Caymanian leads the way for more local police pilots

(CNS): Darren McLean, an auxiliary constable with the RCIPS, is on the final leg of his journey to becoming the first Caymanian pilot for the police helicopter, the RCIPS has said. But while he is the first local person to train to become a pilot with the police, he will not be the last, as the RCIPS is developing the position of trainee pilot to create a path for more Caymanians.

Next month McLean is heading back to Trinidad and Tobago, where he has been on secondment since early 2019, to finish his helicopter pilot training programme with National Helicopters to meet the demands of flying with the RCIPS.

The RCIPS Air Operations Unit has become an integral part of the RCIPS, supporting Customs and Border Control and the Cayman Islands Coast Guard, conducting a variety of operations, from drug interdiction to search and rescue.

McLean joined the RCIPS AOU in 2017 and was soon certified as a tactical flight officer with the crew of the police helicopter. He had already obtained a commercial pilot’s licence for rotorcraft but would need further training in order to meet the requirements to fly for the RCIPS.

“Darren is working for National Helicopters as part of their training programme, flying and learning on helicopters even larger and more complex than what the RCIPS currently operates,” said Inspector Neil Mohammed, who is set to take over as head of the AOU when Steve Fitzgerald, the current head, retires.

“Darren has been conducting various types of flights under very strict parameters. As well as oil and gas industry flights, he has also been doing medivacs and casualty evacuations, providing VIP support, and supporting law enforcement. With this arrangement Darren is able to consistently gain experience and hours, while National Helicopters adds another talented pilot to their ranks for an extended period of time,” he added.

Mohammed said the team at National Helicopters had described McLean as one of their best trainee pilots. But the journey has not been without its setbacks as the emergence of COVID-19 in early 2020 meant the flight operations of the company were significantly scaled back, limiting McLean’s flying hours and extending his time away from Cayman.

“It’s always hard being away from home and my family, but being on my own, having to deal with COVID, all the lockdown restrictions, and knowing that I couldn’t fly as much was pretty difficult,” said McLean. “But I’m just thankful that even though I couldn’t be with them, I still had their support the whole time, so I never felt like I was truly on my own.”

“We’ve stayed in regular contact with Darren throughout his time in Trinidad and Tobago,” said Steve Fitzgerald, head of the Air Operations Unit. “We know that there have been ups and downs over the course of his journey. However, we always make sure to offer whatever mentorship we can as his training continues. We also get regular reports from National Helicopters, and can see the continued progress he’s making, so we know he’s well on track to reaching his goal.”

When he returns, McLean and the team will be developing the new position of trainee pilot for other aspiring Caymanian helicopter pilots. “We want to have a process in place so that others can follow in Darren’s footsteps,” said Fitzgerald. “But they will have to prove themselves, work hard, and show they have the aptitude and the dedication.”

McLean said “I want to inspire someone else to see what I’m doing and want to do the same,” says Darren. “They should know that even though it’s hard, it’s not impossible.”

See more about the helicopter unit on the RCIPS website here.