AERIALFIRE THE
AERIAL
FIREFIGHTING
MAGAZINE MARCH / APRIL 2021
MULTI-MISSION
DONE RIGHT Charlotte County Sheriff
In This Issue:
Training the Next Generation Pushing the Bambi Bucket Further Beyond Search and Rescue
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In This Issue of AERIALFIRE... Volume 19 Number 2 | March / April 2021 12 Beyond Search and Rescue How Heliwest Delivers Multiple ISR Missions
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16 Training the Next Generation 20 SEI Industries: Pushing The Bambi Bucket Further 26 Multi-Mission Done Right — Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office 36 Trailblazers Change Aerial Firefighting Approach in Demonstration and Real World Application
PUBLISHER: Graham Lavender - graham@aerialfiremag.com EDITOR: Ryan Mason - ryan@aerialfiremag.com ACCOUNTING/ADMINISTRATION: Casey Armstrong - casey@aerialfiremag.com
42 Kestrel Aviation Launches FireHawk 1
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46 HAI Cancels Heli Expo 2021
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48 Air Tractor VP Finance Retires After 31 Years
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50 10 Tanker Reveals New Paint Scheme 54 U.S. Helicopter Safety Team Issues a “Blueprint” for Confronting IIMC and Pilot Spatial Disorientation 56 ACE Training Center Now Authorized Leonardo Training Center in Australia 58 Blue Sky Network Introduces the All-New Global Traveler App 60 Translator Pilots Support Coulson Aerial Firefighting Across the Globe 62 Can You Spot the Maintenance Dirty Dozen? Let’s Find Out
In Every Issue of AERIALFIRE... Monthly Columns and Sections 06 The Drop | Ryan Mason 08 Aerial Fire Pics
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office operates two AS-350 helicopters, both fitted with utility hooks for firefighting. Photo by Ryan Mason
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THE DROP
Ryan Mason ryan@aerialfiremag.com
Goodbye 2020, Let’s Hope for a Better 2021 Aside from the large fire now extinguished in Western Australia, Australia’s fire season is off to a slow start. Which I am sure is a welcome relief to the thousands of ground firefighters and aircrews that fought so hard to save lives and property during last year’s ‘Black Summer’ blazes.
year in recent history for fires around the country. Each with a common goal, that of which to help their fellow man.
The aerial firefighting industry was forced into a quandary last year as the Australian fires burned. Traditional crews and aircraft beginning their winter training in the United States were still deployed overseas. For the first time in recent history, the industry was stretched to its limits, forcing calendars to be rewritten and training and certification periods to be pushed back.
I had just arrived in Australia to cover the fires a few days before the accident. The outpouring of support from the Australian people was something I saw and often heard in the days after the crash. “We will forever be indebted to the enormous contribution, and indeed the ultimate sacrifice that’s been paid as a result of these extraordinary individuals doing a remarkable job,” NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said at a farewell near Sydney airport for 32 U.S. firefighters who were returning home after weeks on duty on Australia.
2020 gave the industry plenty of challenges, that is for sure. The complexities of working while the COVID-19 pandemic raged around the world were many, yet the industry and the many that work within it prevailed. Providing much-needed support to Australia and continue their operations locally across the globe for multi-national companies.
The resounding thing that I often notice in the aerial firefighting occupation is that everyone picks themselves up and dusts off to keep going, no matter what. Some losses are harder to move on from, yet the industry prevails. Because if it didn’t, people would suffer. An aerial firefighter’s greatest goal is to save lives and property, so work goes on.
If I had to sum up what I thought of the industry in 2020, I would say “resilient.” As an industry, companies, and individuals rally together to get the job done. Whether it’s fighting fire with multiple assets or developing new technology that continues to push the boundaries of what aerial firefighters can accomplish, it always gets done.
As we leave what was regarded as a horrible year with 2020 behind us, I hope that 2021 brings us fewer large fires that tax global resources. Still, I hope that we can fly safer and take that extra few minutes to make safety checks and discuss flight planning and deconfliction strategies to make sure that everyone makes it home each night. Although I know we will lose some; I can only hope that we make gains on last year and that each loss gives us pause to think a little more about safety before we fly.
One of the more sad things I reflected on while looking back at 2020 was people’s loss. We can replace aircraft, but the people who crew them we cannot. Often leaving behind a trail of distraught friends and family as they pass on. Last year we saw the loss of a Coulson C-130 during firefighting operations in Australia. Taking with it the flight crew of Captain Ian McBeth, First Officer Paul Hudson, and Flight Engineer Rick DeMorgan, all military veterans who joined the fight in Australia’s worst AF 6 | aerialfiremag.com
Fly Safe,
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ASTREA Copter 10, a Bell 212 Eagle Single from the San Diego County Sheriff sits on the pad. Photo by Ryan Creigh.
A Croman Helicopters S-61 the Apple Fire in California. Photo by Brenden Murawski An Airstrike P-3 Orion aattacks load retardant in Soutehr California. Photo byFire Jeffin Serpa. The Global Super Tanker takesdrops off from Sanof Bernardino Airport headed for the Azuza 2020. Photo by Kaileen Hannigan. AF 8 | aerialfiremag.com
AERIALFIRE AERIAL FIRE PICS
A Securite Civile CL-415 scoops water for firefighting operations in Italy. Photo by Eliana Pensato.
An Aeroflite BAE146 drops retardant during the Liberty Fire in Murrietta, CA in 2018. Photo by Jeremy Ulloa.
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A Ventura County, CA UH-1H helicopter returns from a rescue mission. Photo by Mark Lassman.
The Kestrel Aviation Fleet sits on the ramp at their headquarters in Mangalore, Victoria. Photo by Dave Sodestrom.
AERIALFIRE AERIAL FIRE PICS
An Orange County Fire Authority Bell 412 fights the Bond Fire in California. Photo by Ryan Winner.
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BEYOND
SEARCH AND RESCUE How Heliwest Delivers Multiple ISR Missions
Above: Heliwest conducts ISR missions with both a pilot and an EO/IR operator who
Heliwest is one of Australasia’s leading helicopter companies and the largest onshore helicopter operator in Western Australia with over 40 helicopters. Heliwest has offices throughout Australia and primarily operates out of its base in Western Australia, also conducting annual seasonal missions in Antarctica.
runs mission equipment during flights. Right: Heliwest is based in Western Australia and operates a large fleed of aircraft.
Since 1992, Heliwest has been providing fixedwing, helicopter, and UAV services to a broad range of clients, including many in the mining and resources sector. Many of Heliwest’s staff have a detailed knowledge of the resources industry. Services include SAR, ALE, fire mapping, survey mapping, damage assessment, oil spill monitoring, and other environmental monitoring. Operators of the largest flight school in Australasia, Heliwest trains pilots for private and commercial licenses and provides advanced
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training including NVIS to both the civil and government market Located on Australia’s rugged west coast, Heliwest achieves ISR excellence for multiple special mission types. Missions include fire mapping, search and rescue, and linear surveillance – all executed using one common ISR mission system: AIMS-ISR. In 2010, Heliwest decided to compete for a large tender issued by Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) for fire mapping in Western Australia. To win the contract, Heliwest had to generate accurate, up-to-the-second maps showing the active fire situation. They also had to be able to communicate those maps in real-time to teams on the ground.
The Multi-role Fire Mapping Solution Fortunately, Heliwest had already been using AIMS-ISR by CarteNav Solutions for several years. AIMS-ISR is an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission system software package that provides multi-role integration, geo-referenced moving maps, evidence reporting, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and custom mapping services. “We had been involved with about four generations of AIMS at that point,” says Tim Hand, Manager of Special Projects at Heliwest. “So, we were very familiar with what the software could do and quite confident it would fulfill the mission. AIMSISR was really the only viable option.” Heliwest won the contract and was fully operational in less than six months, ready to face the upcoming fire season. “CarteNav responded very quickly to our needs and provided great support, which allowed us to quickly become operational,” says Hand.
Easy, Efficient Map Generation For fire mapping missions, Heliwest typically uses a WESCAM MX-15 gimballed EO/IR sensor and transmits maps to the ground via directional and omnidirectional datalinks. In the right environment, they can also use cellular links. AIMS-ISR fully integrates with and controls the EO/IR gimbal. This integration allows the operator to map the fire accurately by steering the camera’s boresight around the fire’s perimeter. Map generation and transmission are easy and efficient thanks to AIMS-ISR’s video overlay graphic tools and seamless integration of the stored map with the helicopter’s inertial data, GPS, EO/IR sensor, and datalink. “We can take sensor photos and video, accurately overlay known reference points, and send those out in bursts over our data comms system,” says Hand.
AIMS-ISR is intuitive and easy to use, allowing firefighters with no previous system experience to quickly become proficient with the software. Heliwest has managed up to three concurrent incidents on a single mission, a feat that requires extreme coordination among all mission participants.
Greater Efficiency—Both in the Air and on the Ground Along with accurate mapping, AIMS-ISR also assists in premission planning and post-mission debriefing and analysis. “Preloading points means we can use AIMS to drive the sensor – it takes the manual actions out of the workload in the back of the aircraft,” says Hand. “We often use AIMS to auto-slew to street addresses or pre-designated areas, track maps, and provide heading corrections to pilots. It aids in our orientation when we’ve had our heads in the screens a bit long. We also use AIMS to capture reference data for post-processing.” Thanks to that added efficiency, Heliwest has been able to monitor as many as 560 locations in a single mission. For post-mission support, AIMS-ISR records mission data as well as sensor video – the whole mission can be replayed. Easy geo-referencing dramatically simplifies and speeds up post-mission analysis. Ground teams can track and record the progress of fires very efficiently. Hand says the ability to take time-tagged, geo-referenced still photos also expedite postmission analysis and report creation. “I did a job recently where we pre-programmed every site we needed to visit before we left. All I had to do in-flight was keep my finger over the mouse. Every time I clicked, I knew I was going to record a still image, which was tagged,” says Hand. “After the mission, instead of a guy sitting there, going through all the video, extracting images from it, he could just bring it up and say, ‘Hold on, you’ve taken 560 photos. I’ll just grab those.’ It practically eliminated his post-processing workload. Those pictures will tell you the whole story. You don’t need ➤ aerialfiremag.com | AF 13
Fast, Cost-Effective Linear Surveillance
for us to give clients context—show them where things are. If they’ve got to send someone on a road journey of several hours out in the middle of nowhere, it makes it quite easy to ensure that you get them to the right spot.”
Heliwest employs AIMS-ISR not only for fire mapping but on a variety of missions, including linear surveillance.
Ideal for Airborne Law Enforcement
to sit there and watch hours of video to figure out what played out.”
Heliwest frequently receives contracts to survey gas pipelines, power lines, and fiber-optic link corridors to assess where servicing is needed. Points that need servicing must be logged and geo-referenced accurately, so repair crews don’t have to waste time searching for them. In Western Australia, such deployments can cover vast areas of remote desert terrain. Once, these missions typically took months. Now, with AIMSISR, Heliwest can complete deployments across a couple of Australian states in only three or four days, an impressive feat when considering that Western Australia alone is nearly four times the size of Texas. “A lot of it is out in the back of the desert, flying a line through the scrub in the back of nowhere,” says Hand. “If you miss a spot, it’s going to cost you $10,000 due to KPI performance clauses. But we can tag that spot in AIMS-ISR and get it accurate to a couple of meters. We can provide still images. We can overlay those with maps and various markers. That makes it much easier
FUTURE OF
AERIAL FIREFIGHTING Track and report fire perimeters with augmented reality in real-time with AIMS-ISR.
Another sector where AIMS-ISR helps Heliwest earn business is airborne law enforcement (ALE). Being able to identify reference points on the ground quickly is crucial to coordinating efforts with ground units. Afterward, being able to promptly reconstruct events and compile evidence into reports during post-mission analysis helps investigators build a solid case. AIMS-ISR features that are ideal for airborne law enforcement include in-video street overlays, a comprehensive street address lookup database, and time-stamped geo-referenced video logging. “Having those sorts of street-based moving maps is very important to us. The ability to auto slew to an address puts us in the ballpark to start searches,” says Tim Hand. Street overlays also make it easy to relay locations to ground units during a search or pursuit. Hand says being able to mark events in the video log greatly simplifies post-mission processing. “We’ll often take snapshots of places of interest along the way. During a pursuit, we might see something thrown from a vehicle. Maybe we’re doing some environmental monitoring, and we witness someone dumping chemicals, or we note a suspicious run-off. With just a series of cursor clicks, we can lay a breadcrumb trail for further investigation and gather evidence for our report. It allows us to break up hours of video footage into a timeline of discrete events. Later, we can go back through those photos and quickly build a clear picture of how that event played out.”
Enhanced Search and Rescue
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Based on Australia’s west coast, Heliwest is often involved in search and rescue missions over the vast ocean or the barren wilderness. “If you’re conducting a search over water or desert, it’s hard to get accurate reference points relative to what you see,” says Hand. “On the other hand, when you’ve got all your sensors integrated with your GPS, as you do with AIMS- ISR, all you have to do is slew your cursors to what you see, click on it, and you’ve got it geo-referenced. You lay down your breadcrumb trail as you go along. Then you can go back later and put all those data points together.”AIMS-ISR uses digital terrain elevation data (DTED) to display terrain-corrected sensor footprints. This enhanced
Right: Heliwest employs the use of multiple aircraft to
elevation data enables accurate recording of the area that has been searched by the sensor during a mission. Search information can be automatically exported as a report to Google Earth and used to populate the mission plan for the hand-over mission.
achieve their mission, including this BO105 fitted with EO/IR cameras.
“You get an accurate overall picture of the situation: what you’ve covered, any evidence you’ve found, and where you need to extend or intensify your search,” says Hand.
One Software Load—Many Missions— More Business Hand believes using AIMS-ISR on a variety of different missions helps operators gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the system’s capabilities and benefits.
small portion of the functionality. Using it in a variety of contexts, on the other hand, can help you understand how to make broader use of the functionality in each of those contexts. “It’s using skills developed across such a wide plethora of operations that really make you appreciate what the system can provide. By working across a broad range of tasks, we see more of its depth. It gives us a few more tricks up our sleeve. Ultimately, it improves the work we do.” Hand credits Heliwest’s experience with both CarteNav and AIMS-ISR over nearly fifteen years as a catalyst for winning new business.
Responsive, Reliable Support
“We use the same AIMS-ISR software, no matter what the platform or mission—search and rescue, airborne law enforcement, fire monitoring, linear surveillance, oil spill monitoring, damage assessment,” says Hand. “It allows us to make huge efficiencies across our fleet and mission tasking.”
Heliwest does most of their engineering and systems integration in-house, but CarteNav’s frequent upgrades to the software have been instrumental in the growth of the services Heliwest offers. Hand says Heliwest is always looking to capitalize on new AIMS-ISR capabilities. For example, they will soon expand their use of AIMSISR beyond their manned fleet with integration on some of their UAVs.
“What has surprised me—having personally used AIMS- ISR in many operational contexts and with a broad array of sensors over the years—is how the system has been adaptable to such a wide range of tasks.” If you’re only using it for one type of mission, he adds, you might use only a
Tim Hand expects AIMS-ISR will continue to help Heliwest compete for new business, and he credits CarteNav’s customer support as a huge factor in Heliwest’s success with AIMS-ISR.
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Training the Next Generation By Rob Dewar
How many people can say they fight fires from the sky? Pilots flying the CL-415EAF (Super Scooper) aircraft from Bridger Aerospace skim a water source to scoop up thousands of gallons of water into an onboard tank in under 12 seconds.
continuously. This mantra extends to all Bridger team members, not just the pilots. Each Bridger Aerospace team member plays a vital role in keeping our aircraft flying to support wildfires’ management and suppression.
Then drop it on a fire in some of the most challenging terrains at high elevation, saving critical infrastructure and lives. It takes more than just technical knowledge and skill to be safe and effective.
As Director of Training for Bridger Aerospace, I have a front-row seat to the successes and challenges of one of the fastest-growing companies in the aerial firefighting industry. My function with Bridger is to implement a vision that ensures we have the highest trained people to manage and operate our resources efficiently and safely.
To be fully proficient, an attitude, particularly a “commitment to continuous learning,” is necessary. Ensuring that the correct mindset is ingrained makes it a habit, becoming muscle memory. We fall back to our training under pressure, so there is a need to train AF 16 | aerialfiremag.com
To accomplish this, we encourage our team never to stop learning because there will always be something
new to learn. It could be a new task or piece of equipment to learn or a way to improve what we do. “It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.” This famous Wooden adage has resonated with me since I started my flying career in Northern Canada.
an expense. When some operators keep training to an absolute minimum to keep costs low, we understand that to spend now is to save later.
To continue improving as a team, we leave Bozeman, MT’s snowy mountainscape, and head down to the heat of Mesa, Arizona. There we train for over a month in an area that provides ample water surface area and a climate conducive to our training needs.
We have a disciplined and sensible approach to provide a career track for our Air Attack pilots to transition into flying the CL-415EAF platform. Pilots require an FAA multi-engine seaplane certification to fly the CL-415EAF. Instead of going outside of the company, Bridger recently purchased a DHC-6 Twin Otter as the platform to provide safe and effective AMES training.
Over 20 pilots who are a mix of current First Officers and Air Attack pilots transitioning into the Super Scooper as a FO will undergo thorough ground and flight training. Current Captains will also complete their annual check rides. Bridger management understands that training is an investment in our people and not just
We chose this airframe because it is the safest and most capable multi-engine seaplane, with over 500 still in service worldwide. This acquisition will be vital in achieving some cost savings while maintaining the high standards we must achieve. The Otter will significantly enhance skills and increase the speed of learning ➤
Bridger Aerospace’s second CL-415 EAF skims the water outside of Mesa Arizona. Photo by K Mita. aerialfiremag.com | AF 17
Multi-Crew and Multi-Engine Seaplane skills before transitioning into a 30 million dollar Super Scooper.
Above: Bridger Aerospace aircraft wait on the ramp at Mesa Gateway airport in
We must consider that we’ve known for almost 25 years that we will be facing pilot shortages resulting from retiring baby boomers. The issue is that Aerial Firefighting and, in particular, flying water scooping aircraft is not a standard flight school curriculum.
training quality. A vital part of our successful expansion is ensuring that excellence involves genuine dedication to educational achievement. We mustn’t just hit the minimums of regulatory compliance or what I call “checking the box.” We continue to hone our training programs with emerging technology and instruction, with a fusion of tried and true wisdom from our experienced captains.
Arizona. Right: The first step in transitioning to the larger super scooper is to become familiar with operating on water,
There is much tribal knowledge in the world of firefighting seaplanes. Our junior pilots need to capture those nuggets of wisdom from our “gurus” before they are lost. So, the question is: What can we do to ensure tribal knowledge is not lost?
which is done using the company’s DHC-6 Twin Otter.
We are very fortunate that we have several highly experienced Captains on the team. Our senior pilots are all mentors and actively develop personalized training programs for our junior pilots to ensure continuity of experience. Mentorship provides a safety net that ensures our Scooper pilots operate to exceed “industry standards” to perform their job. The future is exciting for Bridger as we continue to seek out the highest possible
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I look forward to realizing my vision for Bridger Aerospace to become a leading training provider for our industry.
TOOLS FOR THE WILDL AND FIREFIGHTER
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The Hillsborough County Sheriff is among thousands of agencies around the world that use Bambi Bucket products.
AF 20 | aerialfiremag.com
SEI Industries: Pushing The Bambi Bucket Further SEI Industries is a name that may not be as familiar to many as their flagship product, the Bambi Bucket, used around the world in over 100 countries to fight forest fires. The big orange bucket dangling from under helicopters is synonymous with fighting wildfires and has become the industry standard for aerial firefighting in many countries worldwide.
History Invented in 1978 by SEI Industries founder Don Arney, a concept initially constructed in his garage; in a home not far from where SEI Industries is now based in Canada, the Bambi Bucket began commercial production in 1982. The first bucket contained a single drop valve and activation through a switch on the pilot cyclic. Despite the many iterations since then, Director of Firefighting Operations Sergio Fukamati states that the single drop valve nearly 40 years later remains the top-selling product in their lineup of Bambi Buckets due to its simplicity of operation. Since its inception, the Bambi bucket has undergone continuous improvements and growth, much like the company, reflecting new technologies and current industry requirements. SEI has grown from its inception in 1978, having a staff of just one, to employing 84 people at their corporate headquarters. The company also contracts with dozens of others worldwide in a growing network of 14 service centers strategically placed to service customers with the highest needs. The first Bambi bucket produced was 270 liters (70 gallons) and would become the cornerstone for a product line that boasts nearly 40 models – with the largest Bambi bucket capable of holding
9,800 liters (2600 gallons.) Bambi buckets are currently operating on smaller helicopters like the Bell 206 to large helicopters such as the Boeing CH-47 Chinook and the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. Bambi Buckets have been used across every spectrum of the aerial firefighting industry, from small private operations to large government contracted firefighting operations to military forces around the world that are called in to fight fires when conditions outgrow the capabilities of contracted and state operations.
Technology Growth As the industry has grown over the decades, so too has SEI moved with the times, developing two core products throughout their line of Bambi Buckets. The Standard Bambi single drop bucket is available in twenty (20) models. The newer ‘Bambi Max’ lineup of buckets is available in fourteen (14) models and allows multiple drops of water on fires through a gated valve that many operators now utilize worldwide to increase operational effectiveness and improve helicopter safety. Multi-drop capability allows the pilot to load-shed and maximize the water load throughout the fuel cycle.
The Next Level Using current technology to advance the product lines is a core principle for the company, said Fukamati “the company has a continuous improvement program in place. When we launch a new product, we take it to market, and then we learn from operators on the ground at the frontline of operations. We then bring their input back to our people who continue to develop and evolve our products, so our customers benefit.” ➤ aerialfiremag.com | AF 21
Speaking of improvements, Fukamati detailed that Bambi accessories like the PowerFill are becoming more popular. The PowerFill Snorkel is an external pump mounted to the outside of a Standard Bambi Bucket that allows operators to fill the bucket in as little as 18 inches of water. The Powerfill Max uses the same technology, but the pumps are located inside the bucket. When the operators use a PowerFill, they can utilize shallow water sources like streams that are closer to the fire.
Stepping It Up The “NewGen” is the next version of the Standard Bambi Bucket that SEI will be producing. The new bucket design incorporates a new dump valve resulting in reduced wear of the purse strings. It also has a new control head, which is shorter, more straightforward, and provides better flight stability. SEI will begin alpha testing a NewGen 2732 model Bambi bucket in 2021. The “Eclipse Bambi,” another product in the new line-up will be the first fully collapsible Bambi bucket with multidump capability. It combines the collapsibility of a Standard Bambi bucket, with the multi drop capability of a Bambi Max bucket. It will be a good fit for type II and type III commercial operators that need to collapse their bucket down to a smaller diameter for storage.
window of the aircraft or for multi-crewed missions, reliant on the crew to check for a successful load. With that in mind, the SEI team went to work to try and improve that shortcoming. It is developing the newest Bambi Bucket that will shortly begin beta testing, the i-Max, or Intelligent Max Bambi Bucket. This bucket will, through installed sensors and an in-cabin touch screen, show the pilot what the water load is, and in the case of a multistage drop operation, tell the pilot what capacity is left after each drop stage. “The i-Max Bambi system incorporates a load sensing head, like a load cell, built into the control head of the bucket slung under the helicopter. This converts the load signal into volume, transmitting to the master controller unit inside the helicopter. The pilot can use the userfriendly touch screen to program what they want to achieve for a particular drop. The pilot can decide to drop 70% of the load across three dumps or any number of other variants. The pilot can even control the speed of the dump by controlling the valve opening from the touch screen” said Fukamati.
One of the challenges to working with a bucket is checking fill levels, making sure you have taken on enough water during each dip. Currently, the checking method is completed entirely visually. In a single pilot scenario, the pilot relies on visual reference to see if the bucket is filled by looking out the
Bambi Bucket provides buckets that range in size from 70 to 2600 gallon capacity, allowing for use from a full range of helicopters on fires. AF 22 | aerialfiremag.com
The Bambi Bucket i-Max product currently in development features an in cockpit display to provide real time information for water drops.
New Frontiers The i-Max system is the first of its kind for the aerial firefighting industry and provides some challenges for the SEI team. With the added functionality of the in-cockpit user interface screen, comes the added work of certifying the system through regulatory agencies. With previous Bambi Buckets not having a permanent fixture inside the helicopter, there was no certification requirement. Fukamati says that approaching such a task would not be possible without operators’ help in the field. Certifying a piece of ➤
The Bambi Bucket MAX line of products features an “in bucket” pump that allows for faster water loading, speeding up time on target.
THERE IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT
Bambi Bucket System FOR YOUR MISSION.
TF: 1.866.570.FIRE (3473) // sales@sei-ind.com
BAMBIBUCKET.COM aerialfiremag.com | AF 23
new equipment is being done with the assistance of an operator in Spain, who has been participating in testing and certification with EASA. Once the initial Alpha testing was completed in 2020, the team went to work on improving the system based on operator feedback and is aiming for certification of the i-Max system in 2021.
Maintaining the Fleet With thousands of Bambi Buckets in circulation worldwide, SEI needs to make sure that customers have access to repairs and parts promptly. Sometimes that means not waiting to ship a unit back to Canada for service. Over the years, the company has continued to build on existing relationships and partner with MRO and service facilities to develop a worldwide network of Bambi Bucket Service Points in areas that are readily accessible to their customers. These 14 centers are targeted in high-use regions such as Australia, Europe, South America, Asia and North America. Servicing buckets worldwide has also become a concern due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Fukamati, apart from some early supply chain issues, it has now become manageable thanks to their network of service centers and dedicated staff at their corporate headquarters. The challenges of working in the COVID-19 environment, while causing some additional hiccups, have been overcome by introducing social distancing protocols in their offices and manufacturing areas and have caused minimal issues to customers in the field.
Looking Forward Fukamati stated that their team continues to innovate based on customer needs in addition to improving on bucket technology. This includes development currently in process to provide 120 Volt, AC PowerFill pumps, currently available only in 28 Volt, DC power. The new AC pumps will hopefully be available in 2022. Another project for the SEI team that is nearing completion is a revamp of their company website that will save customer’s time and improve navigation. The new site will simplify searches and provide ready access to technical specifications and all available data to assist customers in everything from bucket selection to maintenance needs and identification of international service points. Whatever the aerial firefighting industry’s future holds, SEI will continue to improve Bambi product reliability and develop new products and services to meet customer’s needs.
Tampa Police Helicopter picks up water in a Bambi Bucket during a training exercise in Hillsborough County in 2019.
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MULTI-MISSION
DONE RIGHT Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office
Images and Story by Ryan Mason
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Aviation unit is still a relative newcomer to aviation compared to others in the field that have been in operation for 30 or 40 years. Nonetheless, the CCSO unit, since 1996, has transformed from a law enforcement-focused unit using government surplus aircraft to one that now serves in a true multi-mission capability. Serving not just in a law enforcement capacity but also providing life-saving search and rescue capabilities, aerial firefighting and even mosquito spraying ability for the citizens of Charlotte County, Florida. Left: CCSO operates
Commencing operations in 1996, the agency’s aviation unit began with the delivery of two U.S. Army surplus UH-1H helicopters, followed shortly after by three surplus OH-58s. Under the tutelage of the initial unit commander and founder of the unit Mark Brownie, the unit functioned with one of the UH-1s. ➤
two AS350’s a B2 (pictured) and a B3e. Right: CCSO’s newest aircraft, a B3e is piloted by one pilot and a TFO, who also acts as a crew chief in the event of a rescue operation taking place.
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The Charlotte County Sheriff’s office aircraft patrol one of the largest harbors in Florida and can switch between law
It moved the other UH-1 to the county’s mosquito control unit. Under a new chief pilot, Rob Steht, the unit began phasing out the use of the OH-58 airframe, taking delivery of an AS-350BA that would function in a law enforcement role. In 2019, thanks to a grant from Firehouse subs, the aircraft was fitted with a hook and a belly band was added for rescue capabilities in 2020.
enforcement, firefighting and search and rescue missions all within one shift at times.
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After Steht’s departure in July of 2018, the unit was headed up by Chief Pilot Shane Englauf, a military veteran and former OH-58D Kiowa Warrior pilot. Englauf saw the unit’s need to continue to progress in its multi-mission capabilities continuing to phase out the now-aging OH-58s. He returned them to the 1033 program as the unit took possession of the new AS350BA shortly before Englauf took on the chief pilot role.
Moving Forward Under Englauf’s leadership, the aviation unit was able to work with the command staff of the Sheriff’s office to secure funding for a second AS350. This time the most current model, the AS350B3e, would again be deployed in a multi-mission capability. The helicopter would be performing aerial firefighting missions, law enforcement and search and rescue; being able to be quickly reconfigured between tasks when needed. The agency’s UH-1H began firefighting missions using a Bambi bucket drop system in 1998, and has now transitioned to using an Isolair belly tank. The Isolair multi-mission tank is a dual-use tank capable of mosquito control spraying. After removing the booms and the actuating a switch at
the front of the tank, it can function as a traditional firefighting tank using the attached snorkel to pull water.
Missions The agency averages about 500 flight hours per year, and has seen a steady increase. Englauf shared that flight time can vary significantly from year to year. However, multi-agency responses increase year after year from mutual aid agreements between surrounding counties and the requirements of larger fires that are now becoming more frequent. “Last year, we had a pretty high number of calls. And it seems like the more people know about our unit and its capabilities, the more other agencies have started asking for our help. So it’s gone from when I first started here, from two or three fire missions to last year we were upwards of 15 aerial firefighting mission call-outs. We traveled down to Fort Myers or other
areas for mutual aid calls. Once agencies recognized we had the capacity that a Huey brings and that we’ll travel when needed to fight fires and provide needed assistance to control a fire, word travels quickly.” Fire call outs for CCSO’s aviation unit come through Charlotte County Fire, headed up by fire chief Fair. From there, mutual aid calls can come from surrounding counties (like Lee County) and provide assistance for Sarasota county when their aircraft is down for maintenance. The CCSO aviation unit has responded to calls in Inglewood in Sarasota County and fought an enormous blaze at the Fort Myers airport in Lee County that engulfed over 3500 rental cars in an overflow lot.
Ground Support Advantage Another unique advantage to an aerial firefighting response by Charlotte County is establishing a ground support operation ➤
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quicker than many other agencies. When the call came in from Charlotte County Fire for mutual aid to fight a rapidly growing fire at the Fort Myers Airport, CCSO’s aviation unit sprang into action. They readied their UH-1H and coordinated a ground support operation to sustain their firefighting ability for as long as needed. Ground support came from the unit’s lead mechanic and avionics technician, Dan IJpkemeule, who also doubles as flight crew and ground support operations when needed. He was joined by other team members that set out to a water source near the fire with a fuel supply trailer used to fuel the aircraft in the field. Also on board was field maintenance equipment for both the helicopter and the associated firefighting equipment, along with night vision equipment used during the fire. NVG equipment was used to help call the helicopter’s position over the water source to assist Chief Pilot Shane Englauf in refilling the belly tank via snorkel. The operation lasted into the night, requiring almost 90 drops to extinguish along with work from ground units. (The cause of the fire that gained national and international attention was later attributed
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to an idling vehicle starting the blaze as long grass ignited off a hot exhaust system, sparking a massive multi-agency response). As the fire raged past dusk, the CCSO aircraft was the only aircraft that could continue firefighting operations as other aircraft were not equipped to fight fires after dark. CCSO’s aircraft could continue firefighting thanks to their ground support assets and NVG capabilities.
Below: the CCSO team designed a helicopter fit out that would work for any mission with
Englauf recalls that the operation was an overall success looking back on the event. Thanks in large part to the multi-agency response that included assistance from the Lee County Sheriff and help from the Florida Department of Forestry, each providing aerial assets used in the response.
minimal time to switch between. Seen here as the team switches between an aerial firefighting mission and search and rescue hook, taking only
Around the Clock Support Although staffing is still growing, the unit now has two full-time pilots, four tactical flight officers (TFOs.) TFOs are a mix of road officers, dedicated unit officers. Two mechanics (one of which is a highly qualified avionics technician) in addition to several volunteers that are experienced A&P mechanics make up the rest of the CCSO aviation unit. ➤
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Left: The interior fit out of all custom avionics solutions that were custom designed for the agency were installed by the agencies in house avionics technician and A&P Dan IJpkemeule (pictured below).
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit has several staff that consist of licensed A&P Mechanics, along with an in house avionics technician, that has allowed the agency to custom design their AS350 interior (seen above) that was designed and installed in house.
Each TFO is also a trained rescue specialist who can switch from the front of the aircraft to the back to perform as a crew chief or rescue technician as needed depending on the aircraft dispatched or the mission dispatched.
The foam system the team has designed will be operated via a switch on the cyclic that will inject a small amount of foam into the existing tank system as it is being filled with water, agitating the water/foam mix as it fills.
While the unit currently maintains coverage for 16 hours a day, six days a week, the agency has a team on call 24 hours a day for rapid response when needed to scramble and assist whenever the need arises.
Testing by the unit has shown that even with a small amount of foam injected into the water as it is filling, that the drops have increased coverage effectiveness when compared to plain water. The system will be installed after the aircraft’s annual inspection in the early spring of 2021.
Thinking Ahead To continue to innovate, the unit looked in 2018 to hire Dan IJpkemeule, an avionics technician with decades of experience that was also an A&P mechanic, to lead the agency’s push to modernize and customize their equipment as much as possible within their budgetary constraints. Dan also brought on an additional maintenance technician to help achieve that goal, who is also currently gaining his A&P mechanic certifications. Along with IJpkemeule, Chief Pilot Englauf has worked with the Charlotte County Fire Department to improve their firefighting response and has designed a system that will allow the unit to fight fires more effectively, a foam system that is currently awaiting installation on the agency’s UH-1H. Being a 1033 military surplus aircraft enables the agency to design and manufacture unique equipment that would not be fitted to certificated aircraft. AF 32 | aerialfiremag.com
In addition to the groundbreaking work completed by IJpkemeule on firefighting equipment, the team’s focus was to complete the fit-out of the departments’ new AS350B3e that arrived after purchasing from Brunner Aerospace in Texas in June of 2020.
Planning for the Future The team went to work immediately, taking stock of what they had. The team then began requesting the things needed for the county’s perfect multi-mission aircraft. Once all requests were approved, this gave the unit the ability to custom design and build a completion that worked to provide the most missioncapable aircraft for their requirements. IJpkemeule went right to work in designing everything needed from the ground up. Dismantling everything except the engine displays in the cockpit, everything he said has been either ➤
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reinstalled from scratch or custom-designed to fit the agency’s mission and requirements.
Charlotte County Sheriff’s office is truly a one-of-a-kind multimission aircraft customized to suit their unique requirements.
Retaining some equipment was worthwhile, said IJpkemeule, they retained a Garmin G500, but the rest was removed to install newer or more functional equipment.
An install such as this can be quite the challenge for even a seasoned installer or avionics technician. Still, with the support of CCSO leadership and Shane Englauf at the unit level, IJpkemeule found that the install and customization required a unique thought process. Design and seamless installation were made easier by the team’s teamwork from the Sheriff down the line, completing the customized install of all components in about two months. Having been operational now for over 30 hours of flight time, the aircraft has had zero squawks since its installation and completion.
“It was a stock system when we received it. There was an ADSB transponder unit installed at Unifly in Texas, which we retained, but with the exception of the VEMD and the G500, we made everything work for us the way we wanted it. What’s nice about being an avionics guy is that I knew exactly what I wanted to put in it right off the bat, so basically, we made a list, and we got everything approved that we needed.” Said IJpkemeule. The agency’s B3e was delivered with an external load window in the floor from its previous life. It worked completing external load work in Costa Rica, which was a bonus for the team, making external load work easier. The aircraft was also delivered with an external load mirror that was both remote control operated and heated, and new in the box. A bonus for visibility of the external load hook installed on the aircraft for use with a Bambi Bucket and human external cargo loads in a rescue scenario. Also installed on the aircraft is a 15-inch screen that feeds visuals from the FLIR 380HDc into the cockpit from Macro Blue that also runs a moving map system via touch screen input from Churchill avionics. The unit also has a backup keyboard hidden in a slide-out compartment installed under the left side horizontal bar support inside the cockpit. “When we took out all of the equipment, we drew out a template of the old one and just started laying instruments out, and then we realized that with some real minor modifications, we would be able to slide everything around, leaving the VEMD in its original spot but make everything fit the way we wanted it. The big benefit of that is that the crew has their visibility. So that was cool when we got that giant display in the panel with everything we wanted.” IJpkemeule stated that leaving the G500 in the aircraft was a no-brainer, saying it is still a very dependable piece of equipment, combined with a Garmin GTN650, a Jupiter Avionics audio panel, and the already installed ADSB transponder unit. Coupled with a custom center console, IJpkemeule custom wired to transfer the traditional push-button center console to a flick switch control panel. This took him and his team more than 100 hours to custom install; the AS350B3e of the AF 34 | aerialfiremag.com
Adding to the highly customized interior of the AS350B3e is a cargo hook that can carry a Bambi Bucket for aerial firefighting or carrying a long external line for rescue work that attaches either a 50 or 100 foot ARS long line. The line attaches to a “Penetrator,” rescue seat unit from Life Saving Systems which is similar to a Vietnam era unit that was called a forest penetrator that allows a rescuer and subject to be lifted from the water while being harnessed both around the waist and to a seated platform that folds down in a rescue evolution. This offers both a more comfortable and safe extraction than a traditional “strop” extraction sling device. All of these pieces of mission equipment, including the Bambi Bucket, can be put into the back of the aircraft before a patrol flight to allow for the rapid deployment of whatever is needed during a given shift by the crew landing and quickly reconfiguring the aircraft for whatever mission is required. Such was the unit staff planning to make their aircraft easily reconfigurable on the move, with only a small amount of work needing to be done to be prepared for any of the mission requirements they may have in a given shift. When looking at how far the aviation unit has come since its inception, Englauf stated, “Having the support of our Sheriff behind us, along with the other agencies we support, like Charlotte County fire and Mosquito Control, has been the key to our ongoing success. Being able somewhat to roll everything aviation in the county into one unit has been fantastic. You see many larger communities with many air assets, and each is separate for single mission requirements into individual air units that only focus on one thing, so it ends up costing those counties a lot more. If we did that, we wouldn’t have the capacity to keep all those units separate. So being able to get all of our agencies on the same page related to aviation is a great achievement that we are proud of. It also keeps it interesting for our pilots and crew chiefs and everybody else to have the multi-mission capability and response. It’s never the same thing from one day to the next.”
CCSO’s AS350B3e picks up a load of water with a Bambi Bucket. Right Top: Pilots and TFO’s have state of the art equipment to use thanks to continued planning for success of their aviation unit. Right Middle: CCSO employs a “Penetrator” system to conduct search and rescue operations in their area, the second largest harbor area in Florida. Right Bottom: The agencies AS-350 B3e has just recently completed outfitting with a customized interior fitted by their in house team.
Trailblazers Change Aerial Firefighting Approach in Demonstration and Real World Application Three trailblazing Sunshine Coast-based companies are changing the way bushfires are detected, fought, and extinguished, with their world-first technology now available Australia-wide and on display to the international market, showcased during a special demonstration day that occurred on January 20th, 2021. Using a series of Artificial Intelligence systems that collect and analyze data of groundbased sensors, cameras, and satellites, Fireball International detects and reports on bushfires in less than three minutes after they start. “Every minute counts when it comes to bushfires and currently, it takes approximately 45 minutes for a bushfire to be reported so Fireball International’s technology will significantly reduce the notification time in areas where our system is installed,” Fireball International co-founder and CEO Christopher Tylor said. “We have successfully rolled out this technology in a number of counties in the US, and we are ready to start the rollout in Australia. It is important that people see how it works to get a better understanding of how incredibly powerful this technology is, so together with Helitak Fire Fighting Equipment and McDermott Aviation, we organized a demonstration where we will be showing approximately 80 key stakeholders exactly how each of our technologies works.” With the support of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service, a fire was ignited in a contained environment to demonstrate how Fireball International detects, maps, and reports on the fire. The fire was then reported to McDermott Aviation, on hand to fill up a Helitak expandable bladder affixed to their helicopter, putting out the fire. Specializing in the design and manufacturing of aerial firefighting equipment, Helitak’s technology allows for speedy and cost-efficient delivery of water to extinguish blazes. “When it comes to putting out bushfires the only way to increase your ability to extinguish a fire from the air is to increase the liters of water per hour you can put on it,” Helitak CEO Jason Schellars said. ➤
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“Our tank-fitted helicopters offer speed and maneuverability for an initial attack on a fire. In terms of delivering maximum, continuous water and dropping it accurately onto a fire” — John McDermott, McDermott Aviation
“Our tanks allow the helicopters to deliver a maximum load in the shortest amount of time. Our smallest tank (1200Ltr) can deliver an average of 18,000 liters per hour at approximately one-fifth of the cost of the large air tankers that averages around 7,500 liters per hour.” John McDermott, Managing Director of McDermott Aviation, said every minute was critical when tackling bushfires. “Our tank-fitted helicopters offer speed and maneuverability for an initial attack on a fire. In terms of delivering maximum, continuous water and dropping it accurately onto a fire our helicopter and tank systems shine when compared to large air tankers which carry larger volumes but have much longer turnaround periods and less accuracy for urban interface interaction,” Mr. McDermott said. ➤
Top Left: John McDermott, McDermott Aviation (squatting), Christopher Tylor, Fireball International and Jason Schellaars, Helitak Fire Fighting Equipment observing the expandable water tank underneath the helicopter. Middle Left: John McDermott, McDermott Aviation observing the Helitak tank being rolled in place. Bottom Left:A flight track image of the many hundreds of water drops conducted by McDermott Aviation helicopters during recent fire operations just outside of the suburbs of Perth, Western Australia.
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“The combination of the use of helicopters with the Helitak expandable bladder and the cameras that Fireball International have developed, that have been fitted to the bottom of the helicopters, ensures we nail the delivery of water every single time – ensuring time and water are not wasted when there is no time to waste,” Mr. McDermott said. Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien said the Liberal and Nationals Government were pleased to support this innovative firefighting technology with a $497,500 Accelerating Commercialisation grant for Helitak, and a $500,000 Entrepreneurs’ Programme grant for Fireball International. “The technology being developed at the Peregian Digital Hub and the collaboration with Helitak and McDermott Aviation is an absolute game-changer for detecting and fighting bushfires, and it will benefit not just Australian communities, but has the potential to be used all over the globe,” Mr. O’Brien said. Aerial assets from all three companies were recently used in some of the worst fires to hit Western Australia this summer. The fire consumed over 22,000 acres outside of the Western Australian capital city of Perth. The fire took 81 homes as it
Gabrielle Tylor, Christopher Tylor, John McDermott and Jason Schellaars in front of a McDermott Aviation helicopter that accommodates the Helitak expandable tank. AF 40 | aerialfiremag.com
broke containment lines three times during the most intense periods of the firefight. McDermott Aviation supplied multiple helicopters in Western Australia fitted with both Helitak and Fireball equipment that fought on multiple fire fronts evidenced by the flight track of McDermott Aviation aircraft sent to AerialFire magazine by Simon McDermott illustrating just one day of firefighting efforts by the company aircraft and their hard-working crews. McDermott Aviation currently supplies 5 Bell 214B’s, an Airbus AS355 Twin squirrel two Airbus As365 Dauphins to protect people and property during the firefighting effort. “A big thanks to our flight crew, re-fuelers, engineers, and office staff, both in Perth and around Australia, and also all of the other flight crews, but most importantly the firefighters on the ground; Without boots on the ground, our efforts are in vain,” said Simon McDermott of the efforts being undertaken by the company’s crews, that of other aerial firefighting companies and ground firefighters who worked towards extinguishing the massive blaze that was eventually contained before reaching the Perth suburbs.
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Kestrel Aviation Launches FireHawk 1
Kestrel Aviation/Firehawk Helicopters “Firehawk 1 conducts a water drop during media operations in January. Photo by Dave Sodestrom.
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Kestrel Aviation, one of Australia’s largest fire contractors announced in early February during a media event that in partnership with Florida-based Firehawk Helicopters, the company was launching ‘Firehawk 1”. ➤
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Kestrel’s fleet includes Bell 412’s, S-76’s and others to fight fires around Australia. Photo by Dave Sodestrom.
Having first appeared on Australian fire grounds in 2017, the battle-proven Sikorsky UH-60 / S-70 Blackhawk has been a long-standing project for both Kestrel and Firehawk. The four-blade, twin-engine utility helicopter has been long touted as the next ‘big thing’ in aerial firefighting, and now, with the introduction of FIREHAWK 1, the game has changed. Continuing Kestrel’s commitment to continuous improvement, and increasing capability for local fire agencies, FIREHAWK 1 is fitted with the Firehawk developed and United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approved internal HawkTank, which has a capacity of 3,500 liters/924 Gallons, collected through the hover fill snorkel which can fill the tank in under a minute. The company has been in partnership with Firehawk Helicopters for several years, with Firehawk 1 coming online this year as the first aircraft with an internal tank. Firehawk 1 will carry the designation ‘Helitak 125 when working on fires AF 44 | aerialfiremag.com
in Australia and will operate with a two-man crew to operate the helicopter during fire season. The hawktank is able to be filled in approximately one minute, dramatically increasing its effectiveness in both capacities versus a bucket and time required between drops on fires. “The introduction of FIREHAWK 1 into the Australian fire arena represents the accumulated and collaborative efforts of two leading aviation organizations to benefit Australian communities,” said Ray Cronin, Founder and Managing Director of Kestrel Aviation Kestrel operates one of the largest flees of medium and large-sized helicopters, based in central victoria at Mangalore Airport. The company continues to innovate in the aerial firefighting sector. Kestrel Aviation is also the only Australianowned operator with approval to perform nighttime initial attack operations under night vision goggles.
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HAI Cancels Heli-Expo 2021 In what was an interesting turn of events in late January, the Helicopter Association International stated on January 14th that the annual Heli Expo show in New Orleans was to go ahead, swiftly followed by a notice of the show’s cancellation only six days later after mounting industry backlash.
The association will redirect its efforts to producing HAI HELI-EXPO 2022, which will be held on March 7–10 in Dallas, Texas.
The association noted in a press release in part that they will not reschedule this year’s event. Instead, the association will redirect its efforts to producing HAI HELI-EXPO 2022, which will be held on March 7–10 in Dallas, Texas, a city that has traditionally been a hub of rotorcraft operations. HAI HELI-EXPO® has long served as a venue where the international VTOL industry annually gathers—to connect, learn, and conduct $2 billion in business. “Please understand that we did not make this decision lightly,” says James Viola, president and CEO of HAI. “HAI is here to support our members and customers. Leading up to mid-January, the majority of industry voices who contacted us supported holding Expo as long as health and safety protocols were in place. We took extraordinary steps, working with our partners in New Orleans, to be able to conduct a safe event.”
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As a mid-January deadline for exhibitors approached, the world also saw a spike in COVID-19 cases. “Pandemic conditions have changed, and the majority of our stakeholders have recently expressed discomfort with the logistics involved in business travel at this time,” Viola says. “In response, we concluded that we had to cancel HAI HELI-EXPO 2021. We’re grateful for the honest feedback that we received from our members, exhibitors, attendees, and other stakeholders. “Like many others during this past year, we have had to adjust course in response to changing conditions,” says Viola. “HAI firmly believes that the flexibility that our industry has demonstrated throughout this pandemic will help our businesses and individuals persevere and strengthen.” HAI is beginning to reach out to exhibitors, attendees, vendors, and other HAI HELI-EXPO 2021 stakeholders. Exhibitors have multiple options for their booth payments, including pushing participation and payment to the 2022 show in Dallas, repurposing dollars to other HAI advertising or sponsorship opportunities to support their business objectives in 2021, or issue of a full refund.
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aerialfiremag.com | AF 47
Air Tractor VP Finance Retires After 31 Years After 31 years of service, Air Tractor Vice President of Finance David Ickert has retired. Ickert’s contributions to the agricultural aircraft manufacturer’s success range from creating a world-class financial team to cementing Air Tractor’s reputation as a trustworthy partner to customers and financial institutions alike, says Air Tractor President Jim Hirsch. “One of the first things David Ickert did was to take over managing the company’s finances. This freed our founder Leland Snow to focus on engineering groundbreaking airplanes like the AT- 802,” Hirsch says. A few years later, Ickert spearheaded Air Tractor’s international financing initiative. Ickert and his wife Marilynn returned to Olney in 1976. It was Marilynn who initially went to work for Air Tractor. In 1989, David joined her. “Being an engineer, Leland was a very precise person,” Ickert recalls. “He was certainly not one to do anything halfway, but it stretched his time to do all the engineering, all of the marketing, and then all of the accounting and the finance. I think he had just reached a point that he was ready to bring in some help.” David not only assumed the accounting and finance role, but it quickly became apparent that Ickert was an excellent fit for a company that thrived on innovation and intellectual curiosity. “David is always reading and keeping up with the markets, doing research, and figuring out what’s next, and how our airplanes fit into that,” Hirsch notes. “Ickert’s ability to organize the finance and accounting helped provide really helpful strategic insights for our very specialized company.” Ickert also contributed to strengthening Air Tractor’s rock solid financial reputation, but for Ickert that was merely his job. “It’s no different from the airplane that Leland designed and produced,” Ickert says. Customers know what they’re getting when they purchase an Air Tractor airplane. And in the area of the business that I’ve been involved with, I hope we’ve been able to create the same confidence with financial institutions, insurance companies, suppliers and others we work with. As an organization, I think people know what we say and what we do is gospel,” he adds. “We’ve built a reputation. I am pleased that I have been able to play a part in an organization that is respected and well thought of.” AF 48 | aerialfiremag.com
Under Ickert’s leadership, Air Tractor established an international financing team that’s respected across the globe. “Leland was proud of what David did, particularly in the export finance,” says Hirsch. “Leland was the one that said to David, ‘If we can figure out how to get financing to people abroad, we could sell more airplanes.’ That was the impetus that sent David off on the trail of figuring out how to get a farmer in another country a loan to buy an airplane.” “The international financing program has changed Air Tractor for the better,” Hirsch says. “In the early 1990s, we exported just a few planes. Now, export is much bigger. A lot of this export growth is based on the market development stewarded by David Ickert and the team that continues to do this important work at Air Tractor.” What does retirement look like for Ickert? “I have seven grandkids, so chasing them around and watching their activities is a high priority,” Ickert says. Longtime hobbies of book, coin, and baseball memorabilia collections will receive attention, too. “Marilynn has ‘encouraged’ me to organize that stuff, and that’s going to take some time.” “We can’t thank David enough for his hard work and dedication, the long hours,” Hirsch says. “He’s been passionate about our business. There’s nothing more one can ask of a team member.” Jeremy Prather, who joined Air Tractor in September, is the company’s new Chief Financial Officer. He serves as financial and strategic advisor to the Air Tractor president and leadership team.
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10 Tanker Reveals New Paint Scheme 10 Tanker Air Carrier’s new livery was first seen on January 30th, 2021 as it came out of the paint shop in Amarillo, Texas. Photo by 10 Tanker.
AF 50 | aerialfiremag.com
After a record breaking year for 10 Tanker Air Carrier that saw the company fighting fires not only in the United States but during the massive blazes in Australia last season, the company showed off a new livery for their aircraft, first spotted coming out of the paint booth in Amarillo Texas on January 30th in a photo published to social media by Amarillo based photographer Tony Boyer. In the company’s official post on February 2nd, the company announced the new paint job officially, showcasing multiple angles of the first DC-10 to wear the paint, Tanker 910.
In a post on their website, 10 Tanker detailed that “it was time to give our DC-10’s a new look.” To achieve that, the company looked to designer Kyle Courtright who has done work with customers that include Toyota, NFL, NBA, Olympics, and the American Cancer Society. Courtright has also won several awards for his work. “The triangular shapes maintain an abstract, eye-catching portrayal of the retardant being released. It was my goal to create a marriage ➤
aerialfiremag.com | AF 51
between the flowing, aerodynamic feel on the sides and the unapologetically edgy feel with the retardant triangles,” said Courtright in an interview about the design of the edgy new paint scheme. An innovator in the field of aerial firefighting, 10 Tanker Air Carrier has continued to invest millions on ongoing technology development related to their aircraft and how they fight fires in the most effective manner. Based in New Mexico, the company now flies four DC-10 aircraft capable of carrying 9,400 gallons of retardant per drop. 10 Tanker
Above: This side image shows the full design by Kyle Courtright from Courtright Designs who envisaged incorporating the way a retardant drop looks into the paint design. Right: A rear view of 10 Tanker’s new livery painted on Tanker 910 fitted with its retardant tank on the runway in New Mexico.
AF 52 | aerialfiremag.com
flew 826 missions in the United States delivering 7.5 million gallons of fire retardant. “It’s been a busy year for us, we’ve completed over 826 mission domestically and have delivered over 7.5 million gallons of fire retardant. All within this fire season, in the United States alone. That wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of our flight crews, technicians, and ground support teams. They’ve all done an incredible job this season, I feel they really make 10 Tanker the strong force that it is today” - Robert Burrus, 10 Tanker Director Of Operations.
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U.S. Helicopter Safety Team Issues a “Blueprint” for Confronting IIMC and Pilot Spatial Disorientation
The U.S. Helicopter Safety Team has developed a new Recommended Practices document focusing on “Spatial Disorientation Induced by a Degraded Visual Environment.
AF 54 | aerialfiremag.com
The United States Helicopter Safety Team issued a press release in February stating that Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions leading to pilot spatial disorientation continue to be a leading cause of fatal helicopter accidents. From 2000 to 2019 in the United States, there were 130 fatal accidents directly linked to the issue of spatial disorientation. These accidents occurred regardless of pilot experience and they cut across all industries, including Emergency Medical Services, law enforcement, tour operations, utility flights, corporate flying, and personal/private flights. “For decades, studies, articles, research papers, and discussions have been published theorizing why accidents related to degraded visual environments consistently occur and it has been hard to find clear answers that can slow or stop these tragic accidents,” explains Nick Mayhew, industry cochair of the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team. “In part, the accidents stem from failed planning, lack of understanding, or poor decision-making. All pilots have the option to turn down a flight before launch, turn around, proceed to an alternate, or land in a safe place if the weather deteriorates below company or personal minimums, yet we continue to see these types of accidents.”
The Recommended Practices document focuses on these training and decision-making actions: • Avoidance of IIMC • Preflight planning that includes enroute decision processes • In-aircraft training that simulates a lack of visibility • Training of recovery techniques and committing to instruments Avoidance of IIMC - Avoidance is the best defense. There are several tools at a pilot’s disposal to ensure they put themselves, the crew, and the safety of their passengers in the best position for a successful flight. Often, that may be opting to delay or cancel the launch based on conditions present or anticipated during the flight. These decisions can be difficult to make, but when a pilot conducts a thorough preflight analysis, the preponderance of evidence can make that risk management decision straightforward and data-based.
In response to this situation, the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team has developed a new Recommended Practices document focusing on “Spatial Disorientation Induced by a Degraded Visual Environment” and offering training and decisionmaking solutions.
Preflight Planning that Includes Enroute Decision Processes – Enroute Decision Triggers can be defined as a pre-determined set of conditions that “trigger” a decision point in the flight. When a preset decision trigger is reached, the pilot executes a predetermined action that was planned, briefed, and reviewed while at the planning table. The enroute decision triggers should be planned early in the preflight planning process to prevent other factors to impact them. These decisions should be planned and discussed for every flight – not just the flights where you anticipate the weather to be an issue.
“We are proposing a shift in the way we discuss, train, and react to deteriorating or unplanned weather conditions,” adds Mayhew.
In-Aircraft Training that Simulates a Lack of Visibility – To be best prepared for a degraded visual environment, the USHST recommends
a framework on which to build a comprehensive training program. This includes a no-visibility simulation while in-aircraft, simulators that offer visual illusion training, and simulations that expose pilots to visual illusions and affect their vestibular system. Training of Recovery Techniques and Committing to Instruments - The best technique for survival of spatial disorientation encounters is to avoid them. However, with proper training, pilots can be more successful in trusting instruments. For pilots to trust their instruments, they have to train the brain to disregard the vestibular illusions experienced during spatial disorientation. This is accomplished by simultaneously exposing a pilot to visual and vestibular illusions in training. This exposure will provide the brain the training it requires to function in “fast brain” and successfully disregard the conflicting illusions and focus on the instruments. The USHST document also discusses techniques such as stabilized power, U.S. Army AHTTA training, and the PAB method.
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This USHST Recommended Practice document that can be found on the USHST website is intended to provide an initial framework for future comprehensive training packages aimed at reducing helicopter accidents stemming from spatial disorientation. It is one of several significant safety initiatives developed by the USHST to reduce the number of fatal accidents. More information about the USHST, the International Helicopter Safety Foundation, its reports, safety tools, Reel Safety audio-visual presentations, and YouTube safety videos can be obtained at www. USHST.org, at www.IHSF.aero and on the USHST and IHSF Facebook pages.
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ACE Training Center Now Authorized Leonardo Training Center in Australia The ACE Training Centre in Sydney, home to Australia’s only OEM endorsed AW139 Full Flight Simulator (FFS), is now formally part of the Leonardo global network of Authorized Training Centers.
The ACE Training Centre General Manager, Scott Watkins said “We have always had an exceptional working relationship with Leonardo, this formalized partnership makes us part of a worldwide network of AW139 training facilities.”
Owned and operated by Toll, The ACE Training Centre was established in 2016, in partnership with NSW Ambulance, to initially deliver training for the Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopters’ aeromedical crew. Established as a center of training excellence locally, it is now positioned to expand its presence into neighboring markets. As an Authorised Training Centre, the partnership offers the AW139 Type Rating and Recurrent Training packages with a Leonardo approved full flight simulator and syllabus. Eight dedicated ACE Flight Examiners and Instructors met the high standards required by Leonardo to instruct and assess students. Further, two Ground School Instructors are part of the team to deliver the technical elements of a Type Rating. Established as a world-class center of excellence for training, The ACE Training Centre offers; Level D AW139 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) jointly developed by Leonardo and CAE • 3 classrooms for multimedia training and briefing/debriefing rooms • AW139 Type Rating Course Content • Instructor experience “We are very proud of our long-standing relationship with Leonardo, to be part of their global network of training centers is recognition of Toll’s commitment to delivering excellence in training. This is a ground-breaking partnership and the first of its kind in the Leonardo training
AF 56 | aerialfiremag.com
network, we are committed to playing a part in the ongoing success of the AW139 program” said Colin Gunn, General Manager, Toll Helicopters. Leonardo Helicopters, Paolo Petrosso, VP of Simulation & Training services commented: “Under the current circumstances, and in alignment with our promise to remain close to our customers, we take great pride in this step of accrediting Toll as a Leonardo Authorized Training Centre for the AW139 Type Rating and Recurrent training, reinforcing our continuous commitment to take care of our customers and make learning accessible to them wherever they are located, be it through our virtual platform or physical network of Training Centres within which we are thrilled to now include Toll.” The AW139 is the most successful helicopter program in the last 15 years. The aircraft has shown outstanding flexibility for the widest range of civil, parapublic and military applications and has become a benchmark for Emergency Medical Service in its category. Over 300 AW139s fly today in Australasia and almost 60 are in service in Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea primarily for rescue and public service duties. As the fleet grows and the aircraft capabilities develop over time, ACE is uniquely positioned in Australia to remain relevant and up to date.
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Blue Sky Network Introduces the All-New Global Traveler App San Diego, CA—Blue Sky Network announced the launch of its smartphone application for two-way remote communications and personnel tracking. The Global Traveler app by Blue Sky Network fills the gap in operational awareness by providing a quick, easy, and cost-effective way to help ensure the safety of remote workers. This mobile app performs seamlessly with SkyRouter, Blue Sky Network’s comprehensive fleet management software, to locate in-field personnel and help keep remote workers safe, particularly in volatile areas or situations. “Our team is proud to support the important missions carried out by our customers. The Global Traveler app is the added safety and security measure our customers want and need for their in-field operations,” says Tucker Morrison, CEO of Blue Sky Network. AF 58 | aerialfiremag.com
“Blue Sky Network’s Global Traveler app is the ideal communication and tracking extension for search and rescue crews, disaster response teams, NGOs, and other organizations using our SkyRouter system,” stated Nick Tucky, Vice President – Defense & Security, “These tools help keep teams connected and informed without delay.” The Global Traveler app is currently available for iOS smart devices and will be available for Android later this year. It is powered by Blue Sky Network’s fleet management solution, SkyRouter, and supports communication and tracking needs in remote locations with cellular connectivity. Contact Blue Sky Network for a personalized demonstration of the Global Traveler app, SkyRouter, and Blue Sky Network’s suite of specialized communication and fleet management services.
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Translator Pilots Support Coulson Aerial Firefighting Across the Globe Below: A fire rages in
by Coulson Aviation Coulson team members work all over the world supporting communities and firefighters which means adapting to different systems, operations and firefighting partners.
Australian bushland. Right: Coulson Pilots flying a CH-47 with a Bambi Bucket are now assisted with pilot translators to
In Chile, it’s also meant adapting to operating in a different language. While some of the team members speak Spanish, each of the 4 Chinooks and a Blackhawk fly with a pilot translator whose job it is to translate the instructions from the aerial supervisor or ground crews.
Coulson pilot Colin Morgan, who has been operating a Chinook with a Bambi bucket, said the pilot translators did an amazing job in dynamic circumstances. Colin worked in Chile last year for Coulson, also flying a Chinook. “The CH47 is, in my own opinion, the best helicopter operating today. It was designed for the military to be versatile, technologically advanced, yet forgiving and simple to operate. It’s also simply a pleasure to fly,” he said.
assist in firefighting in non English speaking countries.
Pilot Andy Thomas is currently flying a tanked Chinook in Chile and said it was a lot of fun working with the translators, some of whom have fire experience. “A lot of the translators are highly experienced airline pilots who are a great help on the radios navigating the flight paths and fire operations,” he said.
AF 60 | aerialfiremag.com
Andy, who has decades of experience operating heavy helicopters, said the Chinooks were designed to lift a tremendous amount of weight. “With us that’s water, and it’s really good at it,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun to fly and it makes us pilots look good!”
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Can You Spot the Maintenance Dirty Dozen? Let’s Find Out by Jennifer Caron We all make mistakes. That’s just human nature. But the reality we face in this industry is that aviation is unforgiving of human error. Even a slight mistake can cause a fatal accident. That’s why it is essential to know the Dirty Dozen — the 12 common causes of mistakes in the aviation workplace. You need to recognize their warning signs, and most importantly, learn how to avoid or contain their effects. You’ll find the Dirty Dozen list at bit.ly/DirtyDozn.
2) Jill checks off an inspection checklist item because it’s not a critical component. She has never found any defects on all her previous inspections.
Take our short quiz to see if you can identify some of the most common maintenance mishaps in the workplace. Good luck!
Is this an example of: A. Fatigue B. Complacency C. Lack of knowledge The answer is B. Repetitive tasks, especially inspection items, are sometimes overlooked because they’ve been done so many times before without ever finding a fault. But don’t let down your guard; stay mentally engaged. Train yourself to expect to find errors, treat all inspection items with equal importance, use checklists, and never sign off on work you didn’t do.
1) You’re working on the horizontal stabilizer leading edge and instruct your new coworker to move the stabilizer up using the trim switch. He actuates the trim switch to “nose up” and drives the leading edge into the maintenance stand.
3) You’re cutting and twisting safety wire and your cell phone rings. It’s your doctor with test results. You take the call and leave the floor. Your coworker steps in to complete the task and finds your safety wire pliers left behind, sitting on the engine.
Was his mistake a result of: A. Complacency B. Distraction C. A lack of communication The answer is C. Communication between technicians is vital, especially during procedures where more than one technician performs work on the aircraft. Never assume what a coworker will do or has done. Communicate the most important things at the beginning of a conversation and repeat them at the end. Use logbooks, checklists, or worksheets to remove any doubt.
This scenario is the result of: A. Distraction B. Stress C. Pressure The answer is A and B. Distractions are everywhere in aviation maintenance, and they’re the number one cause of forgetting things. You can’t always prevent distractions, but you can mitigate the effects by finishing the job, including the lock wire or torque seal. If you can’t complete the job, unfasten the connection, mark it as incomplete for the next tech, or go back three steps
AF 62 | aerialfiremag.com
when you restart the task. Shadow your toolbox for a quick inventory of all equipment before closing up panels, use checklists, and review all touched/ opened/removed items. Stress is a factor here too. It can change your focus and emotional state in the blink of an eye. As a good practice, keep your cell phone off during maintenance and check it only on breaks. 4) Your boss tells you the aircraft must be done two days earlier than initially planned. Is this an example of: A. Lack of communication B. Stress C. Pressure The answer is C. Pressure to complete the task is always present in aviation. Don’t let pressure cloud your judgment or tempt you into lowering standards. Communicate your concerns or ask for help. Did you pick all the right answers? Learning to recognize and combat the Dirty Dozen is an essential step toward preventing errors and accidents. For more, check out the Dirty Dozen Course (ALC-107) or the Maintenance Error Avoidance course (ALC-327) at FAASafety.gov. Jennifer Caron is FAA Safety Briefing’s copy editor and quality assurance lead. She is a certified technical writer-editor in the FAA’s Flight Standards Service. Source: FAA Safety Briefing JanFeb 2021
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