Who We Are

Sky Watch Civil Air Patrol is based in the United Kingdom and is now the largest voluntary air observation service in Europe with a fleet of over 200 aircraft including:

  • Light aircraft
  • Autogyros
  • Helicopters

Our aircraft includes the largest operational fleet of autogyros worldwide. Skywatch Civil Air Patrol in partnership with UK Air Search CIC currently represents a resource of over £20 million in aircraft and pilot training.

The service is entirely voluntary with pilots, observers and ground crew donating their time and aircraft. It is not an emergency service. Its role is simply to 'observe and report' and to give way to aircraft of the emergency services attending the same incident.

After 10 years of aerial observation there can be no doubt that the service works. The list of reported incidents is growing all the time and reports from Sky Watch aircraft have been acknowledged by the emergency services as helping to secure the 'golden hour', the first 60 minutes after an incident when assistance to the injured is most effective. Sky Watch Civil Air Patrol aircraft have been instrumental in the saving of a number of lives while working in partnership with a number of agencies including The British Red Cross.