AERIALFIRE THE
AERIAL
FIREFIGHTING
MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020
BRIDGER AEROSPACE
SCOOPING TO SUCCESS
COURAGE UNDER FIRE The Creek Fire Rescue
BUCKET TRAINING W. Va. National Guard
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY New HH-60L
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All aircrafts involved are viewed on the Moving Map Display in real time with great accuracy. The FireNav lets you record all the data and navigation information for post-analysis. The data can be used for training personnel; therefore preventing mistakes that have or could happen while in a mission.
With accurate GPS data, FireNav is an active tracking and guidance system for each aircraft involved in firefighting. Each pilot is able to constantly monitor the positions of all other aircraft involved in the operation (ATC). The user-friendly FireNav software allows the bird dog to mark a target line, which is able to be seen on all other aircraft within the modem range. The software and hardware combination allows for other safety features, some examples being aircraft proximity within a predetermined distance, warning for aircraft proximity, and view of other aircraft in real-time.
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Air & Ground Solutions / Flow Control / Ag-Software Solution / Lightbar Guidance aerialfiremag.com | AF 3
In This Issue of AERIALFIRE... Volume 18 Number 6 | November / December 2020 10 Courage Under Fire - The Creek Fire Rescue 16 Bridger Aerospace - Scooping to Success 24 Stay Sharp, Stay Skilled 26 Astronautics Roadrunner® Electronic Flight Instrument System Included in Arista Aviation HH-60L Retrofit for Santa Barbara County 28 Fires: Why Can’t Agricultural Planes be Part of the Solution in Argentina? 30 West Virginia National Guard 32 Norfolk-Based HM-12 Successfully Trains Squadron on Aerial Firefighting Capability 34 Miami Dade Fire Rescue Accepts the Counties First AW139 36 Perimeter Solutions Launches Residential PHOS-CHEK product in Collaboration with CSAA 38 Partnership With the Orange County Fire Authority and Coulson Aviation Brings the World’s Largest Fire Helicopter to SCE’s Service Area 40 Victoria’s Firefighting Air Fleet Return to the Skies 42 New Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus Policy For Pilots 46 Santa Barbara County Introduces Refitted UH-60L as Copter 964 for Aerial Firefighting and Rescue
In Every Issue of AERIALFIRE... Monthly Columns and Sections 06 The Drop | Ryan Mason 08 Aerial Fire Pics
Cover image: Bridger Aerospace’s CL-415 EAF drops a test load of water over Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Photo by Ryan Mason On this page: The Bridger Aerospace CL-415 EAF conducts a training water drop at Topaz Lake, Nevada.
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aerialfiremag.com | AF 5
THE DROP
Ryan Mason ryan@aerialfiremag.com
What is the Solution? As we near (hopefully) a wind down in the U.S. fire season and the beginning of the Australian fire season, we have learned that we have some severe deficiencies in our firefighting approaches worldwide. That is not to say that local, state, and national firefighting approaches are not doing the best that they can. Still, we have learned from the horrendous fire season of 2019/2020 in Australia that best-laid plans can quickly turn pear-shaped by an early onset to a fire season that overlaps from one nation to the next. The Australian fire season typically intensifies as the Australian summer heat intensifies in November and December. Still, as we saw with the last fire season in Australia when freak conditions cause widespread fires that started as early as October last year and continued almost unabated through the following January, this leaves countries like Australia on the back foot. Operators that move resources around the world that had already committed resources to flare-ups in Chile and Bolivia as fires in Australia began to intensify, while LAT’s and large helicopters like Coulson’s CH-47 were elsewhere, causing an international scramble for assets. The companies that supply assets are not at fault, quite the opposite, nor can we level any responsibility at the feet of any state, local, or federal body that was already utilizing fleets of aircraft to fight their fires. As an industry, we need to look at if we, on a global scale, have enough assets to go around. Companies like Coulson Aviation have seen the writing on the wall, having just opened up an Australian headquarters and installing an Australian CEO on October 5th, 2020, to supply not only imported assets but also to manage a growing local fleet of aircraft are available year-round.
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Through a partnership with Kestrel Aviation, Erickson Air Crane moved assets to and from Australia, the first of which landed in Australia only days ago. Gypsy Lady arrived aboard an AN-124 getting an early start on availability for fires in the country. In our cover story, last issue, Kestrel’s founder Ray Cronin also detailed another partnership with Firehawk Helicopters, bringing additional UH-60s to augment the company’s already sizeable fleet of medium twin helicopters. On the flip side of that coin, McDermott Aviation, a relative newcomer to providing international assets, currently has a crew in Greece with a Bell 214, providing augmentation of their existing firefighting aircraft in what is likely to be a growing global presence for the company. With aircraft continually working around the world, moving from country to country, it is evident to many that although on a good season, there are enough aircraft to go around. However, the last fire season in Australia has taught the industry that there needs to be more aircraft available when situations get dire. Otherwise, the consequences for each area in need become more severe as evidenced by the substantial flare ups in California and Oregon this year, in addition to the extreme conditions that flared the massive Australian outbreaks this season. While there may be no perfect solution, the industry may, in the future, need to take a truly global approach to firefighting. Ensuring that there are adequate resources for all when conditions stretch everyone involved in the worldwide fight to protect life and property from the air.
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aerialfiremag.com | AF 7
A Neptune Aviation BAE-146 drops a line of Phos-Check during fire operations in California. Photo by Jeremy Ulloa
A Croman S-61aattacks Apple Fire in California. Photo by Brenden Murawski An Airstrike Helicopters P-3 Orion drops load ofthe retardant in Soutehr California. Photo by Jeff Serpa. AF 8 | aerialfiremag.com
An Erickson Air Tanker DC-10 drops on a fire front as sun sets. Photo by Brock Lash.
AERIALFIRE AERIAL FIRE PICS
A Siller Helicopters s-64 Skycrane dips for a load of water in Northern California. Photo by Cole Euken
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COURAGE UNDER FIRE
The Creek Fire Rescue
Left: The rescue team included CW5 Joe Rosamond as the pilot, co-pilot, CW2 Brady Hlebain, flight engineers Sgt. George Esquivel and Sgt. Cameron Powell. Above: This image
What started as a typical holiday long weekend for Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joseph Rosamond and his crew would end with the rescue of several hundred people and a story that will go down in the history books as one of the most dramatic rescues during a fire in recent history. CW5 Rosamond, a 23-year veteran and flight instructor, was relaxing at home when he and other members of his crew received notification that there was a fast moving fire in the Fresno County area, and they may need to activate to assist. The Creek Fire was moving at such a rapid rate that there was a high likelihood that holidaymakers in the Mammoth Pools area would become trapped as the fire moved over several ridges cutting off campers’ chances of escape.
crew, giving them a total of seven different GPS coordinates where people were supposed to be found that needed rescue.
Entering the Fire Line When the crews of the CH-47 and UH-60 were cleared through the fire TFR area by air attack for the Creek fire, it became immediately apparent to the flight crews the urgency of the rescue effort they were about to undertake. The San Joaquin River was below them as they crested a mountain range. However, it was not visible through the dense smoke and flames that had already crested all ridges in the area, leaving the burned brush in its wake and embers floating in the sky as the fire continued to consume everything in its path.
shows just how dire the situation was for campers in need of rescue from the rapidly advancing Creek Fire.
Rosamond and his crew were activated at 4:30 pm by Colonel David Hall, commander of the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade. The crews were given orders to ready their CH-47F along with a UH-60M Black Hawk and departed for the area of Mammoth Pools that sits along the San Joaquin River in the Sierra National Forest. As the crew began the flight that took just over an hour to make, updates were being forwarded to the
For CW5 Rosamond and his crew, co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brady Hlebain, and flight engineers Sgt. George Esquivel and Sgt. Cameron Powell, there were several complications as they arrived, one being the presence of an existing air attack operation still currently underway as they arrived. Their timing, however, worked in their favor, as their arrival coincided with dusk, and the last of the aerial firefighting efforts wound down aerialfiremag.com | AF 11
quickly after their arrival as crews limited by daytime-only operations returned to base. For the crews of the Chinook and Black Hawk, their work had just begun. They began a systematic search of the area, checking off several of the GPS coordinates given, and discounting others where the terrain would have been impossible for many people to gather. After 45 minutes in the area, Rosamond and his crew were about to hit a stroke of luck “We start searching the shoreline, we look out to our 10 o’clock or so. And we see a bunch of flashing lights. And at first I’m like, is that fire? Or is that something else? It was hazard lights and vehicle headlights. So we’re like, okay, that’s where they are. So that saves us a lot of time with just searching the shoreline.” Rosamond and the CH-47 crew spotted an unusual light amongst the many flickering fires on the ground. It was the
AF 12 | aerialfiremag.com
flashing hazard lights of a pickup truck gathered with a large group of campers who were awaiting rescue at the Mammoth Pools reservoir boat ramp.
The Arrival
Below: In this image
As the two aircraft approached the boat ramp slowly, Rosamond and his crew faced several obstacles. The first was the boat ramp’s steep grade and trying to land the massive CH-47 Chinook on an uphill incline, the second being the loose ground around the boat ramp and the possibility of a brownout situation on landing. Not to mention the strong possibility of small rocks being thrown around as the massive Chinook rotor blades displaced large amounts of ground clutter, dirt, and dust.
snapped by Rosamond, it shows the challenge face by the crew faced with landing and departing from a banking boat ramp as the fire advances all around them. Right: Evacuees were piled into both the CH47 and a responding
Based on the urgency of the approaching flames and the danger it posed to campers in the area, Rosamond and his crew decided to attempt a landing “We approached the boat ramp, and
UH-60 Black Hawk.
we browned out from the sand. My fly engineers called us down and over to a spot that was going to be wide enough. We ended up landing on that thing with a 13 degree upslope and got it kind of squirrely for a second as the first touch, we started rolling back a little bit, so we had to bring it back up, reset the brakes and try it again. But by that time, we had blown a lot of the sand away. We had visual again, so we finished the landing, and then I just told the guys, okay, start loading them up, start, you know, get as many people as you can.” The crew began loading dozens of campers, and their animals aboard the Chinook as the Black Hawk landed nearby and began doing the same.
Heavy Load While most people, and even most Chinook pilots, believe that their aircraft can carry extreme loads, the Stockton Guard crew were about to put that theory to the test. A Chinook weighs in at 34,000 pounds when full of fuel, with almost half of that as a useful payload at 16,000 pounds, tipping the max gross weight to 50,000 pounds. While the first load of campers out was relatively normal and full of women and children, the second load of people consisted mainly of men, packed to the helicopter’s rafters, to the point that the loadmaster was unable even to close the tail ramp. As CW2 Hlebain lifted the Chinook off the pavement, he experienced something he had never experienced in his career; the aircraft was struggling to gain altitude, which he stated is something any Chinook pilot is not used to, forcing the team of himself and Rosamond to revert to early flight training knowledge and perform a level acceleration technique for takeoff that used translational lift to carry them into the air “That torque meter was way up towards the top of the tape, and the whole aircraft is shaking worse than I’ve ever felt before, so we didn’t have the power to climb very well. We get used to having all this excess power. And when we don’t have it, it’s, it’s odd for us.” With the helicopter crammed to capacity, Rosamond estimated that on the second lift, there were between 65-75
people filling the rear of the aircraft at the time the helicopter began its approach to Fresno airport were ambulances and concerned family members waited. As the helicopter descended, the crew talked through another issue that had arisen during their landing checklist. Due to its abundance of power, the Chinook is usually landed straight down, or in a “max performance” landing profile, but with the amount of weight being carried, the crew decided to do a roll on landing to ensure they did not get anywhere close to the edge of the power curve on landing. This, however, was complicated further when the loadmaster confirmed that there were so many people on board that it was impossible to close the rear ramp required for a run-on landing, so crews were forced to push the helicopter to the edge of its capabilities as they came into land performing an
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The Aftermath The following week for Rosamond and his crew were spent helping on other fires in the area until he was told the following Saturday by Colonel Hall that his team and aircraft needed to be at McClellan Air Force Base by 10 am the next morning. Knowing that the rescue they had performed was out of the ordinary and that it had gained substantial media attention in the past week, Rosamond assumed that he and his crew were likely in line for a commendation from the Army National Guard. After arriving on-site, the next morning Rosamond realized this was not the standard commendation appearance he was expecting. “We get to McClellan and meet with Major General Beavers. That’s when he let us know we were going to be getting an award from the President of the United States.” While floored at the time at the enormity of the situation, when asked if they wanted to know what the award was, the flight crews decided they wanted it to be a surprise; alas, that was not to be as a White House aide accidentally let it slip during preparations for the award that the crews would be receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross, the most significant award that is awarded to flight crews.
in ground effect deceleration to get the helicopter on the ground safely with as much weight as was being carried at the time. Above: A Uh-60 approaches the landing zone, guided in by the headlights of stranded campers vehicles. Right: The rescue
“Even once we were on the ground, you could notice the difference; it was like flying an entirely different aircraft. Usually, the Chinook steers on a dime, with as much weight as we were carrying on that second run, it was like trying to steer a school bus without power steering.”
crews from the Creek Fire rescue pose with President Donald Trump at McClellan AFB in Sacramento, California as they each received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
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In addition to the Chinook carrying at times 65 or more people, the Black Hawk involved in the rescue effort was also packed, carrying out 22 people per load, equating to the rescue of a total of 373 people and 27 animals from the Mammoth Pools reservoir that Memorial Day weekend, leaving only two people behind, who were determined to stay to guard all of the campers property left behind at the boat ramp.
Later that day, the award ceremony was attended by President Trump, California Governor Gavin Newsome, and local media. Rosamond recalled “It was a great experience. We got to receive our awards in front of our families. For me personally and for my fellow crew members it was a great day. We were just doing our jobs, but it was nice to be recognized, and a huge surprise to see how much recognition when you are presented the award by the Commander in Chief.” Speaking with incredible humility about the bravery shown by the flight crews of both the Chinook and Black Hawk involved in this, one of the biggest airlift rescues from a fireground in history, Rosamond stated when asked about the potential dangers involved in this kind of rescue replied “Well, there were people down there that needed our help, we all joined this role to help people, so that’s what we did. We had to try, and it worked out. We had some concerns along the way, but our training kicked in and we overcame the issues we had to get these people out safely.”
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BRIDGER AEROSPACE
SCOOPING TO SUCCESS Bridger Aerospace operates two CL-415 EAF aircraft that will increase to six by 2022. AF 16 | aerialfiremag.com
Bridger Aerospace is the new kid on the block in the aerial firefighting world. Founded in 2014, the company started operations in aerial firefighting during the 2015 fire season.
deliver change to ensure firefighters on the ground have the best support from the air. We feel that the Kodiak is the advancement and edge we need to execute on our mission successfully,” said Wilkins.
Initially formed to provide air attack services to support wildland firefighting operations, Bridger Aerospace has grown rapidly since its earnest beginnings. The completion of the 2020 fire season marks the sixth fire season in operation. Also new for 2020, it has incorporated new initial attack and air attack aircraft into the stack.
Initial Attack
Staffing a company that has gone from strength to strength within the aerial firefighting world is a challenge undertaken by Owner and CEO Tim Sheehy and COO Darren Wilkins. Sheehy served as a Navy SEAL and team leader for ten years before founding Bridger. Wilkins, a former Naval Aviator, flew the EA6B Prowler and the EA-18G Growler before joining Bridger’s team two and a half years ago.
In addition to the air attack mission, Bridger began to think outside the box to expand into initial attack roles. Several types of airframes were up for consideration but one, in particular, stood out to Sheehy. The CL-215/415, designed from the ground up as an aerial firefighter, was an attractive option. Originally designed and built by Canadair, and now under the ownership of Viking Air Limited, Bridger began discussions to purchase CL-215/415’s. Viking demonstrated their knowledge of the aircraft’s history and design and forged confidence in their ability to deliver a brand new model, the CL-415 EAF (Enhanced Aerial Firefighter). A partnership was developed, and Bridger committed to purchasing the first six units as the first launch customer.
Bridger Aerospace started with a single Shrike Commander and later added several turbine commanders as their missions and contracts increased. The company has continued to add to their aircraft inventory, recently adding four Kodiak 100’s to the fleet of seven Twin Commanders for a total of eleven air attack aircraft.
Bridger has so far received two of the new CL-415 EAF aircraft, the first of which was put straight to work in Nevada on an as-needed contract with the state. The second aircraft, received in August of 2020, was also sent to Nevada. In addition to Nevada, both scoopers have fought fires in Washington, and Oregon.
“We are a company that is very excited about moving the ball forward and investing in the future of aerial firefighting. We feel that our responsibility is to help
The company expects delivery of two more aircraft in 2021 and the remaining two aircraft in the summer of 2022.
The Bridger team based in Minden, Nevada poses for a group photo between fire flights.
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Unmanned Systems Bridger Aerospace has continued to look for ways to provide a complete aerial firefighting ecosystem. Three years ago, the company began investing in technology to supply crucial information to firefighters on the ground. To accomplish this task, Bridger purchased two L3 Harris FVR-90 UAV’s and outfitted with the latest EO/IR and telecommunications technology. The UAV can carry ninety pounds of payload and sips fuel for over 13-hours of endurance over a fire. Unlike most quad-copter type configurations, the FVR-90 has VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) capabilities, which operates on batteries. It then switches to the fixed-wing mode for the duration of the flight running on fuel. The FVR-90 serves as an intelligence and surveillance (ISR) platform that provides realtime downlinked information on fire progression and direction and mapping fire boundaries to the Incident Commanders (IC). While fire crews catch up on much-needed rest during the night, the FVR-90 and her two operators can observe the fire with IR cameras. They can easily spot when the fire pattern changes abruptly and threatens a previously safe community. The operators will alert the IC’s to deploy resources to evacuate the neighborhood, ensuring no one is hurt. Vexos software, developed by Ascent Vision Technologies, and integrated into the system, enables the operators and Fire Management staff to watch the fire from anywhere in the world, with one of four onboard cameras. “These systems provide the most up to date information, and it helps coordinate the fire efforts in real-time, even in challenging visible conditions. We’re providing essential and precision real-time information to deploy firefighters where necessary and, most importantly, pull them out before it is too late,” said Wilkins.
The Scooper As the second operator in the United States to fly the Super Scooper platform, Wilkins stated that the CL415 EAF suits their needs and that of their customers perfectly. The scooper’s ability to quickly attack a fire front, especially with a close water source, has already proven to be a huge asset in their early work in Nevada this year. On one mission, a single super scooper completed 68 drops for a total of just over 96,000 gallons of water dropped.
Modern Technology Moving forward, after the delivery of the final two CL-415 EAF’s, Wilkins stated that as the business grows, there is a strong interest in additional aircraft. AF 18 | aerialfiremag.com
He added they will be looking very closely at the as yet to be produced CL-515.
International Operations Bridger is looking to become a truly global entity that provides aerial firefighting services worldwide. They are setting their sights on bringing the super scooper to Australia in the near future and demonstrate the platform’s effectiveness. Currently, super scoopers are not utilized on wildland fires in that country. “We are a highly specialized company that continues to look for opportunities and technology to help support the ground crews. Make no mistake about it; our customers are the men and women that are on the ground. We want to aggressively help fire crews extinguish fires as quickly as possible. They are the ones that are in harm’s way and are the ones that
are putting their lives on the line to protect communities, structures, and habitat. Whether it’s here in the US or down in Australia, we want to be wherever we can to provide the best support possible.”
Contracts Even as a relatively young company, Bridger has continued to move from strength to strength based on the quality of the work they provide. The company has gained contracts with the US Forest Service (USFS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI), including the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. They have also flown missions for many states as far as Florida and Alaska.
Hiring Hiring qualified personnel is one of the more difficult tasks the management team at Bridger does. However, based on
the level of experience needed and the volume of applicants, Wilkins states that the selection process for an aerial firefighting pilot with Bridger must be incredibly stringent. It makes a difficult task even more challenging and timeconsuming to vet the right person for the job. Many great candidates are coming through the pipeline. Unfortunately, many lack the complete package required to be a successful applicant. To get a sense of the right skill set required, all of the captains flying the Bridger super scoopers have deep aerial firefighting experience and many thousands of hours flying scoopers, amphibious aircraft, or both. For Tim Langton, Chief Pilot of the CL-415 EAF, he’s busy picking out the best candidates to fly the over 30 million dollar scooper over some of the most difficult mountain terrain while dropping water precisely where it is needed.The training foundation starts with ground school and sim training. After
Bridger’s CL-415 sits ready to deploy at the aerial firefighting base at Minden Airport, just outside of Carson City, Nevada.
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that, it is on to CRM training and a water survival course. All-in, training to fly a scooper takes approximately 4-6 weeks to complete. If the candidate checks out, they are then paired with a very experienced Captain to join the team as second in command and sit in the right seat. Once in the super scooper, Langton states, “That is where the real learning begins.” We are working with pilots transitioning from the air attack side who already have the fire operations experience. However, moving into the scooper requires air attack pilots to learn a whole different set of radio procedures to operate in the fire traffic area. “Pilots then move into learning the full water scooping program, so it’s a transition of that knowledge into the ability to fly the plane and how to drop water effectively,” said Langton.
The Right Fit When asked about hiring from the outside, Langton has a unique view of who the ideal candidates are to hire. “We could hire directly from outside the company, but I don’t think that’s great to way to transition pilots into the right seat of the scooper operation. We want to promote from within for a positive work environment.” Langton’s process of hiring the next generation of scooper pilots usually begins with selecting the best pilots from the air attack side that are interested in flying the scooper aircraft. “Generally, we look for people with IFR experience but also extensive multi-engine and floatplane experience. It seems like most people who have this experience come from Alaska, or potentially Florida or the Caribbean. If they have multi-engine, we can then get AF 20 | aerialfiremag.com
them into the air attack side for a year to understand the fire system. It’s an easier transition to the super scooper, knowing the fire environment.” As a rapidly expanding company with plenty of media coverage, Langton says the company is inundated with pilot resumes, both qualified and unqualified. However, he and his team do their best to reply to every applicant. In particular, they pay close attention to serious applicants looking to get started in the industry. Langton believes that by showing encouragement and continued interest in new candidates by offering advice on their journey, the company fosters the next generation of aircrews for the industry. “I always give positive encouragement and let them know what I’ve done in my career to fly this aircraft. Anyone who asks me, I’ll always tell them that it’s the hands and feet, and stick and rudder kind of stuff of floatplane operations that will make these jobs a lot easier—also knowing the crew environment. I always want to give people positive feedback on their abilities and how they can improve on them,” said Langton.
Making it to the Big Seat Making it into the scooper copilot seat requires a good amount of flight hours, a wide variety of different aircraft experience and ratings. Making it to Captain’s chair in the scooper is a long-term commitment. At Bridger, the time it takes to transition from copilot to pilot in command of a super scooper can vary from two to four years, depending on the individual’s
Bridger Aerospace employs a large number of field mechanics that are dispatched as part of the forward deployed team sent to every place the CL-415 EAF is sent to ensure the aircraft is kept in pristine condition.
experience level. For Langton, the level of experience and each pilot’s learning on the job is vital in transitioning from one role to the next. “There is a lot to understand in the operations of that airplane. As you gain that experience it’s not necessarily a number of hours flown. But it’s the experience of flying the plane knowing the systems knowing the limitations and how to operate it effectively.” Langton stressed, one of the essential traits to be successful in the Bridger is teamwork. Not just between scooper pilots. He explained that the Bridger team as a whole, works like a welloiled machine because everyone is working for the common goal. The logistics of getting aircraft and support to deploy to a fire, organizing staffing, maintenance teams, and receiving operational support from Montana’s company headquarters
all require a team environment to be continually fostered. Teamwork can also mean from outside of the company working with other operators and sometimes competitors out in the field. Langton gave details of a fire operation recently in Elko, Nevada, where teamwork between themselves and competitor AeroFlite was essential. Good coordination and working as a team of scoopers, and not two separate companies, was the difference between getting ahead of the firefighting effort, which went seamlessly during the operation. Company ego can’t be a part of the equation when people’s homes and land are at stake.
Maintenance Bridger Aerospace’s maintenance operations have been in a state of continual change since its founding in 2014. aerialfiremag.com | AF 21
Starting with a small piston-powered Twin Commander, then transitioning to turbine-powered aircraft, and as of 2019, two new airframes, all of which required new tools and knowledge. To complicate matters, many of the maintenance staff are on the road supporting all the aircraft located on different bases throughout the country. Working out of a mobile repair unit, they don’t have the comfort of having all the parts and tools they need for the job. The job requires long hours and concentration to ensure that the aircraft can continue to operate safely and reliably. Dallas Hanson is Bridger’s CL-415 EAF Maintenance Lead. Hanson, a maintenance engineer with over 25 years of maintenance experience, came to Bridger from Canada, having a wealth of experience maintaining super scoopers for the Canadian government before joining Bridger. “The work at Bridger is a welcome challenge,” and Hanson considers the work he does as his biggest challenge yet. “It’s a whole new game,” said Hanson. But he also stated that the difference between working in his previous environment had been the support offered from management to get the job done right, no matter the cost. “From setting up the operation and to safely maintaining the aircraft in the field, I have never had such great support.” According to Hanson, “It has been a learning curve. Everyone wears at least five hats. The company continues to evolve and is going through the growing pains associated with bringing an entirely new airframe and supporting it from the ground up.” Hanson continues to build the maintenance operation at Bridger with a little help from Canada. Notwithstanding its position as one of the largest operators of the CL-215/ CL-415 airframe, Bridger had difficulty finding experienced
maintenance personnel with experience on the airframe in the United States. As a result, Hanson and his team got to work, bringing in experienced Canadian maintenance personnel that could also train new staff up to their standards on the new CL415 EAF.
Parts Parts procurement is always a challenge with any airframe, and the same holds true with the Viking CL-215 and 415 series aircraft. Making sure the company has an adequate level of inventory keeps Hanson and his team very busy. Sometimes it requires getting on the phone and calling colleagues on the other side of the world and might involve a little bit of horsetrading to get the right parts. Although he deals with a global community, it is still a relatively small one. He is grateful that everyone involved understands the unique challenges they face. With support from Viking, he endeavors to overcome it together.
Changing the Game As a relative newcomer to the industry in the last five years, Bridger has shown that the company is one of several that think ahead for the industry’s greater good. Bridger continues to bring new products to the aerial firefighting industry that push the envelope and provide new solutions that provide services faster and more efficiently than previously seen in the industry. Bridger is fast becoming one of the operators to watch in the aerial firefighting industry with rapid growth. They continue to blaze a trail and succeed in offering aircraft and solutions to the industry that not only benefit those in the air but those on the ground as they continue to fight the good fight to save lives and property.
The CL-415 EAF is able to perform initial attack at a rapid rate from nearby water sources, including 89 drops in a single 8-hours period on a recent fire. AF 22 | aerialfiremag.com
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aerialfiremag.com | AF 23
Stay Sharp, Stay Skilled by Jennifer Caron
Your Tools for Continued Learning Aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) work in a challenging field. Doing the job requires AMTs to not only master the mechanical skills and knowledge needed to maintain older aircraft, but to also learn new technical skills to troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair the composites and complex electronic equipment found in more modern aircraft. Although AMTs primarily acquire job skills through a combination of initial training, certifications, and on-the-job experience, recurrent training is essential. You will be happy to learn that there are valuable, no-cost resources available online that AMTs can use to enhance their skills, knowledge, and proficiency. Take a look at, and take advantage of, the information in the following websites.
1. FAASafety.gov FAASafety.gov is a premier source for free AMT continuing education programs and recurrent training. On the homepage under Maintenance Hangar, you’ll find everything from safety presentations and online courses, to safety tips, references, and regulatory resources. Check out the accredited AMT Awards Program where you can earn an AMT Certificate of Training in a bronze, silver, or gold phase by completing training hours and coursework. The program also awards AMT Employers who support their employees’ initial and recurrent training. On the Maintenance Hangar page, you’ll also find a list of approved Inspection Authorization (IA) Renewal Courses. Click the ‘Toolbox’ link to see safety tips, maintenance alerts, AMT training courses, and AMT events in your area. There are 175 instructor-led training activities offered in the Activities tab. You’ll see courses on a variety of topics. Some courses require a small fee, but the majority are free of charge and offer AMT credit and/or WINGS credit. To view the list of available courses, click on the Activities, Courses, Seminars, Webinars tab on the homepage. Select Activities from the drop down menu. Next, select Other Activities, AMT, and click Perform Search.
2. Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance Since human factors directly cause or contribute to many aviation accidents, the FAA created a website (bit.ly/ HumanFactorsMaint) to provide a place where you can learn
AF 24 | aerialfiremag.com
more about how to recognize and mitigate these challenges in aviation maintenance. The site also has a link to www. mxfatigue.com, another online resource to review practical tips about sleep and fatigue management strategies.
3. FAA.gov/mechanics This link goes to an A-Z web page for overall information on useful topics such as maintenance schools plus A&P test guides, licensing, certification, regulations and technical data, advisories and alerts, and those all-important 337 forms. Click the link for aircraft safety alerts to get the latest ADs and Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins (SAIBs). Here you can create a malfunction/defect report on a system component or part. If you see something, say something! Your report helps our maintenance community to spot trends and address emerging safety issues. Other valuable AMT resources include aircraft type clubs and aviation maintenance-related associations like the AMT Society, the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA), and the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA). These organizations offer a host of information on IA renewal, career opportunities, online Q&A forums, training videos, as well as many free webinars. AOPA also offers several maintenance-related safety briefs and reports, as well as some high-quality interactive courses. Aviation safety begins on the ground and in the hangar. It is important for every AMT to take a personal interest in continued learning to improve safety, enhance your skills, and maintain your proficiency in today’s aviation maintenance industry. Jennifer Caron is FAA Safety Briefing’s copy editor and quality assurance lead. She is a certified technical writer-editor in aviation safety and flight standards.
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Astronautics Roadrunner® Electronic Flight Instrument System Included in Arista Aviation HH-60L Retrofit for Santa Barbara County
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Astronautics Corporation of America’s AFI4700 RoadRunner Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) was delivered to Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Fire Air Support Unit (ASU) recently when they accepted their first retrofitted Sikorsky HH60L helicopter from Arista Aviation, located in Enterprise, Alabama.
Instrument System was retrofitted into Santa Barbara County’s new HH-60L
The RoadRunner EFIS is the cornerstone of an upgraded, state-of-the-art avionics package and instrument panel on the HH-60L Black Hawk Arista Aviation repurposed into a “Firehawk” aerial firefighting configuration for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Fire ASU. The RoadRunner EFI is a cost-effective, form-fit manufacturer’s avionics upgrade from existing attitude director and horizontal situation indicator functionality to a modern EFIS with certified Level-A software made for Part 29 helicopters and providing a path to Federal Aviation Administration certification. The EFIS interfaces seamlessly with modern digital navigation, enabling the Firehawk to fly firefighting and other missions with enhanced situational awareness,
AF 26 | aerialfiremag.com
navigation, and sensor interface for safety and reliability. The RoadRunner EFI also provides operators readability in all lighting conditions, familiar and easy-to-use controls, reduced operating and maintenance costs, and minimal downtime for installation. The system is upgradeable with fieldloadable software to incorporate future upgrades such as synthetic vision. “Astronautics is pleased to work with its authorized dealer Arista Aviation to deliver a cost-effective, mission-ready, and future-proofed avionics solution on this versatile Black Hawk helicopter that will serve the ASU and residents of Santa Barbara County for years to come,” said George Gruebling, Astronautics’ manager of sales & business development. Astronautics has been supporting the UH-60 Black Hawk with primary flight instruments for decades, including attitude director, horizontal and vertical situation indicators, and command situation processors.
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Fires: Why Can’t Agricultural Planes be Part of the Solution in Argentina? This is the question that should be asked of state and federal fire agencies, given that while fires quickly become unmanageable in the region, and the environmental and economic damage increases, they have not responded to the Argentinian body FEARCA, which has repeatedly offered the collaboration of agricultural aircraft for fire suppression.
Agricultural operators in Argentina distributed throughout the country have the necessary infrastructure, access to water, and fuel that could also serve as operational aerial firefighting centers.
The Argentine Federation of Agricultural Chambers (Fearca) stated in a recent press release that dozens of agricultural aircraft were ready and waiting in different parts of the country to join the aerial firefighting fleet while thousands of acres burned in Córdoba, Chaco, Santa Fe, Corrientes and Entre Ríos in Argentina. Although some agricultural airplanes differ from aerial firefighting aircraft and do not have the benefits of large fire gates to drop water, they can still carry out a joint effort in conjunction with local authorities and dedicated aerial firefighting operations to add to the overall capabilities of aerial firefighting efforts in a joint fight to end fire outbreaks quicker that are occurring every day in various regions of Argentina. President of the Chamber of Agro-air Companies of Córdoba, Francisco Casajús, stated: “We do not have specifically what the authorities require of firefighting aircraft, but we would have the planes that could still participate in the fight, we could participate under their direction and make ourselves available”. Casajus added: “We are not looking to earn money with this, what we do is make our work tool available”. The Vice President of FEARCA, Diego Martínez stated: “We are committed to collaborating but we have no response from the authorities.” Two
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years ago, the Chamber of Aero Applicators of Córdoba submitted a proposal to the provincial government where they offered their collaboration with the basic requirements that are required, the chamber never received a response from the government. Today, the province is still in the grip of fires that threaten lives and property, yet, agricultural aircraft remain on the ground. “We are sad to know that we have aircraft in our hangars and we can contribute in the face of this serious situation,” said Martínez. Also stating “if the agreement had been signed in 2018, today there would be more than 15-20 aircraft available.” “We regret the lost opportunity to collaborate with our local authorities in these daunting circumstances”, emphasized Martínez, who highlighted: “with predictability and coordination, we could be available in the future to contribute in the control of these unfortunate situations, in a better way, always under the direction and organization of the competent authorities.” Agricultural operators in Argentina distributed throughout the country (representing more than 200 operating bases) have the necessary infrastructure, access to water, and fuel that could also serve as operational aerial firefighting centers.
Santiago Pereyra, a firefighter specializing in forest fires in the province of Córdoba, said: “There are fires in areas where it is impossible to enter by land and, in those cases, aircraft are used to try to contain it, as long as the conditions allow us to fly.” In addition, Pereyra said: “I want to emphasize the importance of aeronautical resources, which is not only the use of aircraft with water and retardant but also for overwatch and coordination roles.”
Serious Consequences So far this year, nearly 408,000 acres have been affected in Entre Ríos, 108,000 in Córdoba, 86,000 in Río Negro, 69,000 in Santa Fe, 62,000 in Santiago del Estero, and more than 57,000 in the Chaco. Environmentally, it is about the loss of sustainability of the land in the region states FEARCA. Stating that with the loss of vegetation, the possibility of landslides increases during the country’s rainy season. In addition, the ash from the fires will become airborne, increasing air pollution in addition to the ash creating water pollution in local waterways. In Cordovan areas, the residual material will run into lakes, affecting the capacity of dikes, affecting hydroelectric power sources and drinking water supplies.
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While the economic impact is hard to discern this early, FEARCA projects that there will also be a severe outcome for local farming and agriculture affected by the fires with production levels reduced, which could take significant time to recover from.
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West Virginia National Guard Below: A loadmaster from a UH-60 participating in training observes a water
Story by Edward Wrinston Four members of the West Virginia National Guard’s Company C, 1-150th Assault Battalion are in California flying aerial wildland firefighting missions to help combat the massive North Complex and August Complex fires burning throughout nine counties in the northern part of the state.
pickup. Right: Members from the West Virginia National Guard are not hard to spot with the WVU neon paint on the side of their UH-60 Black Hawk
AF 30 | aerialfiremag.com
Maj. Evan Dale, Chief Warrant Officer 3 James Kearns, Staff Sgt. Ed Dillon, and Spc. Jack DeAngelo deployed to the region earlier in September to assist local and federal officials in containing and putting out the North Complex Fire, which has burned more than 300,000 acres. The crew was also recently tasked to assist with the August Complex Fire. Which, to date, has consumed more than 949,000 acres.
Dozens of large-scale fires, many caused by lightning strikes and fed by ongoing hot, dry and windy conditions, continue to burn throughout the western United States, including California, Oregon, Washington, Montana and Idaho. “Our mission here is to assist ground crews by conducting precise water drops on target from our helicopters to protect and save lives and property,” stated Dale. “We are flying California National Guard MH-60M Blackhawks, the exact models we have back home, and utilize ‘Bambi Buckets,’ which can accurately drop up to 660 gallons of water on designated and targeted fire lines per run.” “We typically try to position the bucket around 30 feet above the tree line before releasing our water for maximum precision and effect,” said Dillon. “That means putting the helicopter just 60 feet or so above the tree line and often flames. Getting that close to the fire brings several safety concerns – from smoke reducing our flight visibility, to the
heat from the fire hurting the flight crew or damaging our equipment, to windy, hot air making it hard to hover or even causing an engine to stall out.”
experience we are gaining here will be invaluable should we ever be faced with large wildfires in West Virginia and need to respond at home.”
“Each run brings new and unique concerns and dangers that we encounter, so we are constantly focused on completing each mission and returning to base and eventually home safely,” he added.
To date, the North Complex Fire has destroyed more than 2,300 structures, including homes and commercial buildings, damaged over 100 more, and has resulted in 15 fatalities. It has been ranked the fifth deadliest fire in modern Californian history, fifth in total, and sixth most destructive.
Additional dangers the crew faces are multiple other aircraft operating in close proximity of their airspace, increased radio communications traffic from both ground and other aerial responders, and the region’s mountainous terrain. The sheer size and scope of the fire are unlike anything the crew has ever witnessed. “The very first flight we made, we came around the corner to our drop point, and in front of us, the whole mountainside was on fire,” said Dillon. “Fifty-foot-high flames everywhere dancing and licking the sky. It was amazing to see – the striking beauty of it mixed with the pure destructive forces. It is tough to wrap your head around it.”
The August Complex Fire, while more than triple the size of the North Complex Fire, is in more remote areas. Fiftyone structures have been destroyed due to this fire, and no fatalities have been documented. More than 1,400 personnel, including ground and aerial firefighters, are currently assigned to combat the North Complex blaze, with an additional 1,600 assigned to the August Complex Fire.
“We are proud to be here helping our counterparts in California and super proud of all those in the air and on the ground fighting this overwhelming force of nature,” stated Dale. “Just last year, we conducted Bambi Bucket training at Camp Dawson to prepare for this exact type of mission. Now we are putting that training to practical use. The real-world
aerialfiremag.com | AF 31
Norfolk-Based HM-12 Successfully Trains Squadron on Aerial Firefighting Capability Story by Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic
Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 12 successfully tested, trained and qualified their squadron and aircrew from three separate squadrons on the use of the Bambi Bucket to support aerial firefighting missions, if tasked, on the East Coast, Oct. 8. A Navy MH-53E from HM-12 drops water during an east coast aerial firefighting training exercise.
The MH-53E is the only rotary aircraft in the U.S. Navy with the capability to airlift a large-scale bucket of this size, which weighs 11,000 pounds when transporting water. “The East Coast now has the aerial firefighting capability to provide airborne fire suppression efforts when called upon,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Spencer, HM-12 pilot. “This airborne firefighting training is similar to other mission areas to include lifting of heavy equipment, and cast and recovery in support of expeditionary forces.” Spencer added that the capability HM-12 brings would be a game changer if called upon. For aerial firefighting support, the bucket is capable of transporting 1,300 gallons. “Sailors from three different Helicopter Mine Countermeasures squadrons provided the
AF 32 | aerialfiremag.com
necessary expertise to execute the required training in September,” said Spencer. “We qualified eight crews, and now have the capability to provide two aircraft with buckets for firefighting response efforts.” Master Chief Naval Air Crewman (Helicopters) Lance Howarth (NAC/AW/SW) emphasized the proper storage of these buckets more than 14 years ago enabled the squadron to start training. “With more than 14 years of time passed since actively using this capability on the East Coast prior to the disestablishment of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 4, there were no airborne firefighting qualified pilots assigned on the East Coast,” said Howarth, who had civilian experience aerial fighting fires prior during a break in his naval service. “However, aircrewmen still serving in the community had experience flying these missions and we were able to leverage that experience.” HM-12 is tasked to support two primary missions, Airborne Mine Counter Measure (AMCM) mission and the Navy Vertical Onboard Delivery (VOD) mission to support expeditionary forces.
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Staff and administrators accept delivery of the County’s first AW-139 helicopter.
Miami Dade Fire Rescue Accepts the Counties First AW139 Miami, Florida—Leonardo is pleased to announce that MiamiDade Fire Rescue (MDFR) has taken delivery of its first AW139 helicopter. The October 13 handoff included a small ceremony at Miami Executive Airport (TMB) in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Officials from the County, including Mayor Carlos A. Giménez, spoke at the event. “As a former firefighter, I’ve been very impressed with this world-class search-and-rescue helicopter,” Mayor Giménez said. “Replacing antiquated helicopters, the AW139 is a vital addition to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s fleet. They will provide a heightened level of safety and security for our Fire Rescue workers and those whose lives they work to save.” MDFR ordered four AW139 aircraft in December 2019 for fire suppression, emergency medical services, and search and rescue missions. Each helicopter features a cargo hook, rescue hoist and Bambi bucket. The remaining three aircraft are expected to be delivered by the end of 2020. MDFR protects people, property, and the environment by providing proactive responsive professional and humanitarian fire rescue services essential to public health, safety and well-being. MDFR operates 71 fire-rescue stations within unincorporated Miami-Dade County and serves 29 AF 34 | aerialfiremag.com
municipalities. Due to the impressive scope of its rescue operations, Miami-Dade Air Rescue frequently provides mutual aid support to neighboring counties including Monroe, Collier, Broward and Lee. Miami-Dade is the most populous county in Florida with over 2.7 million people and more than 2,000 square miles (larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware). From the coral reefs to the Everglades the unique subtropical environment of South Florida makes this area unlike any other in the United States. With over 1000 deliveries to date, the AW139 is the most successful global helicopter program in the last 15 years. More than 280 operators in over 70 countries use the AW139 for a wide variety of missions including fire suppression, emergency medical service, search and rescue, security/ law enforcement, energy services, and private transport. In the United States, AW139 customers include the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), New Jersey and Maryland States Police Departments, among many others. The US Air Force (USAF) will soon introduce the AW139-based Boeing MH-139 to replace the UH-1N fleet.
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aerialfiremag.com | AF 35
Perimeter Solutions Launches Residential PHOS-CHEK Product in Collaboration with CSAA
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Perimeter Solutions and CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, have partnered to launch a pilot program that can help give homeowners additional protection against destructive wildfires. Select properties in Northern California will benefit from the application of PHOS-CHEK ® FORTIFY®, a durable and long-term fire retardant that renders vegetation surrounding a home non-flammable.
released a consumer version of their PHOS-CHEK product this month in hopes to give homeowners a fighting chance at protecting their homes themselves.
“We’re excited to collaborate with CSAA Insurance Group to help provide defense against devastating wildfires,” said Wes Bolsen, Director of Wildfire Prevention in Perimeter’s Fire Safety Solutions business. “Creating defensible space by smart management of vegetation is an important concept in preparing properties and communities for a wildfire, and our fire safety technology provides a long-lasting, proactive and preventative solution that can help protect people and property.” PHOS-CHEK FORTIFY is a fire retardant technology similar to that used around the world in aerial firefighting operations, updated for long-term ground applications. It is sprayed on vegetation surrounding homeowner properties, making that vegetation less likely to burn if contacted by flying embers. Homeowners insurance customers participating in this pilot
AF 36 | aerialfiremag.com
program are in designated wildfire-prone areas, and the vegetation surrounding their property will receive applications of the translucent, moistureresistant fire retardant at no-charge, compliments of CSAA Insurance Group. “As homeowners and communities continue to pursue critical wildfire resilience efforts, this pioneering approach creates an additional layer of defense, and helps us to continue to put the safety of our customers first,” said Olga Dotter, vice president of innovation for CSAA Insurance Group. “As the AAA insurer for Northern California and other wildfire-prone areas of the United States, we’re committed to exploring innovative ways to help safeguard AAA members.” While not a substitute for proven methods of protection against wildfire, including fire-rated roofs and vents, five-feet of defensible space, and removal of combustible items under or around the house, this program is expected to further strengthen at-risk homes by reducing ember ignition on the property. For more information about Perimeter Solutions and the PHOS-CHEK FORTIFY product, visit perimeter-solutions.com.
aerialfiremag.com | AF 37
Partnership With the Orange County Fire Authority and Coulson Aviation Brings the World’s Largest Fire Helicopter to SCE’s Service Area A Coulson Aviation CH-
Captain Greg Barta of the Orange County Fire Authority has been on the front lines of firefighting for 13 years. He has one word to describe the 2020 fire season to date: “Explosive.”
47 sits awaiting a fire mission in California.
“It’s definitely been demanding. There’s been quite a few fires simultaneously up and down the state … and we haven’t even had Santa Ana winds yet,” he said. “None of us are used to fighting fires during a pandemic, which is putting a strain on our resources, but we’re rising to the occasion. I speak for all firefighters when I say, this is the job we signed up to do.” To help firefighters like Barta during an active fire season through year-end,Southern California Edison is contributing about $2.2 million
AF 38 | aerialfiremag.com
toward the OCFA’s lease of a Coulson-Unical CH-47 helitanker, beginning Oct. 1 through late December. TheCH-47 Chinook helitankeris the world’s largest and most capable heavy-lift fire helicopter, able to drop 3,000 gallons of water or retardant in a single pass. The twin-engine, tandem rotor helicopter is being leased from and is operated by Coulson Aviation. It will be based at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos and be available around-theclock. The helitanker will strengthen daytime and nighttime fire suppression within SCE’s 50,000-square-mile service area — and beyond, if needed.
“The CH-47 Chinook helitanker is a force multiplier”
poles, weather stations and high-definition cameras in high fire risk areas.
“There is no higher priority for us than the safety of our customers, the communities we serve, our employees and contractors, and the firefighters and first responders who protect them,” said Kevin M. Payne, SCE president and CEO.
“The CH-47 Chinook helitanker is a force multiplier,” said Chief Brian Fennessy of OCFA. “We are extremely grateful to Southern California Edison for once again providing critical aerial support during the height of fire season.” In 2019,SCE provided OCFA with funding for a 1,000 gallon capacity helitanker that assisted with about 20 wildfires, most of them significant incidents.
“The intensity of the 2020 wildfires so far, plus the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, have put pressure on the state’s firefighting resources. With that in mind, it is a privilege for SCE to support the readiness of fire agencies such as the OCFA, which are on the front lines of protecting lives, property and critical infrastructure.” SCE’s funding of the helitanker lease is part of its Wildfire Mitigation Plan, which also includes enhanced inspections of infrastructure, hundreds of miles of insulated power lines, vegetation management of thousands of trees and plants to maintain a minimum 12-foot clearance from power lines, as well as hundreds of fire-resistant
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For Captain Barta and his firefighters combating a record-breaking year for fires in California, “If we get in a situation where a fire’s behavior changes and suddenly our teams are in harm’s way, having that helitanker up there to aid our firefighters is key. Being on the fire line and seeing that helitanker drop 3,000 gallons a minute, we know we are getting a difference-maker.”
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Victoria’s Firefighting Air Fleet Return to the Skies A record 51 aircraft will hit Victorian skies to help fight fires and keep communities safe this summer season, thanks to $29 million in funding from the Victorian Government. Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville today announced the 2020-21 aircraft fleet, which includes a mix of water bombing aircraft, air supervision and air intelligencegathering aircraft. Two Large Air Tankers, which can carry up to 15,000 litres of water, foam or retardant, and two 7500-litre Aircranes, will contribute to the 51 aircraft in the core-fleet and provide essential support to other aircraft across the state. The fleet includes a number of specialist night vision-enabled aircraft, which can conduct firebombing and intelligence operations after dark and has a surge capacity of up to 100 that can support the Victorian core fleet and be called upon when needed. Victoria’s emergency services are preparing for a normal fire season across the state. However, the location, timing and amount of spring rainfall is likely to affect fire potential in the western half of the state. Aircraft will provide an immediate response across the state, allowing water bombing aircraft to respond to fires at the same time as fire trucks. The Victorian fleet was critical in stopping the spread of fire last summer, providing an initial attack from the air in the early stages of fires and supporting firefighters on the ground, including across North East Victoria and East Gippsland.
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Victoria’s emergency services are preparing for a normal fire season across the state. “Victoria’s aerial firefighting fleet will return bigger than ever to support our hard-working firefighters and ensure that Victoria has the strongest possible fire response, both in the air and on the ground, as we head into fire season.” “Last fire season we saw just how critical aircraft were in responding to fires and protecting life and property – not just in remote areas, but right across the state.”— Quotes attributable to Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville “Our forest firefighters do a fantastic job on the ground and our record number of aircraft will support that effort.”— Quote attributable to Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio “Our 51 aircraft will be strategically positioned across the state and work with our firefighters to help keep communities safe.”—Quote attributable to Acting Emergency Management Commissioner Chris Stephenson
aerialfiremag.com | AF 41
New Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus Policy For Pilots By Michael Berry, M.d., Federal Air Surgeon
As my office works to implement significant changes to our insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) protocol, let me take this opportunity to provide an overview. The advent of new technology like continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) played a role in the FAA’s new policy.
Not long after the Wright Brothers first flew, the need for airman physical standards became apparent. Early U.S. Army pilot candidates included those medically disqualified for infantry or cavalry. This was unsuccessful as shown by the British during the first year of WWI: two-percent of aviation losses were due to enemy action, eightpercent to mechanical issues, and ninety-percent medical issues. Sixty-percent of the losses had physical deficits. Once medical standards were in place, the accidents secondary to medical causes dropped to twenty-percent after one year and twelve-percent the following year. Early civilian aeromedical standards closely mirrored those of the U.S. Army. Just as today,
AF 42 | aerialfiremag.com
the medical standards for commercial pilots were more rigorous than for a private pilot, which balances public safety and an individual’s freedom to fly. Through today’s Special Issuance Medical Certificate process, provisions for appropriate evaluation and risk mitigation allow us to routinely evaluate and issue for conditions that were once cause for automatic disqualification. This change is a testament to ongoing improvements in treatment and diagnostic tools. Thanks to specific improvements in the management of ITDM and through consultation with prominent clinical specialists in diabetes, we have determined that some applicants with ITDM can now be favorably considered for either
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a Class I or II medical certificate under 14 CFR part 67. As you may be aware, in 1996 one of my predecessors determined that technology had matured sufficiently to allow special issuance of medical certificates for ITDM at the Class III level. The new protocol is an option for Class III medical certificates (although they can also use the prior protocol). It has no effect on pilots using BasicMed or sport pilot privileges.
The use of CGM allows the pilot to closely monitor blood sugar irrespective of workload and ambient conditions (turbulence, emergencies, etc.) and take corrective action in all phases of flight. You may also know that Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) both allowed use of insulin by commercial pilots some years ago. The U.S. couldn’t follow suit right away because both countries, to mitigate risk, imposed limitations not feasible here in the United States. For instance, they limit use of the medical certificate to twopilot operations, require specific training for the non-diabetic pilot, and require informing other crewmember(s) of the ITDM condition. Recent improvements in CGM (continuous glucose monitoring) technology are sufficient that the FAA can now favorably consider special issuance for Class I and II medical certificates for some individuals without the need for these restrictions. My expectation is that our special issuance will provide a template for other International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) member states including Canada and the UK.
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We announced the new ITDM protocols via the Federal Register on November 7, 2019. We designed the protocols to ensure that the pilot remains in good control and avoids incapacitation, subtle or overt. Both low and high blood sugar (hypo- and hyperglycemia, respectively) are associated with cognitive impairment that can cause poor decision making, slowed reaction time, and an inattention to detail, among other problems. The use of CGM allows the pilot to closely monitor blood sugar irrespective of workload and ambient conditions (turbulence, emergencies, etc.) and take corrective action in all phases of flight. In addition, a predictive function allows the pilot to take action to prevent blood sugar excursions outside the desired range rather than merely reacting to them, as is the case with finger-stick blood sugar testing. We have already begun to review cases under this protocol and will grant a special issuance when it is safe to do so. This is a win for the professional pilot community and it also maintains safety in the National Airspace System. Dr. Michael Berry received an M.D. from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, and a master’s in preventive medicine from Ohio State University. He is certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine in aerospace medicine. He served as an FAA senior aviation medical examiner and vice-president of Preventive and Aerospace Medicine Consultants for 25 years before joining the FAA. He also served as both a U.S. Air Force and NASA flight surgeon.
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Santa Barbara County Introduces Refitted UH-60L as Copter 964 for Aerial Firefighting and Rescue Members of the Santa Barbara County Aviation Support Unit inspect the newly refurbished HH-60L after its arrival at Santa Ynez Airport, California. Photo by Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara County’s joint Sheriff-Fire Air Support Unit announced the arrival from Alabama of Copter 964, a 2004 Sikorsky HH-60L helicopter. Since its purchase in 2019, the Firehawk has been in Alabama at Arista Aviation, where it has undergone a retrofit with all-new state-of-theart avionics, paint, and a new rescue hoist. In addition to the upgrades, while in Alabama, the HH-60L was tested, certified, and transformed from a military-grade helicopter to a helicopter configured to meet the missions of public safety for the citizens of Santa Barbara County.
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The Santa Barbara County HH-60L will join an already working fleet of medium-sized Bell UH1H Huey aircraft stationed out of the Santa Ynez Airport. In addition to increased stability when flying in high winds and being outfitted with top of the line night-flying equipment, Copter 964 brings a significant increase in working capacity for the ASU. The Black Hawk that will eventually be AF 46 | aerialfiremag.com
configured with an internal tank that will mirror the Sikorsky S-70i Firehawk configuration used by agencies such as L.A. County Fire, significantly increases lift capacity which ensures that more water can be delivered faster and more accurately on fires, thereby helping to limit fire spread, associated impacts, and costs. The Firehawk can deliver approximately 1,000 gallons of water in one drop, compared to 300 gallons for the Huey.
The Firehawk can deliver approximately 1,000 gallons of water in one drop The Firehawk can also carry 12 passengers, including two critically injured patients, as compared to five passengers and one critically injured patient on the UH-1H Huey. Additionally,
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the top speed of the Firehawk is 218 mph, compared to 138 mph for the Huey, allowing quicker response times to incidents and faster turnaround times from refueling and refilling with water. The Blackhawk helicopter will make its final conversion into becoming a Firehawk with the installation of a fixed belly tank to carry and disperse water for firefighting purposes. The fixed tank requires modifying the landing gear of the Blackhawk to raise the aircraft in order to accommodate a 1,000-gallon tank. A helicopter with a belly tank can drop off ground crews of firefighters at a fire and immediately attack the flames, whereas a helicopter with a bucket attached cannot move crews around and thus would have to return to a staging area, after dropping off the firefighters, to attach the bucket and return to the fire front. This tank is unique from any other option in that it allows our aircraft to maintain their multi-mission capability in firefighting, hoist rescue, and medical evacuations without the need for any reconfigurations. It also allows the helicopter to be filled while on the ground, the standard practice for nighttime firefighting operations. Fundraising was a large contributor to the final cost of the retrofit of the aircraft, provided by Direct Relief International (DRI) that resulted in raising a total donation of $1,151,000. The Firehawk is expected to be operationally ready to respond to fire-related missions in Fall 2021 after focused training has been completed for the pilots, mechanics, and other ASU staff, and the belly tank has been added.
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