Translator Pilots Support Coulson Aerial Firefighting Across the Globe

Below: A fire rages in Australian bushland.

Right: Coulson Pilots flying a CH-47 with a Bambi Bucket are now assisted with pilot translators to assist in firefighting in non English speaking countries.

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.

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.

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. 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.

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!”