cessna

170s^ and^ continued^ to function^ as^ the^ Carabineros^

arm^ until^17 Februaryair^1960 when^ the^ Brigada^ Aeropolicial

wasconduct^ established^ to^ aerial^ police^ work.^

fixedunit^ operated^ solely^ The‐wing^ aircraft,^ mostly^ Cessnas,

forbecause^ almost^ a^ decade^ the^ first^ two^ heli‐

1100,Fairchild^ Hiller^ FH‐copters,^ were^ acquired^ in^ 1969.

TheCarabineros^ Museo^ Histórico^ de^ Chile^ counts^

its^ exhibits^ a^ Hughesamongst300,^ CC‐KKO/C‐03,^ which,

althoughcolours^ shown^ in^ the^ of^ the^ Brigada^ Aer‐

(^) theacquired by (^) was Aero^ Club.^ opolicial,On  24  April  1972  the Brigada^ Aeropolicial^ was^ transformed
intoAérea^ the^ Prefectura^ de^ Carabineros^ de^
brancha^ separate^ specialist^ Chile,^ within^ the^ Corps.^ This
re^ ‐organisation,^ with^ separate fixed‐wing^ and^ heli‐
tosections,^ was^ due^ copter^ ever‐increasing^ and^ expanding
roleswhich^ of^ the^ unit^ was^ now^ performing^ pa‐
search^ and^ rescue,trol,traffic^ observation,^ forest^ observation,
medical^ transport^ and disaster^ relief^ opera‐
(^) Chileanover the (^) all national^ territory.^ tions Today the Prefectura Aérea^ operates^ a^ modern^ mixed
fixed‐‐wing^ and^ rotary wing^ fleet^ which^ includes:^
Most^ of^ these^ aircraft^ types^ can^ be^ seen^ at^ Santiago
Tobalaba^ where^ the^ Prefectura‐Aérea^ and^ also^ the^
andClub^ are^ based^ Aero^ where^ maintenance^ is^ performed
as^ well.^ More^ aircraft are^ operated^ by^ sections^
(^) zonesseven police (^) over throughout^ Chile.^ spreadA helicopter closely associated with^ the^ Carabineros^ is
theBlohm^ Messerschmitt‐Bölkow‐ Bö105,^ which^ en‐
operations^ with^ theteredPrefectura^ Aérea^ on^ October
1,that^ 1976.^ Up^ to^ time^ helicopter^ operations^ were^
andby^ the^ Hughes^300 performed^ the^ FH‐^1100.^ However,
these^ small^ helicopters^ were quite^ limited^ in^ ca‐
and^ performance^ topabilitymeet^ the^ demanding^ task
ofin^ fast^ Aeromedical^ Rescue^ the^ high^ altitudes^ and^
metadverse^ weather^ conditions^ often^ in^ the^ Chilean^ highlands.
(^) AgustaPower^ A109E^ AgustaWestland^ AW139BellJet^206 RangerHelicopters Kawasaki^ BK‐^ Bölkow^117 EC135P2+Eurocopter^ Bölkow‐‐^ Bö105^ MesserschmittBlohm Air^ KingBeechcraft^ RaytheonSuper^200 U206BSuper^ Skywagon^ Cessna^ IICessna‐^ Centurion^ C^ 210N (^) Fixed WingCessna^ T‐^210 Centurion^550 Citation^ Bravo^ CessnaPiper  31  Navajo^ Piper 31T^ Cheyenne^ I^