2023 Public Safety Aviation Disaster Preparedness Exercise

38th Annual Chili Fly In

TO: All FAA/Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and Airborne Law Enforcement Personnel

The Los Angeles Police Department, Air Support Division, will host its Annual Chili Fly-In on: Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 between 1030-1400hrs at the Jay Stephen Hooper Memorial Heliport, located at 555 Ramirez Street, Space 475, Los Angeles.  Hooper Memorial Heliport in downtown Los Angeles will become home to the largest public safety aviation exercise in the nation.

This event is a Southern California Regional Public Safety Aviation Coordination Exercise (SCRPSACE!!). The aviation exercise is designed to demonstrate and train with other outside air support agencies.  We also extended  our support and appreciation for the outstanding cooperation that ATC personnel have offered public safety aviation during the past year. All local ATC and public safety aviation personnel are invited to attend this gala function. 

In some of the most congested airspace in the world, air traffic controllers in this region must regularly interact with public safety aviators who are frequently engaged in very non-traditional flights, such as vehicle pursuits, surveillance operations and other tactical operations.  The annual chili luncheon began to foster relationships and a mutual understanding of the roles played by the participants.  

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Chili Fly-in has evolved into a disaster preparedness exercise and is currently conducted in compliance with the principles and guidelines established by the Department of Homeland Security’s National Response Framework (NRF).  The Chili Fly-in allows all involved to develop, practice and refine the tactics, techniques and procedures that would be used in the event that a major man-made or natural disaster requires the use of the LAPD heliport as a public safety aviation command post or transportation hub.

Traditionally, LAPD and other public safety aviation units have provided FAA personnel within the Southern California area with air transportation to/from Hooper Heliport. This year, however, there will be limited aviation resources available. It is requested that only those actually performing ATC roles solicit air transport services. In order to optimize resources and develop a transportation schedule, please forward your transportation needs request, including the number of people who desire to attend, no later than Oct 30th. Additionally, if any public safety aviation agency is able to assist with transportation of ATC personnel from their area of jurisdiction, please email 33713@lapd.online or telephone (213) 485-2600 or FAX (213) 473-8186.