Air Guard

Role: Fishery patrol, anti-narcotics and SAR operations.

The Air Wing of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Coast Guard was formed in 1966 with a Cessna 337. In early 1973 helicopters were purchased with the intention to operate them from the Chaguaramas Heliport. This resulted in the division of the Air Wing with the Fixed Wing Flight based at Piarco Airport, Port of Spain, and the helicopter unit based at Heliport Chaguaramas. The operations of the Rotary Wing Flight were transferred to civilian control in 1976 when it was renamed the Air Division of the Ministry of National Security. In 1977 the Air Wing became a separate branch of the TTDF. The Air Wing was renamed Air Guard in 2005.

Air Bases:

Base	Duration
Piarco IAP/Port of Spain/Trinidad	1966 - Present
Crown Point IAP/Scarborough/Tobago	1966 - Present

Aircraft Used:

Type	Qty	Service	Example Serials
Cessna 337 (O-2A) Skymaster	1	1966 - 1972	TTDF-1(1)
Cessna 402 Utililiner	1	1972 - 1998	201
SNIAS SA-341G/H Gazelle	1/2	1973 - 1995	9Y-TFN, 9Y-TFO, 9Y-TGU
Cessna 310	1	1985 - Present	202
Cessna 172 Skyhawk	1	1991 - 1998	9Y-TES
Piper PA-31 Navajo	2	2000 - 2010	203, 204
Swearingen C-26A Metro	2	2000 - Present	215, 216

 

References:

• World Air Forces Directory 2006/2007 (Ian Carroll)