Photos: Pima Count Sheriff's Department introduces new aircraft

The PCSD introduced one of two new aircraft, a Cessna 208 Caravan, at PCSD's Airplane Hanger.

The Cessna 208 Caravan is currently operational while the second aircraft is expected to be finished at the end of this year according to Chris Janes, lead pilot.

The new aircraft is a "night and day" difference from the older aircraft PCSD used, said pilot Scott Hofmann, who has flown in both the older 1999 Cessna aircrafts as well as the new Cessna 208 Caravan.

The Cessna 208 Caravan is larger in size, includes a high-resolution camera, can stay in the air longer, can fly higher and is easer to maintain, said to Janes.

The older aircraft, a 1999 Cessna which has been in service since 2013, were grounded more often due to parts not being easily available, added Janes.

We would have to take parts from one plane to fix the other, said Janes.

The cost of the project, which includes two aircraft, three cameras and all of the interior units and design, came to a total of $7.7 million, said Hill.

In addition to introducing the Cessna 208 Caravan, the PCSD also honored one of the pilots, Harold Shoemaker, from the original PCSD's aero squadron by receiving Shoemakers badge for a shadow box. The PCSD plans to place the badge in a shadow box and give the shadow box to Harold Shoemaker's son Keith Shoemaker, who attended the introduction of the new aircraft.