Businessman willing to buy ABLE helicopter identified

Peter Adderton has been identified as the local businessman who may try to buy three helicopters and equipment from the Costa Mesa and Newport Beach police departments, the head of Costa Mesa’s Airborne Law Enforcement confirmed Tuesday.

The Newport Beach resident

and former chief executive of the Boost and Amp’d Mobile company is considering buying the aircraft and equipment and leasing flight time back to them, said Sgt. Tim Starn.

“We’re looking at every option right now,” Starn said.

There are several legal hurdles with private ownership of police helicopters, Starn said, including whether the city would qualify for grants for such equipment if a private enterprise owned it.

The city is also considering renting helicopter flight time from Huntington Beach and Orange County, City Councilman Jim Righeimer said.

Huntington Beach is offering to rent its services to the city for $700 per hour, something Starn said is at least $300 below operational costs and won’t last.

“It can’t be done,” Starn said.

Adderton is set to appear at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

— Lauren Williams and Joseph Serna