Information of TTFLY: The Summer Olympics and Paralympics capture hearts and minds as world champions go for the gold – and they’re not the only ones who must deliver peak performances: Rio police chief Colonel Perlingeiro and Airbus Helicopters are hard at work around the clock to ensure a safe Games for all involved.

Though it seems like all eyes are on the athletes at the center of 2016’s Rio Olympics and upcoming Paralympics, Colonel Luiz Sergio Cosendey Perlingeiro, commander of the air support service unit of Rio de Janeiro’s Military Police, takes a larger view – quite literally. He’s part of the Army Aviation’s aerial operations mission that’s using 90 Airbus helicopters to perform surveillance, counter-terrorism, defense, public security, emergency medical services (EMS) and electronic newsgathering missions across Brazil to help the Games run smoothly behind the scenes.

“Certainly, our most important mission is aerial imaging using FLIR [thermal imaging],” says Perlingeiro. “This tool has enabled more accurate and secure operations, not only in the acquisition of important intelligence information but also among personnel and the general population on the ground.”

Public security is priority number one during the Olympics, and in Rio, that includes employing the AS350 – part of the H125 family and referred to as “our wild card” by Perlingeiro – and the EC145 for imaging missions, patrolling, troop transport, aero-medical services, firefighting and rescue missions.

Perlingeiro says the most rewarding part of his job is knowing that driving performance in both high-risk and aeromedical rescue operations can make a difference in saving lives. "As long as there is a mission, there will be missionaries," he says, quoting fellow officer Cel Wilton Ribeiro.

The 2016 Olympic Games feature a 90-helicopter Airbus Helicopter fleet serving in Rio de Janeiro, Distrito Federal, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Amazonas and São Paulo.

7 civilian Ecureuils: As with the 2014 World Cup, Ecureuil helicopters were chosen for aerial imagery recording.

81 military & security aircraft:

28 Brazilian Army helicopters: 7 Fennecs, 11 Panthers, 6 H225Ms, 4 Cougars;;

8 Brazilian Navy helicopters: 4 Ecureuils, 4 H225M

8 Brazilian Air Force helicopters: 4 H225M, 2 AS332 Super Puma, 2 H135 VIP;

15 Ecureuils and one H135 from the Military Police of São Paulo;

3 aircraft from Minas Gerais Fire Department: 2 H125, 1 EC145;

6 Civil & Military Police, Fire Department and Detran helicopters from the Federal District: 5 Ecureuils, 1 H135;

4 Bahia Military Police & Governor House aircraft: 2 Ecureuils, 1 EC145, 1 EC135;

1 H125 from the Secretariat of Public Security Amazonas;

5 Ecureuils and EC145 from the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro;

1 H125 from the Rio Civil Police;

2 helicopters from the Rio Secretary for Aerial Operations: 1 H135 and 1 AS365.