After 31 years of dedicated service, a long-serving pilot is retiring from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the department held a last flight ceremony to commemorate his service.

Michael Sill has been a pivotal member of the department’s Air Support Unit since its formation in 1997, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

To mark his final flight, members of the Fresno Fire Department’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Team honored Sill with a water cannon salute as he landed at Fresno Yosemite International Airport aboard EAGLE One — a service helicopter.

Over the course of his career, Deputy Sill accumulated more than 10,000 flight hours, participating in high-risk operations, search and rescue missions, and critical patrols.

Authorities said his contributions have been instrumental in the apprehension of dangerous suspects, the rescue of individuals in life-threatening situations, and the overall enhancement of public safety in Fresno County.

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