AerialFire Magazine July/August 2022

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PILOT PROFILE - KYLER BURKE | NEW CHIEF PILOT IN THE NORTH | MACEDONIA FIRES

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PILOT PROFILE KYLER BURKE

IN THIS ISSUE THE DROP - EDITORIAL. EDITORIAL..........................................................................................................................................................................6 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6 AERIAL FIRE PICS..................................................................................................................................................................................

PICS..................................................................................................................................................................................99 DOWN TO THE LAST DROP. DROP................................................................................................................................................................... 16 FALCONER HOLDS FIREFIGHTING EVENT...........................................................................................................................................

EVENT...........................................................................................................................................30 30 LEONARDO’S C-27J AERIAL FIREFIGHTER. FIREFIGHTER...........................................................................................................................................42 .........................................................................................................................................42 TETOVO FIRE SHOWCASES MACEDONIAN AERIAL FIREFIGHTING CAPABILITY................................................................................

CAPABILITY................................................................................48 48 FIGHTING FIRES IN THE BRAZILIAN SUGAR AND ALCOHOL COMPLEX. COMPLEX..............................................................................................62 ............................................................................................62 NEW CHIEF PILOT IN THE NORTH. NORTH........................................................................................................................................................ 74

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Unsolicited editorial manuscripts and photos are welcomed and encouraged. We cannot be responsible for return unless submissions are accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Advertising deadline is 12 noon, on the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication.

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MISSION READY FIRE SEASON 2022 AIR ATTACK: K-100, PC-12, AC-90 | DIRECT ATTACK: CL-415EAF | TRAINING: DHC-6-300

THE DROP

Ryan Mason ryan@aerialfiremag.com

Innovation is the Key Some would say that the fire season is off to a slow start. I know, that's like saying the 'Q' word as a first responder. But as I look at where we were in previous years, even though we have had some sporadic fire activity around the United States, thus far, we have been fortunate in the season. Let's hope it lasts.

At the end of May, I had the chance to join some of my peers in the industry at the Aerial Firefighting Europe show in Nimes, France, which was held at the headquarters for the aerial firefighting segment of France's civil defense agency, Security Civile.

AF 6 | aerialfiremag.com

While I am not saying anyone is doing it wrong, I believe that the adage of "well, that's the way we've always done it." is used when things get too hard or there is a chance to change the way we fight fire. During my time in France and at any firefighting conference I attend, I frequently see new products for the aerial firefighting industry. When asked about how they penetrate the market, those vendors often lament that it is an uphill battle to get an audience with agencies that fear change and want to keep the status quo.

To say it was an impressive facility would be an understatement. Their fleet of CL-415 Super Scoopers and Q-400 aircraft on the ramp was impressive. As we arrived, their pilots were in the middle of seasonal training as their fire season kicked off right after we departed.

It often takes that one agency that is not afraid to think outside the box for better solutions to roll the dice and make successful use of a product before it is more widely adopted, becoming a standard piece of technology or equipment commonly used in the industry, be it an entire aircraft, or a small unit that stores telemetry or maintenance data.

Seeing their fleet and realizing the investment France has made in protecting their citizens from fire made me realize that although cities, counties, states, and the federal government are doing the best they can here - there is always room for improvement. That improvement can come from increasing budgets to allow for more fire response, factoring in a more robust firefighting program for wildfire, both on the ground and in the air, or providing funding for innovation in the industry.

In a perfect world, I would love to see the early adoption of tech that makes everyone's lives easier or safer in the cockpit or on the ground.

However, the reality is that we will likely have to rely on those not afraid to challenge the status quo for the greater good. Those that step outside their comfort level to evaluate new technology benefitting the whole industry.

Those people and agencies are few and far between but are an essential part of our industry. Without forward thinkers, we would never progress. We would likely have not seen the development of countless products and improvements on existing technology that has seen tremendous progress in aerial firefighting.

I guess I am trying to say that if you have the chance to step outside of your comfort zone to push that next piece of potentially life-saving technology further into our industry so that it gains wider market acceptance, be that person or agency.

Be the change you want to see for the greater good because, without those kinds of people and forwardthinking agencies, we are destined to be stuck in a proverbial rut and innovate at the speed of molasses.

This would not be my idea of a desirable outcome when I look at how far today's industry differs from the industry even a decade or two ago. If we continue to innovate and challenge the norm, we might increase the amount of ground, people, homes, and businesses saved, along with the potential to save lives in the cockpit.

Fly safe,

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aerialfiremag.com | AF 7

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A Greek CH-47 performs a drop on recent fires in Greece. Photo by John Pitsakis.

Neptune’s Tanker 01 returns for the Chaparral Fire. Photo by Kaileen Hannigan.

A HTS S-64 fills from a lake at Pepperdine University, California. Photo by Jeff Serpa.

An Aeroflite BAE-146 drops a load of retardant on the Sheep Fire. Photo by Marty Wolin.

An Australian Precision Aerial AT-802 Fire Boss arrives for the Greek fire season. Photo by Konstantinos Marmarelis.

Two of 10 Tanker’s DC-10’s on the ground as a third takes to the air. Photo by James Dunn.

AF 12 | aerialfiremag.com

AERIAL FIRE

A Coulson S-61 fills for a fire in Canada. Photo by Mike Biden.

PICS An AT-802 drops water in Argentina. Photo by Ezequiel Brex. aerialfiremag.com | AF 13

Smooth is Fast How to Speed Up Your Medical Certification

By James Williams There is an idiom that says, “Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.” The expression was made famous by special operations soldiers to emphasize that slowing down to smooth out the process will paradoxically often lead to a faster end result. As Tolkien said, “the hasty stroke oft goes astray.” Both sayings are very relevant to our medical certification.

So by rushing the process, you may find yourself in a far more frustrating ordeal than is necessary. In fact, the vast majority of medical certificate applications that are not issued are based on a lack of response from the airman with the requested information, not a denial by the FAA. So, in a very real way, taking some time to slow down and ensure a smooth process could make a huge difference.

Smoothing Out the Process “There are some very simple things a pilot can do to streamline the process,” explains Federal Air Surgeon (FAS) AF 14 | aerialfiremag.com

Dr. Susan Northrup. “First, make sure any documents you submit to the FAA are legible and have your name, a date, and any identification numbers that you may have on them.”

She continued, “Make sure all letters, including summaries from physicians, are signed and dated. Ensure that your package includes all information requested by the FAA and keep a copy of what you’ve submitted for your records. Also, make sure your contact information is current in MedXPress.”

These tips help any pilot looking for a medical, whether for a renewal or an initial application (for more on what to expect from your first medical exam, see the article “What to Expect From an FAA Medical Exam” here: bit.ly/FAAMedExam).

Dr. Northrup also has another piece of good advice. “The Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners (AME) is a great resource for pilots to see what the FAA requires to certify a pilot with any given condition.” The Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners is the AME’s manual for the medical certification of pilots. While the AME Guide was written for doctors, it is available to anyone online at bit.ly/AMEGuide. ➤

So if you want to know what your AME is going to be looking for, the guide is a great place to start.

“If you have any questions, or need more help, reach out to your AME, Regional Flight Surgeon (RFS), or one of the pilot advocacy groups that can provide more information,” said Dr. Northrup. If you have a condition listed in the AME guide, you can work with your primary care doctor to make sure that you have current copies of all of the reports and test results. It’s also essential to ensure that any tests ordered are correct, and in the format the FAA needs for certification.

When in doubt, your doctor may contact your AME or RFS’s office. This ensures that you don’t have to repeat tests and are ready to be certificated when you walk into your AME’s office. But what if you don’t meet the medical standards?

Meet CACI If you haven’t had a medical certificate before or haven’t had one in a while, you probably don’t know what a CACI is. Conditions AMEs Can Issue (CACI) is a program that allows AMEs to issue medical certificates to pilots that would usually have to be deferred to the FAA so long as they meet specific requirements. That means that you walk out of your AME’s office with a medical certificate without having to wait for the FAA to review and approve your medical. Also, these are regular medical certificates, not Special Issuance certificates, that usually come with limited durations or additional requirements. These conditions include arthritis, asthma, hypertension, migraines, prediabetes, several forms of cancer, and more. For a complete list of conditions and the applicable worksheets, visit bit.ly/ AMECACI.

Special Issuance, SODAs, and More If you don’t meet the regular medical standards, there are a few other options. The most common would be a Special Issuance (SI). Broadly, SIs are performed when a pilot doesn’t meet the medical standards. Still, through some alternate means like additional documentation, shorter duration certificates, additional monitoring, or other mitigations, the FAA can issue an SI so the pilot can fly. Unlike a CACI, these medical exams must be initially deferred to the FAA and reviewed by the Aerospace Medical Certification Division (AMCD). Under the AME Assisted Special Issuance (AASI) program, some SI renewals may be handled by selected AMEs without first deferring to the AMCD, assuming specific criteria are met. AASI saves time by not processing on the front end and gets you back to flying status faster.

Please see our Jan/Feb 2009 issue for the article “Getting your Special Issuance Medical” for a more detailed look at the SI process.

A Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA) is a process that allows a pilot with a static, non-progressive condition that might otherwise be disqualifying to demonstrate that they are capable of operating an aircraft safely despite the disqualifying condition. The scope for a SODA is more limited than an SI, as the condition must be static but is valid until the condition changes or is revoked by the FAA. This process may require a special medical test flight (this might not actually include a flight) to determine that the pilot can operate safely and what, if any, limitations must be placed on the medical certificate. These tests are requested by the AMCD or RFS and generally carried out by the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO).

Other means of medical compliance include BasicMed, Sport Pilot, and aircraft operations that don’t require a medical certificate. Each of those categories is an article in its own right, but it’s important to remember that Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) section 61.53 still applies.

This means that you must still ensure that you are fit for flight as pilot in command before each flight.

Regardless of what certification path you end up taking, slowing down to ensure a smooth process will likely deliver the best results. If you think you may have difficulty with the process, check the AME guide to see what the FAA needs.

This is especially true if you have a CACI condition.

Work with your personal doctor and AME to make sure everything is in hand, and be sure that’s what the FAA needs to see. If you have questions, ask your AME or RFS. Also, consider contacting a pilot advocacy group. Many have excellent advice for navigating the process.

Remember your medical exam doesn’t start until the AME pulls up the MedXPress application at your office visit, so there’s no penalty for asking questions before that process begins. Hopefully, by knowing what to expect and being ready with any additional information, you can reduce a maddening waiting game of frustration to an easy visit to your AME that ends with a medical certificate in your hand.

Even if that isn’t possible, having that additional information in hand and ready to send to the AMCD should reduce the need for time-consuming back and forth. This is where a good AME can make a big difference.

A smooth and fast certification process is what everyone wants, and hopefully, this helps you get there.

James Williams is FAA Safety Briefing’s associate editor and photo editor. He is also a pilot and ground instructor. aerialfiremag.com | AF 15

Down to the Last

Drop!

Sam Di Giovanna

•

Utah battalion chief’s death may have been linked to airplane retardant drop

I love the fire service – so much specialized apparatus and equipment and so many expertly trained personnel to carry out the mission.

•

CAL FIRE air tanker pilot accidentally drops fire retardant in neighborhood

•

CAL FIRE demos low drop with S-2 aircraft

One of the top assets on my list of fire service intrigues is air operations – one of the firefighters’ biggest allies during wildfires, remote-area rescues, or patient transports to trauma centers. The pilots of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft perform some of the most incredible maneuvers.

There is no question that pilots face unique stressors and dangers, but it is important to remember hazards on the ground as well, particularly in the presence of firefighting aircraft dropping retardant (gel or foam), para cargo, or water. News headlines capture the dangers (or mishaps) of such drops:

AF 16 | aerialfiremag.com

As such, it is vital that pilots consider the optimal retardant safe drop height. The U.S. Department of the Interior explains why: “When the retardant is dropped, the velocity of the aircraft is imparted to the retardant.

In other words, the retardant is traveling at the same speed as the aircraft. When the retardant has lost all its forward momentum and is falling vertically like heavy rain, the danger to firefighters is reduced and effectiveness is increased.”

The safe drop height is having been defined as the distance below the airtanker at which the retardant begins to fall vertically. The DOI presents this example: “If a Very Large Airtanker (VLAT) is traveling at 150 knots and is well below the recommended safe drop altitude, the 8,000-19,000 gallons of retardant released will impact the earth at a similar velocity. If personnel are underneath the retardant pattern, they can be struck with the fast-moving retardant, broken trees, other debris, or all of it.” You can read more on this in the DOI Interagency Aviation Safety Alerts.

With this in mind, it should be no surprise that personnel can be injured by the impact of material dropped by aircraft.

Additionally, use caution when working in an area covered by retardant, as surfaces will be slippery. This can be the case on both hillsides and around structures. Water will also make hillsides muddy and cause escape routes to be altered.

Wash the retardant off your skin as soon as possible to prevent irritation. Retardants are made from various chemicals, some stronger than others, which can cause irritation to the skin and eyes and be dangerous if ingested.

CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service released a video several years ago. This video included dramatic footage of

9,000 pounds of fire retardant striking – and crushing – an SUV, underscoring the dangers of personnel working beneath aircraft. Imagine the harm from a low drop from a VLAT carrying 170,000 pounds of retardant – that’s the equivalent of the weight of six Type 3 engines falling out of the sky.

An Increased Threat With fire season being year-round in California and many other states now, many fire departments and private air resource organizations are purchasing newer, sophisticated aerial firefighting equipment. Larger payloads, though more effective for firefighting, can be an increased threat to personnel on the ground.

Follow the above steps to stay safe on the Fireline – and work with pilots to ensure strong communication among teams. And identify whether your department has – or needs – a policy related to working around fixed-wing or rotary aircraft during wildfires. Now is the time to update, prepare and train!

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna is a 35 year fire service veteran. He started with Los Angeles County Fire Dept. served as Fire Chief with the Monrovia Fire Dept in Los Angeles County and now is Chief at the Verdugo Fire Academy in Glendale Ca.

aerialfiremag.com | AF 17

FireTrac Captures Astonishing Scar Burn Image from Elgin Bridge Fire FireTrac is the definitive wildfire tracking app built by the aerial firefighters at Bridger Aerospace, whose mission is to save lives, property, and habitats threatened by wildfires.

synthesize high-fidelity aerial imagery and detect anomalies, including hot spots.

Late in the morning of May 23, 2022, Arizona Forestry crews began to work the Elgin Bridge Fire a quarter-mile northeast of Elgin, Arizona. Elgin, about 45 miles from Tucson, a small town that is home to 300 people.

The sensor uses a nadir-oriented multi-megapixel color focal plane array (FPA) and co-bore-sighted infrared (IR) sensors integrated with an onboard image processing system.

Though small, Elgin is Hollywood famous. The train sequence in “Oklahoma!” was filmed in Elgin. As were scenes in “3:10 to Yuma,” “Red River” (starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift), and “The Sons of Katie Elder.”

Not long after the Elgin Bridge fire was extinguished, FireTrac pilot Rich Mutari and sensor operator Ryan Powell flew over the fire to capture high-resolution scar imagery.

“The Elgin Bridge Fire was one of three fires we mapped that morning,” said Powell. “We notified the Region 3 Aircraft Ops Manager that we would be overhead. We arrived after the fire burned out to capture high-resolution electro-optical imagery of the fire scar. We also checked for hotspots with our IR sensors but found none.”

“We were overhead for less than 10 minutes and then off to the Black and Bear Trap Fires,” Powell said. “Capturing fire scars offers historical fire data for post-fire analysis. It’s also beneficial for evacuees to see their property before they are able to return so that they can make necessary arrangements based on their needs,” according to Powell.

FireTrac planes are equipped with the wildfire mapping TK-7 sensor from Overwatch Imaging. The TK-7 is a multi-spectrum precision survey payload designed to provide advanced precision mapping and multiimage orthophoto capabilities. The sensors can quickly

Once the Elgin Bridge fire climbed Mustang Mountain, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff issued evacuation orders for all residences along Mustang Ranch Road. The FireTrac imagery clearly shows how close the fire came to homes and businesses.

In addition to high-resolution imagery, the FireTrac app provides local, up-to-date fire information, neighbor chat, and the ability for people to report fires and upload their own imagery.

The FireTrac app was created by Bridger Aerospace, an industry leader in aerial wildfire management, relief, and suppression. Bridger offers comprehensive and task-specific solutions to provide maximum support to firefighters on the ground.

FireTrac imagery is captured in partnership with Overwatch Imaging. Bridger Aerospace has partnered with Overwatch Imaging to launch an aerial fire-mapping platform capable of providing high-resolution fire imagery to app users. With Bridger’s aircraft and the Overwatch TK-7 Earthwatch camera system, users can access accurate fire maps to stay informed of critical intel.

Visit www.firetrac.com or download the app in the Apple or Google Play app stores.

The burn scar captured by FireTrac. The imagery is available on FireTrac’s iOS and Android apps as well as at FireTrac.com

AF 18 | aerialfiremag.com

aerialfiremag.com | AF 19

Perimeter Solutions Names Industry Veteran Jeff Emery President of Global Fire Safety Perimeter Solutions announced on May 23, 2022, that it has named Jeff Emery as its President of Global Fire Safety. This is a newly created role that is responsible for the Fire Suppressant and Wildfire businesses at Perimeter Solutions.

“

Jeff brings years of experience and industry knowledge along with a passion for serving the firefighting community.

He’ll be a great addition for Perimeter as we move forward, and I am excited to welcome him to our Management Team.”

— Edward Goldberg

Emery joins Perimeter Solutions after serving as the Vice President and General Manager of Industrial Automation for the Americas at Norgren.

Prior to that, he spent 10 years with Scott Safety, a global leader in high-performance safety equipment for firefighters, military personnel, and industrial workers. Following 3M’s acquisition of Scott Safety, Emery led the global business unit within 3M through a period of significant growth and business integration.

“As we face an increasingly challenging fire landscape, it is critically important that we continue to provide the exceptional, reliable products and services our customers count on from Perimeter Solutions. We must also continue to innovate to deliver new solutions that help save lives and protect property,” says Edward Goldberg, CEO of Perimeter Solutions. “Jeff brings years of experience and industry knowledge along with a passion for serving the firefighting community.

He’ll be a great addition for Perimeter as we move forward, and I am excited to welcome him to our Management Team.”

CEO of Perimeter Solutions

AF 20 | aerialfiremag.com

In addition to his professional roles in fire safety, Emery has also served on the advisory board of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), as well as the Board of Directors for Nevada Nano and Fire 20/20, a non-profit organization promoting diversity in fire services.

“Fire safety has been an important part of my professional and personal life for years, and I am very happy to be working for an organization where I can support Perimeter’s mission of saving lives and protecting communities. Perimeter Solutions is highly respected throughout the industry as a trusted and innovative company.

Their experience in fire safety is unmatched, and I am anxious to start contributing to the company’s future growth,” says Emery.

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Helitak Receives Additional Approvals From the FAA Australian-based Helitak Fire Fighting Equipment has received further approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to add more Black Hawk model Type Certificates to the FAA Supplemental Type Certification (STC) of the Helitak FT4500 Black Hawk fire tank, bringing the current number of TC’s to 18 and the total number of approved models to 24 including the UH-60A, EH-60AH60, HH-60A, S-70, S-70C, S-70A, and the S-70M models.

The receipt of this recent Approved Model List (AML) amendment means operators of Black Hawk helicopters issued under these 18 type certificates are approved to install and operate the Helitak FT4500 fire suppression tank. Over the coming months, additional type certificates will be added.

As the only FAA certified underbelly fire suppression tank for the Black Hawk helicopter in the world, the proven performance of the Helitak FT4500 fire suppression tank has been further confirmed. As a consequence, sales into the American market and advanced discussions with both military and civilian operators in South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region are currently underway.

Helitak recently signed sales and service agreements with Arista Aviation and Seaview Aviation and these new partnerships will help further expand the Helitak international footprint, enabling the team to continue to deliver the AF 22 | aerialfiremag.com

exceptional product support to to the STC are very important as it customers The typethey certificates have to expect. approved in increases the Helitak the Supplemental number of helicopters Type Certificate SR04461CH that are approved are: to operate the Helitak previously secured its FT4500 fire suppression tank, intellectual property with patent and these operators, who are so Aircraft Make

Aircraft Model

Original TC No.

High Performance Helicopters

UH-60A

R00054SE (approved with initial STC in May 2021)

Pickering Aviation

UH-60A, EH-60A

R00003AC (added October 29, 2021)

Delta Enterprise

UH-60A, EH-60A

R00019AT (added October 29, 2021)

Carson Helicopters

UH-60A

R00020AT (added October 29, 2021)

PJ Helicopters

UH-60A

R00020LA (added October 29, 2021)

Billings Flying Services

UH-60A

R00021LA (added October 29, 2021)

Skydance Blackhawk

UH-60A

R00022LA (added October 29, 2021)

Ace Aeronautics

UH-60A

R00005RC (added October 29, 2021)

BHI H60 Helicopters

H60

R0012DE (added May 2, 2022)

Unical Aviation

UH-60A

R00023LA (added May 2, 2022)

Sixtyhawk

UH-60A, EH-60A, HH-60A

R00025LA (added May 2, 2022)

Capitol Helicopters

UH-60A

R00026LA (added May 2, 2022)

Heliqwest International

UH-60A, EH-60A

R00028LA (added May 2, 2022)

Timberline Helicopters

UH-60A

R00052SE (added May 2, 2022)

Northwest Rotorcraft

UH-60A

R00058SE (added May 2, 2022)

Sikorsky Aircraft

S-70

H2NE (added May 2, 2022)

Sikorsky Aircraft

S-70C

H3NE (added May 2, 2022)

Sikorsky Aircraft

S-70A, S-70M

H5NE (added May 2, 2022)

and design registration applications submitted in Australia, the USA, and other selected countries and territories around the world to protect their next-generation tank design and tank mounting systems used in connection with the FT4500 Black Hawk fire suppression tank.

instrumental in fighting wildfires and bushfires, will be able to use our tank as part of their firefighting strategies.

The inclusion of the newer Sikorsky S-70 models on the Helitak STC is a major progression in securing market acceptance moving into the next few decades on these younger and somewhat more advanced Sikorsky models.

“Importantly, the FT4500 is light, easy to install, allows for large Type 1 water volume capacity, and offers easy plug and play operation, allowing for a perfect and controllable drop pattern every time - and when fighting wildfires and bushfires accuracy and being able to carry as much payload as the aircraft is approved to deliver is critical.

Helitak, CEO and founder Jason Schellaars stated, “These additions

“Of course, if there are any TCs that we have missed we are more than willing to discuss further inclusions on the FT4500 STC Approved Model List.

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Coulson Aviation and Provincia de Santiago del Estero Sign Deal to Purchase Coulson 737 Fireliner Coulson Aviation USA announced May 12, 2022 that the company had sold a Boeing 737 FIRELINER Large Airtanker to the Provincia de Santiago del Estero, Argentina.

The B737 FIRELINER is the only Large Airtanker in the world that can transport passengers and its multi-role capability will be fully utilized by the Santiago del Estero province while not conducting airtanker operations. “Our 737 FIRELINER’s continue to solidify their pole position of the jet-powered Large Airtanker fleet worldwide” said Britton Coulson, President of Aviation.

The B737 FIRELINER is the newest Generation of Large Airtanker and the first to be FAA Certified to do both firefighting and passenger transport. The FIRELINER packs 15,150 litres/4000 US GAL of fluid with unmatched performance in distance, speed, and altitude while retaining the capability to transport up to 72 passengers.

Miguel Mandrille, the Minister of Production, Natural Resources, and Land said the new large airtanker’s main base will be at Las Termas De Rio Hondo and that government plans to build a hangar for maintenance and training of the personnel in charge of handling the aircraft as well as a loading base to fill the airplane. Minister Mandrille also added “This is important not only for the province but AF 24 | aerialfiremag.com

also to the rest of the Argentinean provinces and neighbor countries that might need it.”

The agreement between Coulson Aviation and the Government of Santiago del Estero is made at the initiative of Governor Gerardo Zamora.

“From Mexico and below it there is no other aircraft like this” said Director of Civil Aviation Jorge Azar. “We evaluated all the large airtankers and chose the 737 as it is the same aircraft type used by many airlines and is the most capable. The 737 is the fastest airtanker and it when its not fighting fire we can use it to move passengers and its dual use makes it the best value for our government.”

Building off the success of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service 737 FIRELINER program in Australia, this is the second 737 Coulson has sold to an international government agency and the 737 remains the only Large Airtanker ever sold commercially to a foreign government.

Coulson Aviation is the only firefighting company worldwide that operates both large Fixed and Rotary Wing aircraft and is the largest operator in both Australia and South America of “Type 1” heavy aircraft.

aerialfiremag.com | AF 25

TAE Aerospace Acquires Arizona's Southwest Airmotive TAE Aerospace announced June 10th, 2022 that the company recently completed the purchase of Southwest Airmotive Corporation (SWA) of Eloy, Arizona in a move that will expand TAE Aerospace’s PT6 MRO capability in the United States.

While the ownership of SWA will change with the purchase, all of SWA’s management, staff, tooling, test equipment, and inventory will remain in the business in Eloy delivering the same high-quality PT6 MRO services currently provided by the company.

It is also important to note that SWA will retain the Southwest Airmotive company name and branding.

SWA’s founder Dwight Cox will continue to have overall responsibility for the management of the SWA business with support from the current SWA management team.

By joining the TAE Aerospace group, SWA becomes part of a global company that now offers both PT6 and TPE331 engine MRO solutions to our customers from multiple locations in the world. It also means SWA now has access to TAE Aerospace’s in house PT6 LRU MRO capabilities, that include both Honeywell and Woodward FCU and Prop Governor component approvals. SWA will AF 26 | aerialfiremag.com

also now have access to our global inventory of in-stock parts as well as access to our exchange engine and LRU pool which are available to all our customers to help improve turn times.

According to TAE Aerospace’s CEO, Andrew Sanderson, the SWA team are committed to continue providing the same great level of service to customers that it has delivered during its long and proud history.

“At TAE Aerospace we’re an aerospace maintenance, engineering and logistics company with offices and customers around the world. Our main focus is the MRO of turbine engines and controls for commercial, BGA and defense customers which means the SWA operation is a great fit for the business in the US,” Mr Sanderson said.

“We now have six locations throughout the US as well as four maintenance facilities in Australia and offices in Europe and Asia.

“Our rapid growth around the world in the past 10 years is a testament to the strong reputation we have built for providing outstanding services and value in every market in which we operate. SWA is now part of that global growth story and we are delighted to have their team joining ours.”

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aerialfiremag.com | AF 27

Fire Boss Closes Historic Fleet Order at AFF EU 2022

“

“We at Air Tractor Europe were the early adopters of the Fire Boss.

Since 2003 we have delivered over 75 across Europe. With this order, we are positioned to further expand into markets that recognize the advantage of initial attack and want lower operating costs than other scooper tankers in the market.”

— Rafael Selma, General Director of Air Tractor Europe

AF 28 | aerialfiremag.com

At this year’s Aerial Fire Fighting conference in Nimes, France, Fire Boss LLC signed a historic fleet order with Air Tractor Europe. The order consists of eight Fire Bosses with an option for an additional eight. The first delivery is scheduled for late 2022.

Rafael Selma, General Director of Air Tractor Europe said “We at Air Tractor Europe were the early adopters of the Fire Boss. Since 2003 we have delivered over 75 across Europe. With this order, we are positioned to further expand into markets that recognize the advantage of initial attack and want

lower operating costs than other scooper tankers in the market.”

“This unprecedented order solidifies acceptance of the initial attack strategy for aerial firefighting in Europe. It is the economic and ecological choice to successfully combat wildfires” said Clint E. Clouatre, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Fire Boss, LLC followed

by Stephen Johnson, Global Sales Director for Fire Boss LLC, “Our partner, Air Tractor Europe, is leading the way for the success of the Fire Boss in this territory and are key to new countries utilizing this efficient platform.”

Pictured (from left): Stephen Johnson, Rafael Selma, Clint E. Clouatre.

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Falconer Holds Firefighting Event Argentinian Firefighting company Falconer held their first-ever aerial firefighting event in May of 2022 in Argentina that saw one hundred attendees, of which roughly thirty were pilots attend this part educational, part exhibition event that included attendees and exhibitors from Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay as well as local attendees from Argentina.

The educational piece of the event centered around the education and certification of new firefighting pilots provided by Argentinian aviation authority ANAC through theoretical instruction and testing provided at the event.

AF 30 | aerialfiremag.com

During the event, an aerial demonstration was held using an AT-502B that performed several salvo’s to demonstrate the use of Chemical retardants and Foam loaded from “onion” tanks supplied by local company Rappachiani in addition to retardants and foam products provided by Nova Laboratories which supplies products in Argentina.

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TracPlus Releases TracPlus Cloud, Gains U.S. Forest Service ATU Compliance for AFDAU-T1 Global wildfire asset tracking and communications company TracPlus announced the release of their next-generation Common Operating Platform TracPlus Cloud in May in addition to gaining U.S. Forest Service approval for the company’s AFDAU-T1.

The TracPlus Cloud Common Operating Platform provides critical operators with an off-the-shelf solution that ties together operational information from multiple asset types and multiple communication channels to enable responding agencies to make faster, more informed decisions.

TracPlus CEO Tim Lynskey says he’s proud of this milestone delivery for TracPlus and excited for the increased organizational safety TracPlus Cloud delivers.

“Through having our devices and software installed on some of the best emergency response assets around the world, TracPlus has been present at virtually every major disaster response globally in the past five years.

“We tie multiple data streams and asset types into a single view of the truth for mission-critical operations and deliver situational awareness to operators, irrespective of who owns the asset, what the asset is, who provides the tracking, or what the platform or signal type is — be it radio, cellular or satellite.

“We’re now able to roll out this powerful, cloud-based platform that traditionally was only available for large agencies and allow organisations of all sizes to track, manage, monitor, and message their personnel and resources, including land, maritime, and aviation assets, to keep crews safe, conserve resources, and maximize coordinated efforts,” says Mr Lynskey.

In addition to the cloud product, TracPlus also achieved U.S. Forest Service compliance with the AFDAU-T1, for aerial firefighting, completing requirements for compliance for the new US Forest Service for event data in early June.

The update enables all Aerial Firefighting Data Acquisition Unit (AFDAU) units already installed in aircraft to meet compliance specifications.

AFDAU-T1 lead engineer, Zane Vohland, says that with the increase in demand for real-time telemetry in contracts issued by aerial firefighting agencies, the AFDAU-T1’s new compliance is a huge win for operators in the United States.

AF 32 | aerialfiremag.com

“It’s clear that ATU requirements are becoming more prevalent in US aerial firefighting contracts. As these requirements make their way from VLATs and type 1 helicopters into smaller aircraft, we are seeing orders from operators who are looking for a turnkey solution that enables them to stay compliant.”

“Due to the dynamic nature of firefighting operations, it’s not unusual to see errors in the types of event data coming off ATUs. These typically occur on take-off and landing events, engine on and off events, and inaccurate recordings for fill, drop, and volume events.

“The AFDAU-T1 however leverages a proprietary ‘smart algorithm’ to detect aerial firefighting events with unparalleled fidelity.

Through extensive R&D and close partnerships with some of Australia’s key fixed-wing and helicopter firefighting operators, TracPlus has developed a large and comprehensive dataset of aerial firefighting operations and expanded our expertise in the field, to deliver, in the AFDAU-T1,” says Zane.

In addition to the US Forest Service compliance, Airborne Mission Systems, the makers of the AFDAU, has also developed a diagnostic tool which allows avionics engineers to quickly identify and rectify any communication issues (wiring, connections etc) between another device and the AFDAU at the point of install. This has the potential to save thousands of dollars of time both on the ground and in the air trying to troubleshoot installation issues.

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aerialfiremag.com | AF 33

Flight Discipline

by Heather Metzler

My grandpa always said, “You’ll get there quicker if you don’t stop by the hospital on the way.” When he told me that, I was a new driver. I was also a new pilot. I was fortunate to solo a car and an airplane on my 16th birthday. But for me, the 14 mile drive from my home to the airport and back was the most terrifying part of that day. Flying the airplane was easy! So why after 32 years of experience as an ATP, flight instructor, FAA Operations Inspector, and FAA Safety Team Program Manager, do I still think that flying the airplane was the easy part? For starters, when I was flying the airplane that day on my solo, I didn’t have to “get there” or anywhere for that matter. Driving to the airport though, I had to get there.

Of course, as a young inexperienced driver, I did the speed limit, made sure I made a complete stop at stop signs, and did all the stuff you do (or should do) when you are a new driver. All of the decisions I made while driving were mine, like how fast to go, can I pass that car, should I pass that car, which way do I need to go next, etc. That is a lot to think about when you are a new driver. The good news is that I left early so I wasn’t in a hurry, keeping in line with grandpa’s advice.

After safely arriving at the airport, it was time to go fly! My instructor and I went around the patch a few times and then made a full stop. He hopped out, signed my logbook, and told me to make three takeoff and landings to a full stop.

Sure, I was nervous, but I had so much more training for this than I did for driving the car. And besides, there was no traffic. Plus, I had my instructor saying to go fly, so it must have been safe. I successfully soloed that day and cheerfully rejoiced after I taxied in.

Years later, when visiting with that same instructor, now as fellow instructor pilots, I realized the incredible pressure that he must have felt that day, as well as all the decisions made leading up to that point. First, he had to get me ready to solo on my 16th birthday, no pressure there! Next, my birthday is in December, and in Arkansas, the weather this time of year can be anything from sunny to foggy. I was lucky that it was overcast, but not so low that I couldn’t make my flight. Finally, he flew with me that day to make sure I was ready and let me go solo. I never thought of all the decisions he had to make that day. I was just happy I survived the drive to the airport.

AF 34 | aerialfiremag.com

When we start out as pilots, we depend on our instructors to help us make go/no-go decisions. Eventually, they help us with making those decisions on our own. But do we really ever get to the point where we are the only one making a go/ no-go decision? I hope not. Just like grandpa’s sage advice, we need to make sure how we don’t stop by the hospital, or worse the funeral home, on the way to where we’re going.

One way to “get there” both quickly and safely, is to have a safety system for making decisions. You probably already have a safety system that you use without even knowing it. Think back to the last pilot-related decision that you made and how you came to that decision. You can take this look back to another level by evaluating the decision that you made to determine if it was good, bad, or a learning opportunity. If you have a process that allows you to look back at a decision, determine how you made that decision, and evaluate the outcome of your decision, congratulations you have a safety system! Your safety system is the tool that gets you there without stopping at the hospital. But how do you keep a safety system ready to use and in good condition?

Try taking it to a flight instructor. Let them look at your safety system tool and evaluate if it is in good shape or in need of a few adjustments. The flight instructor can also evaluate your pilot skills at the same time. Not a bad deal!

As I mentioned earlier, good decision-making is a critical part of your safety system too. Let’s say you are making a flight from point A to point B and after completing your self-briefing (see AC 91-92 Pilot’s Guide to a Preflight Briefing), and you are unsure about the weather. That is an easy one; a best practice is to call an experienced pilot friend and talk about the weather.

But what if the weather on that same trip after you have completed your self-briefing and the weather looks good to you?

Do you still do that best practice and call an experienced pilot friend to see what they think about the weather? Before you answer that, consider how an airline pilot going on a routine flight with good weather still talks to the aircraft crew and to dispatch about the weather, and then briefs the passengers so everyone knows about the weather. Going back to our question, do you call your experienced pilot friend to discuss the weather after completing your self-brief? Absolutely. They may see something coming your way on a beautiful day that you didn’t consider. When you only self-brief, you have a greater chance of missing something that could ruin your day. It‘s best to always have all of the information you need for the flight. 14 CFR 91.103 requires it.

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CO Fire Aviation — Training for the Future Story by Ryan Mason

Photos by Ryan Mason and Steve Nelson CO Fire Aviation held their annual company training at the end of April 2022 at their facility at the Fort Morgan Municipal Airport, where the company and its subsidiaries, Gold Aero and Scott Aviation, are based.

The company training began on Monday, April 25th, through May 3rd, 2022, consisting of multiple training modules across the entire spectrum of air attack, initial attack, and ground and maintenance staff.

The first two days of training begin in the classroom for CO Fire attendees, covering topics from field inspections and search and rescue to mental health, first aid and survival techniques, SMS, avionics, and weight and balance before moving on to sand table exercises.

CO Fire staff, having completed this training evolution for many years running now, have the week events planned down to the last minute, which includes full catering for lunch and dinner each day, which all staff regroups for after splitting into several groups to complete one of the many training topics being given simultaneously throughout the week.

Sand Table The third day of the training is handed over to Anchor Flank & Pinch training for sand table training exercises. For CO

Fire President Kyle Scott, this is an essential part of their yearly training exercise.

“You can take a sand table and create different scenarios on the ground and then do many different pieces of training with it. You can do everything from fire behavior to fire traffic areas. You can break them down into each aspect of a firefight. For instance, where will you start if you showed up with your 802 and a wingman (second aircraft)? What are you going to do? After you run through a few things like that, you can combine them all and use the sand table just like when we do our flying sim, this is kind of a warm-up exercise for that.”

Sand table excercises were a critical part of CO Fire Aviation’s training during their week of training in April 2022.

During day three of the training, CO Fire also involves their stakeholders in training, showing all stakeholders through each training piece and allowing them to experience what the pilots do in the training environment. This year’s stakeholders included representatives from AssuredPartners Insurance, County and State Government, along with representatives from the USFS and local sheriff’s office, among others that spent a day or more seeing the training offering for themselves and seeing the effort put into keeping pilots and ground staff safe each year.

Simulators Another addition to the team training this year was the addition of Virtual Reality simulation labs provided by Becker Support Services, LLC. The VR training experience has matured over the last several years from a basic idea from owner Ryan Becker that was seen and investigated by CO Fire in 2021 to a fully-fledged training simulation that remotely involved the US Air Force MAFFS crews and lead planes working in a sim lab in Idaho, along with the CO Fire Aviation team working from their base in Fort Morgan, Colorado. ➤

Left: Upset recovery training was performed throughout the week of training with all operational pilots working for CO Fire Aviation.

Right: Gold Aero aircraft were included in the annual training event for the first time after owners Kyle Scott and Chris Doyle purchased the company in 2020.

“Sims allows us to practice many things before going out and flying. You can also train on fire behavior. Becker has a setup that can show real-world fires, how they progressed, and how things went. You can load into their scenarios, so you can fight some of those fires that maybe didn’t go the way they thought they would. It’s fascinating, and I liked that. The potential, especially for new guys, is that it’s another way to drill them on the radio comms, but also being descriptive and getting a feel before the real thing.” Kyle says, “We see this as taking the sand table to another level.”

What resulted was a full-blown fire response that you could watch play out on a screen at the training location, with speakers calling out the ATC and air attack of an actual fire response as crews from multiple locations around the country simultaneously fought a virtual fire with C-130’s, lead planes, SEAT’s and air attack, all using VR goggles, joysticks, computers, and LAN connections. To say it was an impressive sight to see this play out in real-time would be an understatement, as technology has evolved for the better regarding aerial firefighting training.

AF 38 | aerialfiremag.com

This year also saw the addition of Gold Aero, a company providing air attack services to the CO Fire training operation. Gold Aero (bought in 2020 by Scott and Chris Doyle), although operating on a separate 135 certificate and still having independent training, now participates in the annual CO Fire training event, adding to the realism of the actual training evolutions done in the aircraft in the latter days of the training event.

Upset Recovery While flying sims were being conducted, CO Fire pilots were also being put through their paces in upset recovery training in a company-owned Gamebird GB-1 aircraft throughout the several check rides completed in the final days of training.

“Be it a GameBird or an Extra 300 or even a Decathlon; any aerobatic capable airplane is good to conduct upset recovery work with. Of course, the GameBird handles better than an Air Tractor does. But the GameBird is an excellent demonstrator for loss of control scenarios. We borrow a lot from the Wayne Handley Air Tractor video and course Chris and I both attended years ago. We allow the guys to see

what happens when you turn it in hard and you’re stepping on the rudder or pulling back too hard. It gives them a chance in a controlled environment to see what happens if you’re coming in in a bit of a slip and then stall the wings and how to avoid those mistakes safely. It’s hard to beat a GameBird”, said Kyle.

Check Rides Flying during training was conducted with four CO Fire AT802s in addition to the GameBird flying upset recovery, along with two Gold Aero Twin Commanders flying in the air attack role throughout the training scenarios that were at times challenged by Colorado’s unpredictable weather patterns, causing some delays on Friday and Saturday thanks to storm fronts and at times gusting winds between 50-70 knots that forced operations to be halted several times.

In all, twenty firefighter pilots were put through their paces during the physical training evolutions held on private land about 20 miles from the CO Fire base, performing several drops with coordination that involved real-world communication with ground assets, air attack, and ATC when required, which offers as much realism as possible for each pilot when given their drop tasking for each pass, just as they would be in a real fire. ➤

Simulated aerial firefighting scenarios were played out in real time during training that also involved crews training from the US Air Force in Idaho that all connected virtually thanks to the system developed by Ryan Becker (pictured right.)

aerialfiremag.com | AF 39

Maintainers, tender operators, ground staff and external agencies were all included in CO Fire’s training.

“Typically with new guys, training starts with the basics, right? So we have them drop some water on the field first to build them up to the point where they can participate in the simulations.”

The flying portion of the training also offers the ground staff, some of who are new, the chance to apply what they have learned, giving ground handlers the experience of loading the aircraft on the ramp and operating their trailers. These aspects are part of a well-oiled and smooth operation on the ground when a fire starts. CO Fire takes seriously enough to involve every single one of their staff, some even flying in from as far as Australia to attend annual training.

Looking forward to the next training event, Scott stated that there would be a few changes, mostly to do with the days the training is held. According to Scott, the weather will always play a part in Colorado, so there is no perfect solution AF 40 | aerialfiremag.com

to the time of year for the training. However, he conceded that the training would likely start on a Thursday or Friday next year to accommodate the government inspectors being able to attend part of the training before check rides. The weather disruptions pushing some of the flying portions into the weekend did cause a slight hiccup that the schedule change will rectify.

As a firefighting operation that often has staff and aircraft scattered around the country, CO Fire did an admirable job conducting training this year, especially with the weather issues encountered and overcome. The addition of VR simulation into the annual training offering for CO Fire is no doubt an asset to their already robust training program, and likely just the tip of the iceberg on training enhancements as the company continues to look for newer and better ways to conduct training that will offer the best for their pilots’ safe operation throughout this and many more fire seasons.

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More Performance, More Productivity aerialfiremag.com | AF 41

Leonardo’s C-27J Fire Fighter

AF 42 | aerialfiremag.com

Originally conceived as a military aircraft, the C-27J is currently in use, most notably as a search and rescue aircraft, for the United States Coast Guard. The C-27J is suited, according to Leonardo, for the most extreme environmental conditions and the most challenging tactical scenarios; the aircraft can land and take off from unprepared runways, and it can be quickly reconfigured through “palletized” mission kits.

The C-27J Next Generation Fire Fighter has a roll-on/roll-off second-generation Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS II) supplied by UAC that allows the aircraft to act as a land-based water bomber.

The fire suppression system allows rapid in-flight discharge of a large amount of liquid (7,950 l/2,100 US Gal) stored in two tanks inside the fuselage (a larger one for water/retardant liquid and a smaller one for foam). The fluid is evacuated through the nozzle installed on the left side paratroopers ‘stub’ door. The liquid release system is controllable and allows adding foam retardant with variable concentration controls.

The system can be easily installed and removed (roll-on/rolloff) via the rear loading ramp by a minimal crew in 90 min.

A dedicated Ground Support Equipment (GSE) is available on a pallet that can be loaded on the C-27J aircraft ramp and carried together with the MAFFS system during the deployment of the aircraft on a Forward Operating Base.

The GSE is unloaded from the aircraft and used during the refilling of the tanks. The GSE does not require external power and can also be used in remote areas of operation. ➤

aerialfiremag.com | AF 43

The C-27J Next Generation’s capabilities and performance at low altitudes and in hot and high conditions are ideally suited for firefighting. With day and night capabilities, excellent situational awareness and low workload are ensured thanks to modern avionics. Large cockpit windows allow excellent external visibility, essential during firefighting missions, typically at low altitudes.

The multi-mission C-27J equipped with a dedicated comms suite allows operating as a “net-centric” solution, fully integrated with different resources on the ground, air, and space, through radio communications, data links, and satellite communications.

The Fire Fighter configuration is a flexible solution, ideal for enhancing the capabilities of the C-27J Next Generation multi-mission aircraft with significantly lower acquisition and operating costs than a firefighting dedicated platform.

AF 44 | aerialfiremag.com

When not used in firefighting duties, the aircraft can be quickly reconfigured for a wide range of transport, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support, civil protection, and SAR roles.

A first fire fighting solution for the C-27J, developed in cooperation with Caylym, comprises a “Guardian” system, which provides the release of 6 biodegradable water/fire retardant containers that can be effectively airdropped from a safe altitude (500-1,500 ft), also at night, on a single passage with no aircraft modifications To date this solution has been adopted by the Air Forces of Peru and Romania and has attracted the interest of many other Spartan operators about its flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

Therefore, the Romanian Air Force successfully operated with its C-27Js against wildfires that hit Greece in 2018, while Peruvian Fuerza Aerea Peruana has acquired total operational capacity in using the Caylym “Guardian” system and is constantly ready to intervene in case of emergency. ➤

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The C-27J is being marketed as a true multi-mission aircraft, able to be equipped with the MAFFS 2 system in 90 minutes.

A key factor for the C-27J, when compared with traditional firefighting fixed-wing aircraft solutions and therefore “single-mission,” is that the solutions developed for the C-27J Spartan platform allow Leonardo’s Fire Fighter aircraft to operate with great effectiveness against wildfires while maintaining the possibility to be quickly reconfigured to perform a wide range of military and civil protection operational tasks.

The MAAFS solution can be adapted to equip C-27J aircraft already in service - today, there are a total of 87 “Spartans” AF 46 | aerialfiremag.com

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aerialfiremag.com | AF 47

Tetovo Fire Showcases Macedonian Aerial Firefighting Capacity Story by Igor Bozinovski Photos by Dragan Cvetic

The 2022 summer fire season opened in Macedonia in a rather unexpected way. On May 30th, 2022, the most significant fire this year erupted not in a forest but in downtown Tetovo, Macedonia. A large fire broke out Monday morning, engulfing the former Makedonija Tabak factory, producing an enormous amount of smoke covering the city and parts of the Polog Valley, located in the north-western part of Macedonia.

The initial response to the fire included a Macedonian Police Helicopter Unit first on the scene, executing the unit’s first real-world aerial firefighting operation. The Unit’s AgustaBell Agusta Bell 212 utility helicopter, utilizing the newlyacquired 1,000-liter/265 Gallon capacity IMS New Zealand produced Cloudburst Fire Bucket that executed 28 drops of water on the burning factory. The 212 retrieved water from a private pool in the village of Sarakjino, some 6km southeast of Tetovo.

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Due to the severity of the blaze, the Police 212 utilized hot refueling at the nearby Tetovo military barracks, spending as little time as possible away from the intense fire.

The Macedonian Police helicopter was also joined by a Macedonian Air Force Mi-8MT helicopter to assist, executing eight salvo’s, dropping 2,500 liters/660 US Gallons utilizing their SEI Industries Bambi Bucket multiple-drop underslung system. Unlike the police helicopter, the army helicopters collected water from the Vardar river between the villages Palatica and Siri?ino, some 9.5km east of Tetovo.

The fire was finally under control in the early afternoon thanks to the enormous effort of ground firefighting units from Tetovo, Gostivar, Kievo, and Skopje, as well as the involvement of the army and civil protection aviation units.

A Macedonian Police AB212 drops on the fire in Tetovo, Macedonia.

“The helicopters were used to cut the fire down and prevent it’s spreading further to the rear of the factory where there were flammable gases,” said Stojane Angelov, the Director of Macedonia’s Crisis Management Center (Centar za Upravuvanje so Krizi, CUK).

One Macedonian AT-802A Fire Boss (registered Z3BGT) is flying in Macedonia this season and will join another two Fire Boss aircraft upon returning from service performed by Titan Aircraft.

“The third aircraft, Z3-BGU, is still in Skopje, and we are assisting the Protection and Rescue Directorate to repair and prepare that plane for departing to Spain these days. This year we faced engine oil leaking problems on all three Macedonian planes, and we suspect this is due to the aircraft being nonoperational for more than a year and a half. ➤

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Macedonian military aircraft were also used in addition to the 212 to fight the fire.

We solved the problems on two planes, and one of them, Z3-BGT, passed maintenance in Spain, has already returned to Skopje, and is ready for the summer. The other one, Z3-BGV, is now passing maintenance in Spain, and we expect it back in Macedonia in June, while the third one is yet to come to Spain and, all going well, it should be back in Macedonia late in July at the earliest,” said Hugo Arceo, Titan’s Sales Manager.

Asked if Macedonia will be better prepared this summer, Arceo said that his company is working hard to assist the government in Skopje to avoid last year’s scenario when Macedonian AT-802s were grounded. At the same time, assistance was requested and came from Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro.

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“Apart from restoring the Fire Boss aircraft, we are also working to ensure that three Air Tractor pilots will be operationally available to Macedonia this summer. It is little known that our company recently decided to donate additional training flights urgently and to organize recurrent checks for two Macedonian pilots. Both passed the necessary flight checks in Viseu, Portugal, on May 27th and have already returned to Macedonia. So, Macedonia will have three AT-802 pilots this summer.

This, however, will further change for the better when before the end of the year, as per agreement with the Macedonian government, we will complete the training of an additional two Macedonian AT-802 pilots,” Arceo said. ➤

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Macedonia has had three 3,100-liters AT-802A Fire Boss fire fighting planes since 2009. Titan Aircraft Company has supported the Macedonian Fire Boss fleet’s logistics since its establishment.

Macedonia should be in a better position for firefighting with the future assistance of the nation’s Police and

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Army aircraft, the Mi-8 & 17 helicopters, and the AB-212. This June, Macedonia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs expects to receive back from its scheduled 5-year/5,000-hours inspection a modernized Bell 412EP helicopter to bolster the national fleet of firefighting aircraft.

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Aerial Firefighting Europe 2022 Tangent Link holds another successful installment in Nîmes, France Story and images by Ryan Mason

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Hot on the heels of the Aerial Firefighting North America conference held in San Deigo in March of this year, Tangent Link hosted the European iteration of its highly successful trade show aimed at the global aerial firefighting market.

The conference was held at the Securite Civile aerial firefighting base in Nimes, France, approximately 360 miles south of the capital city of Paris. Unseasonably hot weather greeted attendees for all three days of the event, which consisted of speaker sessions and trade show floor activities as in previous years.

Events commenced on Tuesday, May 18th, 2022, with the opening reception hosted by AerialFire Magazine at the La Grande Bourse directly opposite the Nimes Coliseum, a stunning backdrop widely renowned as the only complete Roman coliseum in the world. The opening mixer set the stage for conversations on tactics, procedures, and policies used worldwide to fight fires from the air.

Unlike previous European shows, this year's event also hosted a search and rescue component which saw speakers

like Dr. Ian Greatbach from London's Metropolitan Fire Brigade talk about urban search and rescue techniques, among other topics, in a packed lecture hall.

Other speakers of note at the show included AerialFire Contributor and president of International Wildfire Consulting Group, Dan Reese, and international representatives from aerial firefighting companies such as Air Tractor Europe, Dehavilland Aircraft, and Conair.

Also in attendance to provide international perspectives were representatives from governmental organizations worldwide, including the Hellenic Fire Service in Greece, Sécurité Civile, and on the final day, a full house presentation by Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands, Hilary Franz.

As with previous conferences, the Tangent Link team did a miraculous job in providing not only the event and on-theground resources but a packed after-hours event schedule that included dinner on the rooftop of a Roman museum and many other well-attended events enjoyed by the entire conference of attendees.

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Speakers sessions were well attended throughout the event, along with the social events.

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Exhibitors from multiple countries were part of the nearly 40 booths from aerial firefighting companies at the event.

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There was a small contingent of static displays on hand in Nimes, along with the backdrop of an impressive amount of super scoopers on the ramp.

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Fighting Fires in the Brazilian Sugar and Alcohol Complex Produtiva Aeroagrícola is an aerial application company located in São Joaquim da Barra, in the northern state of São Paulo, Brazil. Although unknown to many in the west, São Paulo is the world’s largest ethanol and sugar producer.

Established ten years ago by Marino de Andrade Neto, an agricultural pilot flying since 1991, Produtiva Aeroagrícola has a fleet of six aircraft consisting of three Ipanema 202A aircraft, one Cessna Agtruck, one AirTractor 402A, and a Thrush 510G. In addition to agricultural spray work, Marino began firefighting with his aircraft, mainly in sugarcane plantations, operating with conventional gate boxes. Unlike in other countries, aerial firefighting in Brazil can be primarily subsidized by private industry, with some larger producers, associations, and growers paying directly for their aerial firefighting services to protect their crops when required instead of relying on local, state, and federal help when a fire starts.

“We are working on developing the market, as we realized there could be demand, and this is consolidating now. We also publicize firefighting activity extensively, directly to our customers and on social media.

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Marino de Andrade Neto.

We serve individual rural producers, producer associations, sugarcane mills, and municipalities. We have not yet implemented daily shifts or a minimum hour requirement, but we are trying to make customers aware of this need. For now, we are working on demand.”

One of the services provided last year in the Morro Agudo region involved the company being hired for two days by the local farmers’ union. In addition to rural producers, the operation had the support of agribusiness companies in the region, the fire department, and the municipal and state civil defense.

As there were areas that were difficult to access, the aircraft’s work was critical to success.

In 2021, Marino installed his first fire gate on his Thrush 510G. The aircraft was the second to have the hydraulic Zanoni fire gate installed on their aircraft; Produtiva Aeroagrícola initially assisted Zanoni in developing the technology.

“Sergio and Lucas Zanoni were on site for two days, making the necessary adjustments to install the hatch on our aircraft. It was a new development that is serving us well.

In addition to greatly improving water dispersement over a common gate box, the equipment stays on the aircraft for spraying work. This is fundamental for aerial application companies, as we work almost year-round between agricultural operations and aerial firefighting”.

Like other regional operators, Produtiva Aeroagrícola was encouraged to work with firefighting in the sugarcane sector due to the industry’s output and importance to the country’s global exports. Farmers and mills are now starting to invest in hiring this type of service to protect their assets as its worth is consistently demonstrated. The result has been not only the reduction of financial losses but gains for society.

In addition to reducing the emission of polluting gases in the production of these commodities, agricultural aircraft also started to help fight fires in forest reserves (private and public), becoming a fundamental tool for natural defense and sustainable agriculture.

“Let there be no fires, but if there are, we will do our best to contribute to the fight and thereby minimize losses.” The company’s motto represents what the agricultural aviation sector has become as it evolves to include a larger and larger aerial firefighting presence each year.

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Australian Fire Season 2021/22 Review Story by Dave Soderstrom Photos

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A Pay’s Aviation Fire Boss approaches to scoop water in Victoria.

As the Fire Season in Australia ends for the 2021/2022 season, we look back on the highs and lows. The country had a mixed season, with much less fire activity compared to previous years. Australia’s Eastern states had high rainfall and lower temperatures during the season. Western Australia and Tasmania saw the largest fires this season, with assets deployed from other states to support their operations. In Western Australia, the state recorded 2216 bush/scrub fires from November through February.

Australian states continue their investment in locally-based and owned assets. The Western Australian Government has committed funds to acquire a large air tanker (LAT) on lease to be based in the state for the next four fire seasons.

This is due to previous years establishing a large air tanker in the state. If required, the aircraft would fly to where it was needed. Procuring a state-based LAT means Western Australia will have its capabilities for LAT deployment when required for future fire seasons.

Fire and Rain were not the only issues this season as the Australian Government persisted with intense Covid 19 scrutiny as other countries returned to normal. Covid-19 protocols were causing logistics delays with foreign operators importing firefighting equipment. Ship space this year was and continues to be a significant issue. The demand for global freight will see this issue continue in the short term.

These delays will see a high likelihood of airframes being forced to move by cargo aircraft to meet timelines set out by fire agencies worldwide.

The Australian Federal Government’s contracted 737, which spent most of its time in Western Australia this season, performed 76 drops totaling 984,557 liters/260,000 US GAL of retardant this summer, while borrowed LATs from other States performed 41 drops totaling 460,964 liters/122,000 US GAL of retardant.

The rise in usage of LAT aircraft in Australia continues to grow, with the South Australian Government soon announcing the purchase of a LAT.

Western Australia had the most significant fleet additions over the summer period with two additional Bell 412’s based at RAAF Base GinGin; the NSW-based LAT Bomber 210 was based at Busselton and Geraldton for some time, along with the NSW-based RJ85 and the C-130 at Busselton. The fire support and spotting fleet also grew due to the number of fires lit deliberately or by dry lightning.

The Victorian and Queensland governments currently share joint use of a Conair-owned and FieldAir-operated Dash8 Q400MR over the next four years. Now, the Australian states of the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory are without LAT support. The widespread use of LAT assets that has continued to grow over the last several years is a far cry from the single LAT program that the Victorian Government struggled to get off the ground in the early 1980s. ➤ aerialfiremag.com | AF 65

States continue their investment in locally-based and or owned assets.

The Western Australian Government has committed funds to acquire a large air tanker (LAT) on lease to be based in the state for the next 4 fire seasons.

Although Air Tractors are common in Australian aerial firefighting, this season saw the addition of multiple Black Hawks and the debut of Coulson’s CU-47 in Australia.

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Nationwide Equipment This season saw type one Black Hawk helicopters based in Australia. Adding Blackhawks to the firefighting fleet replaced several Erickson Skycranes missing from this year’s fleet from overseas. There was much said by many firefighters across the country this year about the lack of the heavy-hitting Skycrane not being in the skies as an additional asset to the international fleet.

As the Australian fleet primarily consists of Bell-type two and three aircraft that are becoming increasingly harder to find parts for, the natural progression is now moving into more modern aircraft types that allow easier maintenance and parts acquisitions.

These newer acquisitions include Blackhawks and the much larger Airbus Super Puma.

Erickson Inc returned to Australia with just one of the company’s famous S-64F Air-crane that arrived at the docks in Melbourne on January 17th and became Helitak 342. The helicopter was based at Moorabbin Airport for its entire season.

Kestrel Aviation further increased its Australian fleet under the guidance and owners Ray and Elenore Cronin; a new type was introduced into the company stable as the Airbus Helicopters AS355L1 Super Puma was added.

Coulson Aviation again played a large part in local fire operations, taking a contract in Western Australia and regular contracts in Victoria and New South Wales. The NSWRFS awarded contracts to Coulson for the supply of a Large Air Tanker (LAT), which was operated by a Lockheed C-130Q N131CG, and a Type 1 Helicopter which was a first for the NSW RFS. Coulson inducted the CU-47D N40CU and was the first type contracted through NAFC. The Coulson fleet consisted of one Boeing 737-300, one EC-130Q Large Air Tanker, two CU-47 Chinooks, and one S-61.

The Victorian Government awarded contracts for the supply of two Type 1 helicopters. The first delivered was the Sikorsky S-61 C-FXEC returning for another season and now wearing the company’s corporate color scheme. It took up operations at the firebase at Mansfield in the state’s high country. The second was the first of the type for Victoria with the Boeing CU-47D Chinook N42CU. Once it was assembled at the docks in Melbourne after arrival in January, it took up the Helitak 341 number and operated from Essendon Fields Airport. ➤

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United Aero Helicopters has been a fixture in fire operations in NSW for many years. The company has always been at the forefront of new types and has consistently increased its own fleet with this increased thanks to partnerships with the likes of Wildcat Helicopters from Canada.

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Pay’s Aviation have a large fleet of both wheeled and float versions of the Air Tractor AT-802.

A further contracted LAT was allocated for use as part of the National Sovereign Large Air Tanker contract. This aircraft, a Boeing 737 Fireliner, saw extensive service in Western Australia while based at Busselton in the state’s south and was at times supported by the NSW RFS Boeing 737 Bomber 210, the Marie Bashir, and Coulson C-130Q from NSW, which arrived at Busselton from Richmond, NSW. It was based at Busselton temporarily to assist in fighting a large bushfire at Margaret River. After helping with the fire in Western Australia, the two aircraft returned to Richmond on December 12th, 2021.

New South Wales, instead of fire danger this season, was subject to high rainfall with the NSW RFS-owned, Coulsonoperated Bell 412 helicopters used for months on flood response in NSW. The NSW-based CU-47 also assisted in flood relief after its tank was removed to fly missions airlifting supplies to affected communities.

In late February, Coulson received approval from CASA to conduct night fire suppression operations under Night Vision Goggles (NVG) in Australia using the CU-47D very large helitanker. This operation has been performed by Coulson pilots and aircraft both successfully and safely in night fire suppression operations in CU-47D very large helitankers for several years in North America and the Type one S-61 helitankers in Australia.

On December 23rd, 2021, the Australian Government welcomed the first-ever National Sovereign Large Air Tanker, a Boeing 737 Fireliner ‘Gaia’ arrived at RAAF Richmond. It was soon deployed to Western Australia to assist with firefighting operations in that state.

Aerotech First Response increased its presence in South Australia this year. The company won contracts to supply two UH-60 Blackhawks type 1 helicopters. Aerotech purchased two ex-US Army Blackhawks and was the first and currently only Australian-based operation with Blackhawks to have them on the VH (Australian civil) register and be fitted with the Helitak FT4500 underbelly tank.

Joining the Aerotech fleet was Air Tractor VH-XPB. This machine flew as Bomber 593 and is part of the XO Aviation fleet based in Parap in the Northern Territory.

This aircraft supplemented the Aerotech Air Tractor fleet, which again took up operation from the airbase in Claremont in the Mount Lofty Ranges along with operations from Mt Gambier, Port Lincoln, and Hoyleton.

Joining them were helicopter platforms, including EC-130, VH-HQL (Firebird 502) and EC-135 VH-LHZ (Firebird 503), and EC-135 VH-HBB (Firebird 501). ➤

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Several of Coulson Aviation's S-61's returned to Australia for the 2021-2022 season.

McDermott Aviation Took up more contracts this season, further increasing the company’s supply of aerial firefighting platforms. Yellow and Blue painted McDermott machines were seen in Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales. Before the start of the Southern season, six of the companies Bell Helicopters were deployed to Greece in the Northern season for fire operations from locations around the country.

Four of them were flown to Greece as cargo in the belly of an Antonov AN-124. Two were loaded at Wellcamp Airport (Toowoomba) in Queensland, with another two picked up and loaded at Perth Airport and onward to Greece. The Greece contract finished in October with preparations for shipping the helicopters back to Australia. Of note was the operational tempo during their time in Greece. For two months, over 155 flight hours consisted of 986 water drops, dropping 2,460 tons of water during firefighting operations in Greece. No small feat by just six helicopters.

McDermott had six helicopters on Contract in Western Australia, five in Queensland, two in New South Wales, six in Tasmania, and three in Victoria. McDermott continues to affirm their commitment to aerial firefighting in Australia and abroad, with additional machines on their way to be added to the fleet.

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Six McDermott helicopters were flown to Fremantle Docks in Western Australia for forwarding shipping to Greece, where they will again support Greece fire agencies. This marks the third year of these operations for the two organizations.

United Aero Helicopters has been a fixture in fire operations in NSW for many years. This season United took the opportunity to increase its types operated. Following the purchase from Pickering Aviation Inc in Denton, Texas, United took delivery of UH-60A Blackhawk N260UH. Once it arrived in Sydney, it was ferried to Camden, NSW. A Helitak FT4500 belly tank was fitted, tested, and certified for operation. It was flown from Camden, arriving at Serpentine, WA, on January 12th, 2022. It was based at Serpentine until April 2022, operating on contract to the Western Australian Government, under the control of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).

The company also deployed a second Blackhawk to the West, with this machine being owned by Kahu NZ in Whakatane in New Zealand. ZK-HKU a Sikorsky EH-60A was flown from its base in Serpentine WA as Helitak 679.

Once again, this machine was equipped with a Helitak underbelly tank. Both machines were used extensively in the West as fires were rife across the state.

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Field Air took up contracts in several states this season.

One which saw a collaboration between the Queensland and Victorian Governments saw Conair-owned Dash8-Q400 C-FFQE arrive in Bundaberg, where it operated as Bomber 141 on behalf of the Queensland Fire Service.

At the end of the contract in Queensland in December, the aircraft was positioned at its new operating base at Avalon Airport in Victoria. It changed its logos and bomber number to 390 and was ready for its Victorian contract. This shared platform will be permanently based within Australia for the next three seasons. It will be hangered at Avalon in the offseason before repositioning to Queensland again for the 2022/23 season.

The company was also contracted to deploy two Large Air Tankers (LATS) for the Victorian and New South Wales fleets in the form of BAe RJ-85s. Based at Avalon and Dubbo, respectively, were two Conair aircraft. With C-GVFK taking up the Bomber 391 number in Victoria and C-GVRT Bomber 166 for New South Wales. Both aircraft worked on fires across borders this season. The Victorian machine worked on a fire that originated in South Australia and crossed into Victoria. The NSW aircraft was sent to assist with the fires in Western Australia in early December and worked out of Busselton Firebase during its time there. ➤

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Left: many changes occurred this season, including the addition of several new helicopter types, and the arrival of only one Erickson Air Crane, instead of the five or more usually in service in Australia.

Sydney Helicopters deployed on significant operations for its Bell 412s this season. The aircraft flew from their Penrith base in NSW via multiple stops to RAAF GinGin on 16-18 December 2021. The trip was a logistical and well-planned operation with fuel truck support from TechFuel, meeting the two machines at pre-planned stops along the transit route. All of this was done while Western Australia still has a hard border with the rest of the country.

Microflite was another local operator who expanded this season. Not only in fleet numbers but also in its number of contracted helicopters. Microflite secured contracts for helicopter operations in Victoria, Tasmania, and the ACT. They provided helicopters for roles including Air Attack Supervision, Intelligence gathering, and firebombing. A purchase of a second-hand ex Miami-Dede County Bell 412 and fitting it with a Helitak FT1800 belly tank.

Touchdown Helicopters was another operator this season to branch into Blackhawk operations. Teaming up with US operator HeliQwest, the two companies brought out N61AA, equipping it with a Helitak HT4500 underbelly tank, operating from Bankstown for the season as Helitak 233.

Helitak Fire Fighting Equipment, the Australian company that produces underbelly tanks for aerial firefighting operations, has seen significant growth in its home market segment, with no fewer than six Blackhawks deployed across the country operating with its tanks fitted.

A massive uptake by local agencies and the quick fit solution offered by the tank has invigorated sales. Owner Jason Schellars and operations manager Paul Blundell continue to market the tank overseas.

With further orders coming for more Blackhawk tanks.

A new venture was made public in January as Arista Aviation Services in Alabama will soon offer the Helitak expandable tanks to customers wanting to operate with a fixed belly tank requiring no airframe modification and no extended landing gear installation for all helicopter types. aerialfiremag.com | AF 73

Chief pilot Fred Jorgensen.

Fred Jorgensen Takes Controls as New Chief Pilot for Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency Industry Veteran Appointed to Top Role

By Ted Delanghe The sound of aircraft engines echoing over the vast forests and lakes of northern Saskatchewan dates back to 1924 when the Royal Canadian Air Force flew the first aerial photography flights in the region. This produced detailed area maps critical for air navigation, and soon aircraft were being used in forest fire suppression, with the province developing a highly efficient air attack system in the 50s and 60s operating from a chain of bases located at Prince Albert, La Ronge, Meadow Lake, Hudson Bay, and Buffalo Narrows.

First were fire patrols and water bombing with Beavers and Otters, and eventually, Grumman Trackers, Cansos, and CL215 water bombers formed the backbone of the fleet.

As the newly appointed Chief Pilot for the Flight Operations Unit of the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), Fred Jorgensen grew up in the north, where aircraft was a principal means of transportation and commerce. From an early age, Fred's interest was drawn to the skies.

"Ever since I was a little kid, I remember coming to the La Ronge airshow with my model airplanes and pretending to fly through the air with the airshow participants. I always had a fascination with aircraft and the ability to fly and thought that was something that not everyone had a chance to experience, so I wanted to be up there and be a part of that."

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Even though today, where many of the province's northern communities are linked by road and improved communications, aviation continues to play a critically important role in the region, not only in fire suppression but also in mining, recreation, resource management, and other commercial activities.

"Aviation is a big part of the La Ronge community where I was born and raised. Our house wasn't far from the airport, so every summer, I'd see the floatplanes fly over, and you could hear the growl of the radial engines of Tracker and CL-215 aircraft, and you'd know that springtime was in the air, and not long after that, the aerial attack fire season was on the way."

While aviation remained his primary goal, Fred realized that furthering his education would return solid dividends down the road, so he decided on a two-pronged approach, mixing flying with furthering his education.

"I started my private license in Ottawa when attending university, taking an aerospace and engineering course. Still, halfway through my third year, I decided I'd rather be out there driving aircraft than sitting behind some desk designing them. I took a break that Christmas and moved back to Saskatchewan, and finished my Private Pilot License course in Saskatoon at Mitchinson Aviation Centre in 1997."

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency operates several different aircraft types, including these CL-215’s.

An old adage says the opportunity is where luck and preparation meet. For many pilots, that also meant starting as a 'ramp rat,' refueling aircraft, handling baggage, and doing whatever was required outside of flying the aircraft.

For Fred, it meant continuing his flying career and finishing his aerospace degree.

"In the summer of 1996, I worked the docks at Athabasca Airways, so the spring after I got my commercial license, Athabasca offered me a position on the Cessna 185. Soon after, they shipped me to Stony Rapids, where I spent two summers. For the winter months, I figured I needed that fourth year of university, so, over the next two years, I was flying in the summer on the floatplanes and then finishing my university degree in the winter. I graduated in 2000 and returned to flying in Saskatchewan, and I've been doing that ever since."

Making a move to aerial attack demands a lot from pilots.

The companies and organizations providing water bombing services are very selective in choosing aircrew and ground crew. The job is appealing from the flying point of view and because they are virtually on the job for the entire season and at times in other jurisdictions.

Over the years, the job has taken me to New Mexico, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. I started in the CL215 as co-pilot in 2006, held that position for four years, and then on to the Turbo Commander as Birddog. Since then, I've flown as Captain on the Commander, the 215, and the Convair. I enjoy flying all of them, but I would say the Turbo Commander is my favorite because of its high speed; and you get to fly at treetop level doing the Birddog work, but you still get to fly at a high level and get some IFR flight time.

The move to Chief Pilot has also brought changes in his overall role. I've been acting Chief Pilot for the last year and a half, and as of April 1 of this year, the assignment became official. I won't be flying as much, but I must keep current on the Birddog and the two tankers so I can fill in for guys on their days off or as needed. But I also realize there will be increased managerial or administrative duties.

An essential part of the new assignment involves managing aircrew and ground crew, ensuring they are in the right place at the right time, and scheduling work periods with as few conflicts as possible. The uncertain nature of the timing and location of fires can often mean a plan one day becomes a different plan the next.

The crews come back in late March to late April, where we stagger the groups just a little, so we have more coverage and flexibility throughout summer and have coverage in the spring and late fall.

In any industry, keeping pace with technology is always part and parcel of strategic planning. With regards to aviation, in particular, the advent of the Global Positioning System (GPS) has revolutionized the way aircraft navigate around the world.

"I started on a Cessna 185 that didn't have GPS, and it was all Mark One eyeball map reading wherever we went.

You had to get to know every lake and bay and island. Over the years, GPS has tremendously increased our situational awareness, not just locally but when we have to help out in other jurisdictions. That also means we can do the job more efficiently and economically than ever." ➤ aerialfiremag.com | AF 75

Saskatchewan tanker 471 drops a load of retardant.

GPS is also of particular importance in aerial attacks because, in a lot of areas, the aircraft need to work, there are no other navigation aids, and when you're flying over thousands and thousands of square miles of forest country, that looks a lot the same, it becomes more and more challenging to navigate in a direct line from point A to point B. "In our situation, you're not just going from the airport to airport, you're going all over the place, and whether it be our land-based aircraft operating from airstrips or our skimmers refilling in lakes, the quicker we get to a location, the better we can help combat a fire. And many of our experienced pilots can pass along exact GPS information they've learned over the years about specific lakes, whether they are suitable or not, if there are any dangers like sand bars, logs, or the like."

Accurate GPS information also allows the dispatch center to send out an aircraft in response to a call from a camp or cabin owner who may be concerned over a nearby fire and to check out the location and wind direction to ascertain the degree of danger to buildings and other structures.

In all areas of aviation, safety has become more and more a central and strategic part of any operation. It makes good sense not only from a personnel and equipment point of AF 76 | aerialfiremag.com

view but also because avoiding accidents or incidents means having more resources at your disposal.

"We do everything we can to improve what we do and how we do it. We've greatly enhanced our Safety Management System (SMS) operations in how we communicate within the organization and with other organizations such as Transport Canada and those in other jurisdictions. The more efficient we become in our interactions, the better, where we work together to develop options to do everything safely and as best we can."

For Fred Jorgensen, being a northerner has meant that community service is an integral part of living and working in the north, where communities need to pull together when faced with the challenges of dealing with emergencies brought on by a temperamental Mother Nature.

"I enjoy giving back to the province, of being part of emergency services. On the side, I've spent 20 years as a local firefighter from La Ronge, so I feel that being in the fire service as part of the provincial air attack team is just an extension. And part of the job is being ready to react quickly on a 24/7 basis when people, property, or resources are directly threatened by fire. So, we're all there to serve and protect the public to the best of our ability."

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aerialfiremag.com | AF 77

Fire Pilot Profile

Kyler Burke and one of the many aircraft he has flown over the years.

Kyler Burke

Growing up on Catalina Island in Southern California, helicopters became a mainstay in Kyler Burke’s life at an early age. His mother owned a business on the mainland and would often take the 15-minute flight to the mainland instead of the hour-long ferry ride. As the story goes, she was light, and he was small, so the pilots frequently found enough room for him to tag along. As if this wasn’t enough to convince young Burke to learn to fly, he was also childhood friends with the son of the founders of Island Express Helicopters. Burke explained that his friend’s dad was one of his childhood heroes.

During his junior year of high school, Burke met the girl who would later become his wife. Though they went to different schools, they quickly became serious about their futures, and as Burke kicked around a plan of possibly joining the Army to pursue flight school. She explained that she had zero interest in becoming an Army wife. Faced with the daunting notion of trying to become an aviator in the Army and the growing desire to one day make this lady his wife, Burke decided to take the civilian flight training route but shelve AF 78 | aerialfiremag.com

his rotary wing dreams for a while and look for a regular job right out of high school.

One day, while living and working in Orange County, California, Burke arrived at work, and a co-worker looked at him and said, “Hey didn’t you tell me you wanted to be a helicopter pilot?” Burke replied, “Yeah, I don’t recall mentioning that, but yes, I do.” His co-worker continued, “well, I heard a commercial on the radio this morning, and they say they’ll take you from zero to flight instructor, and then you can become a commercial pilot… I’m even thinking about doing it.” Burke couldn’t attend the seminar announced in that advertisement but decided to hop on his motorcycle a few days later and ride up to Chino to check things out. “I was 19 at the time. I didn’t know a lot, but I had a hunch that piecemealing my way through flight training and paying by the hour as I was able probably wouldn’t work for me. Then Silver State came along and said, we’ll take you from zero to hero for $60k, and I thought, well, I can get financing, go after it, and get it done.

So, that’s exactly what I did.”

It was a slow start for Burke and the first batch of trainees in Silver State’s Chino program. There were roughly 120 students and only one R22 at the time. “In the beginning, all we did was study and put time on the simulators,” recalls Burke.

Eventually, the program began to work out its early kinks, and Burke and his classmates progressed through their flight training and later became flight instructors working for Silver State. Burke had been working for the company as a flight instructor in Jacksonville, FL, for about eight months when one day in December of 2007, he and a student had an Overspeed in a practice autorotation in a Robinson, and Burke was fired because of it. “Which was probably the best thing they could have done to me because I moved back west to Redding, CA, and took another job as a flight instructor.

By February of 2008, Silver State folded, and 350 of my friends were out looking for jobs on the same day. Unfortunately for some, what happened with Silver State ended their careers.”

Luckily for Burke, the summer of 2008 ended up being a hectic year for fires on the west coast, and that summer, tons of aircraft showed up at his airport to battle the SHU Lightning Complex Fire in the Shasta Trinity National Forest.

“I had never really considered firefighting; I thought the idea of flying long line fighting fires was nuts.” He explained.

One day Burke met up with a pilot flying a Huey for Withrotor. After going out to lunch with that pilot and his crew, he and the pilot exchanged their contact information.

A week or two later, word got back to Burke through another Withrotor pilot that the company was looking for a relief copilot on S61s. ➤

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Kyler and his family pose with a Helicopters Express Bell 407HP.

“He put me in touch with the owner, and I brought my resume - three days later, I was flying in an S61 as a relief copilot, and that’s what catapulted my utility career.”

flew missions like aerial firefighting, LiDAR inspection, and patrolling power lines to law enforcement recon and shorthaul and charter work.

Burke continued to work at Withrotor for the next couple of years. While it was still several years before he could make a decent year-round income, that job was an excellent opportunity for him to build time, learn to fly Hueys and long lines, and gain much more exposure to utility flying.

Like many others in the business, some of his greatest personal satisfaction comes simply from ending a day of safe operations, primarily when he has supported the men and women on the ground, protecting lives and property.

Burke took whatever gigs he could get for five to six years to build his skills and hours. Luckily, many of his contracts gave him turbine and medium time. Unfortunately, that was not always the case. There were also times when he had to return to flight instructing, making just enough money to fill his gas tank, and he augmented his income with web design and graphic design work. Undaunted, he continued to hustle until he finally hit 1500 hours and managed to get on year-round as a line pilot with PJ Helicopters. There he AF 80 | aerialfiremag.com

As Burke’s career has progressed in utility and firefighting, in recent years, he found himself transitioning from being a line pilot to spending time as the Chief Pilot at two different helicopter operators in the Northwest. Burke explains that the biggest challenge of being a Chief Pilot is what energized him the most about the role - acting as an advocate for the pilots and the company. “At the end of the day, what the company wants from the pilots is safe, profitable operations and loyalty. What the pilots want out of the company is compensation, safe aircraft, and career stability.”

Burke's career has taken him all over the country, flying dozens of different aircraft types.

Not so different in their ideals, but there can be quite a bit of maneuvering involved in getting the two sides to line up, even if it doesn’t align perfectly every time.

Burke also notes that as he returns to the line, his perspective has forever shifted from one of just personal logistics such as: “Is my aircraft airworthy? What is my project today, and where are we ending the day?” to one of a wider field of view and greater introspection with thoughts like; “Who am I? What are my motivations?

Who are we as an organization?” Burke enjoys weaving into his consideration the cultural aspects and values of the company, right alongside his mindset and beliefs. “Weirdly, I liked forming SOPs; I also loved the responsibility of hiring, placing, and mentoring people in their new positions. Those guys have remained friends and colleagues to me, and it feels really good to help make a great team.” He hopes to continue doing these things, regardless of role or title.

Much like one of his mentors Gary Wiltrout, Burke takes to heart his faith and strives to exemplify that in how he flies, relates to people, and serves the people around him. “I hope that when it’s my turn to retire, people will similarly think of me. I am grateful for my encouragement and what I was able to teach and share with them because of how grateful I am to Gary for having that influence on me.”

Burke believes that one of the greatest things instilled in him by his mentors was the encouragement to stick to his guns and his values. There are always opportunities to cut corners to get the job done or save money, but he feels like those points can also be tipping points leading to potentially unsafe practices. “It was difficult at times to follow my convictions and do what I felt was right, but later finding out that people noticed what I did and echoed that I did the right thing is a really good feeling. It’s probably one of the biggest things that have kept me safe and alive. It’s not always easy to stick to it, but it’s the right thing to do.” ➤ aerialfiremag.com | AF 81

No matter what the mission, Burke has risen to the occasion and enjoys the challenge of being chief pilot every day.

It took a lot of varied experiences in different types of aircraft to get to where he is today. For those interested in exploring fire or utility flying, Burke suggests that bringing a positive attitude, a willingness to work hard, and wearing multiple hats can mean the difference between getting those golden opportunities during a flying career or not. “Back when I was a low timer, I did graphic design and IT work for one of the companies I flew for, and that convinced the owner to keep me on through the winter when many of the other pilots were just seasonal. Even today, they wear the t-shirts I designed 13 years ago.”

Finding ways to make yourself more profitable to the company and showing your loyalty can be crucial and make the company want to invest more in you. He also advises that it’s easier to pay one’s dues and do those low financial reward opportunities when “you’re still young and energetic” because it’s harder to afford to do them later on.

The experience gained will pay dividends later on and likely develop a career faster.

AF 82 | aerialfiremag.com

At nearly 4,000 hours into his career, Burke still feels most at home behind the controls of many of the Bell products found over fires in North America. Specifically, he is most fond of flying the Bell mediums, especially the 205, UH-1, or 212. “Whether it is utility work or fighting fires, I love how they feel and maneuver. There’s something so cool about getting in that groove and flying buckets or doing various lifts in a Bell medium all day.”

Not surprisingly, while the flying he’s done has evolved over the years (and continues to evolve today), he continues to enjoy the fulfillment of the many great relationships he’s formed while loving doing what he has always known he was meant to do. “You don’t get into helicopters because you think it’s lucrative or prestigious; there are no guarantees; it takes a lot of hard work and hustle. You get into helicopters because you believe at your core, regardless of how logical or illogical it is, that flying helicopters is what you were meant to do and maintain the conviction to stick to it.”

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