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
