Infernal affairs

Following unprecedented devastation in Australia, the advent of the northern hemisphere wildfire season has firefighters in a state of high alert. In our special report, Flight International reviews developments in aircraft being readied to battle the blazes and surveys preparations in California, where recent years have seen climate change and urban sprawl combine to amplify incendiary disaster

CONTENTS

24 Wildfire season California heats up 27 Trailblazer Lead pilot’s challenge 28 Programmes Fleet options

Leonardo Super Huey offers flexibility by the bucketload (top). Leadplane pilot (above right) fulfils a vital role directing emergency response safely from the air and on the ground. C-27J Spartan (above) is evolving as versatile and low-cost alternative to specialist platforms

Very large assets such as the DC-10 tackle blazes from an altitude of around 250ft

Through the inferno

Anticipating a ferocious wildfire season compounded by coronavirus lockdown restrictions, California’s airborne firefighting fleet is being readied for the toughest of action

PILAR WOLFSTELLER SAN FRANCISCO I n the early morning hours of 8 November 2018, the deadliest, most destructive and most expensive wildfire in the history of

California broke out in tinder-dry forest about 88 miles (141km) to the north of the state’s capital, Sacramento. By the time the “Camp Fire” blaze had been contained almost three weeks later, 85 people were dead and the town of Paradise had been levelled. The firestorm destroyed almost 19,000 structures and acrid smoke reached the San Francisco Bay Area to the southwest – forcing residents indoors, cancelling sport ing events and raining ash over a large swath of the state.

A spark from a nearly 100-year-old power transmission line coupled with high winds, low humidity and dry brush created the perfect recipe for disaster. This was a worst-case scenario that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection – known as CAL FIRE – trains for every day. Its jurisdiction is the most populous state in the nation, and its owned fleet of aerial firefighting equipment is the largest in the world.

Preparedness means everything in a place where, as many Californians joke, the four seasons are earthquake, mudslide, drought and fire. In the past five years more than 2 million hectares (5 million acres) of the state have been torched by wildfires. “There’s going to be a fire season in California every year, no matter where you are,” says Dennis Brown, senior chief of aviation for CAL FIRE’s Aviation Management Unit (AMU), based near Sacramento.

Joel Kerley chairs the National Interagency Aviation Committee (NIAC) wildfire co-ordinating group, which manages aerial firefighting standards and strategy across the USA, shifting assets to where they are needed the most. He agrees with Brown, adding: “During peak fire season, you are never going to have enough stuff. That’s when the co-ordination efforts really kick in. My group is there to keep a pulse on the activity of all the fleet that is out there.”

The AMU’s fiscal year 2019 budget is $93 million out of CAL FIRE’s $2.5 billion. Its fleet consists of about 50 aircraft: fixed-wing air tankers, tactical aircraft and helicopters,

CAL FIRE

stationed at 12 air bases and 10 helicopter bases. But it can balloon to between 250 and 300 aircraft if a particularly bad fire season warrants, says Brown.

CAPABLE FLEET

The workhorse of CAL FIRE’s aviation family is the Grumman S-2T Turbo Tracker tanker, which can hold 4,550 litres (1,200USgal) of water or fire retardant – a chemical salt compound mixed with water, clay or a gum thickening agent and a pink dye. At 4.1kg (9lb) per gallon, an S-2T can carry up to 4,900kg of retardant. The aircraft came to the agency from the military, where in their previous lives they were used to track submarines.

Loading S-2Ts takes just minutes. The aircraft have a fill spout in the tail, allowing CAL FIRE to “hot load” retardant without having to shut off the aircraft’s engines between missions. Pumps push 1,100-1,900 litres of retardant per minute into the tanks, allowing the aircraft to launch again quickly. One S-2T can cycle five to six times before it needs to be shut down and refuelled, Brown says.

The air tankers usually deliver a load of re tardant ahead of a wind-whipped fire line to slow its progress, or reduce its intensity, and give on-the-ground firefighters a real chance to extinguish, or at least contain it.

Twelve Bell UH-1H Super Huey helicopters, which can each carry up to 1,200 litres of water in a bucket mounted below the aircraft, and 11 crew including the pilot, are used for fast initial attacks on wildfires. They can also be used for medical evacuations, mapping and non-emergency missions.

In early 2019, CAL FIRE took delivery of a Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk helicopter, the first of what will be a $300 million fleet of up to 12 high-tech twin-engined “Firehawks” that will eventually replace the ageing Super Hueys. The second Firehawk is due to be delivered later this year.

The agency also operates 15 Rockwell OV-10A Broncos, former reconnaissance air craft used to co-ordinate aerial assets with ground-based firefighters. “The OV-10s are our command and control platform, an airborne fighter co-ordinating operations for the fire,” Brown says. A pilot and an air tactical group superviser (ATGS) use the tandem-seaters to gain an overview of the blaze, plan strategy and call in air support where it is most needed.

Two Beechcraft King Air 200s, used for ATGS training, and a Baron 58, used for ad ministrative purposes and transporting people and parts, round out the fleet.

In an average year, CAL FIRE’s fixed-wing and rotary craft usually fly between 200-300h each, with about three-quarters of those hours on actual firefighting missions and the rest for training, says Brown.

The agency receives aviation support from several other authorities, including the California National Guard, which alone owns more aircraft than most nations, as well as the US Forest Service. Together with its partners, the aircraft available to be de ployed can range from small drones for fire detection and reconnaissance, all the way up to the guard’s Modular Airborne Fire Fight ing System (MAFFS) – a retrofitted Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules that can carry more than 15,000 litres of retardant.

CAL FIRE is gearing up to receive its own fleet of seven C-130s, including ground sup port equipment, handed down from the US Coast Guard through the government’s 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. These will enter service beginning in about 18 months, after being modified and structurally upgraded for firefighting operations.

“You are never going to have enough stuff. That’s when the co-ordination efforts kick in” Joel Kerley

Chairman, National Interagency Aviation Committee wildfire co-ordination group

One of this type of aircraft, owned by Cana da’s Coulson Aviation and contracted out to Australia’s Rural Fire Service, crashed in Jan uary while helping tame that country’s historically destructive wildfires, killing its three-member crew.

“Tanker 134 had been instrumental in fighting California’s wildfires in 2019. This was a unique contract, as we were able to put our flightcrews on this aircraft to start training [them] in flying the C-130, transitioning from the S-2T air tankers,” Brown says. “With that very close relationship over the course of the fire season, it was a huge emotional hit for all of us when the aircraft and flightcrew were lost in the accident in Australia.”

The crash brought into sharp relief how brutal and punishing these missions are for the machines and crew. Unpredictable winds, dangerous or impassable terrain, low visibili ty due to smoke, and heat that can melt paint off a fuselage are some of the dangers crews face every firefighting day. ❯❯ When releasing their loads, air tankers are

❯❯ usually no more than 150ft above the ground: flying that requires exceptional piloting skills and highly specialised training, as well as robust and clear communications with ground-based firefighting units. Any higher than that and the accuracy of a drop is lost.

“For every fire, we have what’s called the fire traffic area, which is a 7nm [13km] ring around the centre of the fire,” Kerley says. “Within those seven miles is our airspace, and we will bring as many as 25 aircraft into that area at different altitudes.”

Brown tells the story of a CAL FIRE pilot who, during the 2018 Camp Fire, got an early morning call to drop retardant over a fire line in a rural area. “The conditions were so severe that he flew around for an hour trying to drop,” Brown says. “He deployed full flaps, power off, tried to descend to get low enough to drop, but it was impossible to get down safely.” The heat from the fire constantly pushed the aircraft higher, making any poten tial drop ineffective.

GROWING CHALLENGE

Wet winters have a counterintuitive effect on the following fire season, experts say. Rain is usually a good thing – the grass is greener and thicker, and vegetation grows more quickly. CAL FIRE But when that vegetation dries towards the S-2T Turbo Trackers are mainstay of CAL FIRE fleet and can drop 4,550 litres of retardant end of the following summer, it can become fast-burning fuel. equation, but also societal changes and new used to be,” Brown says. “Thirty years ago

“At the height of the drought a few years population clusters have placed additional there were a lot fewer homes in the wildago, here in the north of California we had a stress on the state in terms of wildfire danger. lands and while we did have late-season lot of dead trees, the fire danger was extreme, In 1980, California had just 25 million inhabwind-driven events, it was not impacting but in the south they had had no rain for so itants. In 2018 it had 40 million. Humans people as much.” long, they had no grass crop, so they had an continue to encroach upon nature, so fires are There is no clear “beginning” or “end” to fire extremely low fire season,” explains Brown. destroying more structures and property, and season, say both Kerley and Brown, and the

No two seasons are ever the same. Weather killing more people. season itself is less predictable than it used to conditions and climate change are part of the “Seasons are definitely different than they be. In southern California, which generally has a hotter climate, firefighters stand at the ready earlier in the year than in the northern part of the state. Most of CAL FIRE’s air attack bases are ready to go with trained crews and aircraft prepared between 15 April and 1 June.

The hottest months, both in terms of weath er and wildfire spread and intensity, are July, August and September, with the season winding down by late October. But occasionally, the most destructive fires – like those in 2018 – are not contained until late in November or even early December.

The longer the season, the more difficult it is to bring the aircraft through regular maintenance cycles during the season and also ready for the following year. Mandatory mainteKari Greer/US Forest Service nance protocols, as well as component replacements and repairs, usually take place over the ever-shortening winter off season.

“We’ve seen a huge uptick in the maintenance schedules and inspections. What we do supersedes anything that the [Federal AviaAgency will begin introducing fleet of seven Hercules-based MAFFS air tankers next year tion Administration] would require or the

Blazing a safe trail over the flames

Lisa Allen is a leadplane pilot, guiding tankers to drop their loads as effectively and safely as possible

“As aerial firefighters, our main purpose is to support the people on the ground however we can, from getting supplies, to delivering retardant, delivering water, carrying out mapping or taking video. My job as a leadplane pilot is to increase the safety, effectiveness and efficiency of the air tankers and helicopters.

“As the leadplane, I go down quite low to co-ordinate with the crews on the fireline. We devise the strategy, tactics and objective for the mission. I find out where they want the retardant to go. While the tankers are loading and returning from their base, I stay on scene and fly the run, figure out the heading and altitude, check the hazards and scout the exit. I need to get down into that environment to see if it’s too turbulent, too smoky, too windy for us to do the job. If we’re not being effective, we’ll shut the operation down.

“By being overhead all the time, I can see what the smoke and the wind is doing, I can see what the turbulence is like and have that plan already in place. When the tanker comes, I clear it into the airspace, talk them through the run, then they trail behind me between a quarter and a half mile and we do the run. They go back to base, and I stick around and do the same thing with the next tanker.

“We have three classifications of air tankers. The single-engined Air Tractors will drop to an altitude of 60-90ft, so I will get that low if I am leading them. I don’t want to be above their drop height because my wake turbulence would be a problem. The large air tankers, like the Avro RJ85/BAe 146, Lockheed Martin C-130 and McDonnell Douglas MD-87, drop from about 150ft. The very large tankers, like the Boeing 747 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10, are dropping from 250ft.

“It’s one landing pattern after another to a continuously changing runway. I could be leading a DC-10 at 150kt (278km/h), and the next run I’ll be leading an Air Tractor at 105kt. It’s a lot of stick and rudder flying – no autopilot here, just hand flying in a constantly changing environment.

“I am so fortunate to get to do what I do – and I love it. I get to fly over amazing places and I work with people who are extremely skilled. The things that air tanker pilots do with these aircraft is just mind-boggling.” ■

Lisa Allen flies for the US Bureau of Land Management’s National Aviation Office

Allen’s role is key, gauging conditions in the air and co-ordinating with crews on the ground

manufacturer requires for the aircraft,” Kerley says. Therefore, each aircraft has its own me chanic assigned to it, to keep it running when and where it is needed. “If they’re not flying… they become unavailable for us,” he adds.

It is too early to make a reliable forecast for what the 2020 season will look like, says Brown. But one thing is clear – trouble will come with the northern hemisphere’s summer.

The National Interagency Fire Center predicted on 8 April that the next few months will be warmer and drier than average along the West Coast. “This, coupled with the development of a significant grass crop in the lower elevations and an early melting of the mountain snowpack, is expected to prove to be problematic” in July and August, the agency writes in an assessment report.

NIAC is gearing up for this scenario. The organisation’s readiness plans are rated in terms of levels – one being the lowest, five being the highest. “It gets tricky when we are at planning level four or five, that means that geographic area has run out of material. At that point, it becomes just prioritisation, which fires are the biggest priority, the biggest values at risk,” Kerley says.

How often does that happen? “It would be a way easier question if you asked me how many years we don’t get to planning level five. Almost never.”

CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS

As if that was not enough, this year’s coronavirus pandemic has added yet another layer of worry for aerial firefighters. “We don’t yet have 100% clarity on how much that is going to affect us,” Kerley says, adding that the virus has already severely impacted preparations early in the year. Some training has had to be curtailed and moved online and cleaning protocols are being stepped up, but social distancing is difficult in a rough and dirty environment with many people at close quarters for extended periods.

Aerial units are beginning to rely more on unmanned air vehicles for reconnaissance, detection, mapping and planning out the distribution of resources to fight fires. This year, that part of the aviation fleet could play a greater role than ever before.

“Intelligence is going to be a premium this year, because we’re not going to have enough stuff to go around. We need to get real-time information to the decision makers to help with that prioritisation process,” Kerley says.

“We can use sensor technology and satellite technology to an extent, but it’s one thing to de tect the fire out in the middle of nowhere, and another thing organising the logistics of getting folks there to suppress it, along with this whole corona crisis – you can just imagine the massive amount of co-ordination going on right now.” ■

Rain makers

As the northern hemisphere wildfire season takes hold, agencies have an array of new aerial firefighting aircraft to choose from – but is the public sector prepared to invest?

Coulson Aviation has introduced the Fireliner Boeing 737-300 conversion

MURDO MORRISON LONDON

Global SuperTanker Services’ Boeing 747-400 is perhaps the ultimate heavy weapon in the neverending war on wildfires. “We don’t put out fires,” says Dan Reese, president of the company that operates the world’s largest water bomber, its capacity more than twice that of anything else on the market. “But we contain and control them.”

With tanks able to drop 72,700 litres (19,200USgal) of water or 66,300 litres of retardant, the jumbo freighter entered service in 2016 after the only other 747 firefighting aircraft, a -100, was scrapped when owner Evergreen folded in 2013. Reese says his SuperTanker can be dispatched from its Colorado Springs base to anywhere in North America in 4h 30min – or to almost any location globally in 20h.

It may not be the lowest-cost and nimblest asset when it comes to aerial firefighting, but Reese insists that the 747’s ability to make a devastating initial assault on a wildfire means its value is unmatched. “Diversity is the key in any firefighting operation,” he says. “We never profess to be the best tool for every thing, but we are an amazing tool for when people need a big hammer.”

Recent years have seen the firefighting agencies’ toolbox expanded with an array of new types. Aside from Global SuperTanker Services’ 747-400, Canada’s Coulson Aviation is introducing a fleet of 737 “Fireliners”, which it fits out itself. At the 2018 Farnbor ough air show, Lockheed Martin unveiled its “FireHerc” a civil-certificated air tanker variant of its C-130J Super Hercules.

The latest generation of Lockheed subsidiary Sikorsky’s Firehawk helicopter, the S-70i, has gone into operation with three Californian agencies. Meanwhile, another Canadian outfit, Viking Air, has introduced to service with Montana’s Bridger Aerospace the first of up to six revamped versions of the CL-415 water bomber, previously built by Canadair and then Bombardier.

The CL-415EAF – or Enhanced Aerial Firefighter – is a modified, low-hours Canadair CL-415. The upgrade is a “bridge”, explains Viking executive vice-president sales and marketing Rob Mauracher, to the in-development CL-515, the first “purpose-built aerial firefighter” in decades. British Columbiabased Viking plans to fly the amphibian – an all-new version of the CL-415 – in 2024.

Firefighting agencies and governments whose territories are prone to wildfires will welcome the additional choice on the market. After devastating fire seasons in Australia and California and global temperatures on a seemingly unwavering upward trajectory, authorities are braced for another gruelling campaign

Sikorsky Los Angeles County Fire Department updated its fleet with enhanced Sikorsky S-70i in 2019

“One of the reasons we

jumped in is that there is a patchwork of different capabilities out there” Tony Frese

Vice-president business development for air mobility and maritime missions, Lockheed Martin

– and this year’s challenge could be made tougher by the coronavirus crisis.

Ground-based firefighters are the foot soldiers in the fight against forest fires, and concerns over restrictions on billeting crews in close quarters could mean an expanded role for aerial assets as the northern hemisphere fire season gets under way. Whether this feeds through to greater demand for the services of operators – and ultimately new aircraft – depends largely on how bad the blazes get.

British Columbia-based Coulson converted its first former Southwest Airlines 737-300 in 2018 and the aircraft has seen action in both Australia and the USA. A second example was sold and delivered to the New South Wales gov ernment last August; Coulson will operate it on the state’s behalf. A third is being modified by Coulson and will enter service in 2021.

Chief executive Wayne Coulson calls the Fireliner – which can deliver 15,000 litres of

retardant from its twin tanks in less than 3s – the first “multpurpose fire tanker in the world”. It is certificated for 72 passengers, allowing firefighters to be flown to the scene of an outbreak. The conversion, which includes installation of Coulson’s retardant aerial delivery system roll-on tanks, takes 43,000h at its Vancouver Island facility.

The company – which has 36 years’ experience in aerial firefighting and also operates C-130Hs and helicopters – was in March awarded a multi-year contract with the US Forest Service to operate the Fireliner as part of the agency’s Next Generation Large Air Tanker Services requirement.

VERSATILE ASSET

Mauracher dubs the CL-515 – which Viking had planned to launch around now but has delayed until the fourth quarter because of coronavirus – a versatile “multipurpose” aircraft for “year-round use” that can be adapted in 1h to a search and rescue plat form using detachable pods. However, with its high wings and amphibious water-scooping hull, its primary role will remain as an aerial firefighter.

Bombardier sold the rights to its CL-215 and CL-415 to Viking parent Longview Avia tion in 2016 after shipping the last of around 160 water bombers built from 1969 in 2014. Although not a new airframe, CL-415EAF modifications include a Collins Aerospace

Coulson Aviation

Pro Line Fusion cockpit, new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123AF turboprops and replace ment of all “obsolete parts”. The conversion takes 80,000h.

Bridger Aerospace is due to take delivery of its second CL-415EAF in June, two more in 2021 and a final pair in 2022. The governments of Indonesia and Saskatchewan have also ordered one each. The CL-415EAF will “keep people focused on the asset”, as Viking concentrates on the more ambitious effort to certificate and market the CL-515 as a replacement for older-generation water bombers, says Mauracher.

The new-build aircraft, for which Indonesia has six commitments, will deliver a 15% increase in efficiency over the EAF, he says, along with “enhanced corrosion protection”, higher landing weight, and “a bunch of system changes” still being finalised. Mauracher says Viking is “working to sign up customers ahead of launch” and is in talks with the EU and several of the union’s member states.

Peru and Romania are among those using Leonardo’s C-27J Spartan as firefighters. Both nations have carried out operations using on-board Caylym Guardian containers: 1,000 litre corrugated cardboard boxes that can be dropped from rear-loading transport aircraft to create “an instant and accurate rainstorm”, according to the Californian systems manufacturer.

Leonardo says the C-27J is in “continuous evolution” as a firefighter, with Simplex Aerospace’s Fire Attack System the latest op tion. A 10,600 litre tank is installed in just over 1h via the rear loading ramp, with no major structural modifications, says Leonardo, giving the type “significantly lower acquisition and operating costs than a dedicated firefighting platform”.

Leonardo is also working with the Scodev consortium – which includes Belgium’s Sonaca and has been funded by an EU research grant – on a reel-and-hose scooping device that can be deployed at 100ft above the surface of an area of water, allowing an onboard tank to be filled “at high speed”. Scodev hopes to have the system certificated this year.

Derivatives of Hercules transports have been used as firefighters – including by Coulson – for many decades, but the LM-100J, a replacement for the L-100 freighter produced between 1964 and 1992, is Lockheed’s first attempt to market a dedicated water bomber. The variant received its US Federal Aviation Administra tion certification in November last year.

The FireHerc variant of the LM-100J addresses a “boutique mission”, says Tony Frese, vice-president business development for air mobility and maritime missions. “One of the reasons we jumped in is that there is a patchwork of different capabilities out there and we think we can take firefighting to the next level and be far more effective,” he adds.

STRONG CONTENDER

Jet airliner derivatives are not optimised for firefighting, says Frese, because they “were never designed to fly low, slow and heavy at 200ft off the ground”. However, the FireHerc’s straightwing design and turboprop engines “allows it to excel in supporting this challenging lowlevel, low-speed firefighting mission profile like no other large airliner in operation”.

Lockheed, which is working on a nighttime firefighting capability for the FireHerc, has not received any orders for the variant, but is “working closely with governments”. Frese adds: “This is the future of aerial fire fighting – a purpose-built aircraft that will take us from where we are today to where we need to be, with a full spectrum of day and, eventually, night firefighting.”

The S-70i Firehawk from sister company Sikorsky is the latest version of the firefighting Black Hawk derivative that has been in service since 2000. The State of California’s CAL FIRE agency, Los Angeles County and the San Diego Fire Rescue Department added the S-70i to their fleets in 2019, and deliveries are continu ing, with a total of 12 examples expected to be deployed for this year’s fire season.

Enhancements on the new version include an automatic water snorkel reel system with a refill pump that can siphon 3,790 litres in 45s ❯❯ while hovering, rather than 1min on the original

❯❯ version, thanks to a different suction method. Manoeuvrability has been raised to 4g and tank control panels have been modernised to reduce pilot workload, says Jeanette Eaton, vice-president business development.

So far, sales of the Firehawk, which is modified for Sikorsky by Air Methods company United Rotorcraft, have been restricted to the USA. However, with 56 legacy Black Hawks involved in firefighting around the world and 3,600 military variants in service in 30 countries, Eaton believes the type has significant export potential.

One of the most widely used rotorcraft for firefighting is the Russian Helicopters Kamov Ka-32, with its distinctive coaxial rotor design. Sixty of the European-certificated Ka-32A11BC variant are in service. Among the users of the Lockheed Martin helicopter for firefighting outside Russia are the LM-100J variant is optimised for the low flying with heavy loads needed in aerial firefighting South Korean forest service, Babcock in Spain, and Everjets in Portugal. Russia’s other main firefighting aircraft in national response to forest fires, and this

The Ka-32A11BC comes with 90 optional the fixed-wing world is the Beriev Be-200 am service is going to help deliver that,” she adds. equipment items, says the manufacturer, in phibian. In late 2018, the specialist manufacIsrael is another country that has found itcluding the Simplex system, SEI Industries’ turer – part of United Aircraft – won an order self more at risk from wildfires. Elbit Systems Bambi Bucket, a water cannon and, depend for four aircraft with six options from US firm late last year demonstrated a method of drop ing on the configuration, it can carry up to Seaplane Global Air Services, with all but the ping liquid pellets from 500ft – four times 5,000 litres of water. Crews can also use nightfirst pair fitted with SaM146 engines from the higher than the normal altitude for water vision goggles. PowerJet NPO Saturn and Safran joint bombing. Unlike conventional liquid, the pel

Russian Helicopters sees the market for venture that equips the Sukhoi Superjet. lets do not evaporate before they hit the firefighting helicopters increasing, and says a ground. This, says the Israeli firm, makes firemodernisation programme for in-service POPULAR WORKHORSE fighting at night less risky. Ka-32 helicopters should increase the family’s One of the most common firefighting aircraft In the exercise, Elbit and the firefighting appeal. The latest Ka-32A11M variant inis the Air Tractor AT-802F, with dozens desquadron of the Israeli air force released 1.6t cludes an avionics upgrade, higher perforployed in the recent Australian fires. Swedish of biodegradable liquid pellets from an airmance Klimov VK-2500PS engines and a new aerospace group Saab recently secured its first borne dispenser over a burning field, achievfire suppression system. Test flights are schedfirefighting deal, a four-year contract from the ing a “precise hit”. Although an AT-802F was uled for early 2021. country’s civil contingencies agency to have used in the trial, Elbit says the system would

The advantages of a helicopter over a fixedtwo AT-802Fs on call for duties in Sweden be compatible with almost any fixed- or rotawing water bomber include being able to and other EU countries. ry-wing firefighting aircraft. hover over a fire and discharge with a high The agency required an aircraft that could Back in Colorado, Reese and his colleagues degree of accuracy, as well as being able to take on 3,000 litres of water in a scoop and enter the northern hemisphere fire season take on water from “nearby bodies of water of reach anywhere in Sweden from its Nykoping waiting for the phone to ring. The company’s practically any size”, says Russian Helicopbase within 3h. Because of its size, the AT-802F business model relies largely on call-outs and ters. Rotorcraft have the added capability of can be filled from nearby water sources, says ad hoc hires, rather than exclusive-use sum being used in urban areas, especially for tackEllen Molin, head of Saab’s support and mer-long contracts. This means that, in a busy ling blazes in high-rise buildings. services unit. “It is important to have a prompt fire season, the 747 SuperTanker could be in high demand around the world.

However, if the fire season is quieter than normal, such a hugely expensive asset can sit idle for much of the time, not earning money. It is a dilemma for the fire authorities: invest in keeping operators and aircraft on retainer as an insurance policy – even if they might rarely be required – or go to the market only when there is a need and risk the best weap ons being unavailable.

Some believe that fire agencies have for too long relied on an existing pool of ageing airMike Macleod/Viking Air craft and left the market to carry the risk when it comes to investing in newer equipment. In an ever-warmer world, where forest fires are increasingly proving a danger not just to wildlife and the environment but to human life, Viking Air recently delivered its first updated CL-415EAF to operator Bridger Aerospace this approach may no longer be sustainable. ■

From yuckspeak to tales of yore, send your offcuts to murdo.morrison@flightglobal.com

In descent exposure

Never known to under-report a story, a breathless Daily Mail article on the Emirates Airbus A380 glideslope incident over Moscow explains that “the crew of Flight EK-131 entered a rapid descent. However, they were wrong about their initial assumption that their glidescope, a landing instrument, was showing them the incorrect information.”

A glidescope is, according to a handy online medical tutorial, a “device that is used for difficult airway management”. Sounds about right – until you realise that it’s not that sort of airway. It’s for laryngoscopies.

Working classy

At a time when every day brings Following our recent obituary of Joe Clark, Martin more doom and gloom and most Leeuwis sends us this cartoon by his late colleague, Ton of the Western world is in van Andel, which paid tribute to the winglet pioneer 25 lockdown, the award for the years ago in the pair’s book of aviation cartoons, Say How most glass-half-full press release of the crisis surely goes to Cyprus-based Avia Solutions. It more and more popular among reports that private aviation working class people… business companies are seeing “an aviation is set to continue its increase of 400%” in bookings, growth and support post-crisis with the “massive explosion” recovery of this sector.” due to travel restrictions and social distancing.

While we appreciate that this

Sid: “Planning any nice holiday after this coronavirus stuff is over?” BAE Systems bit might have got slightly lost Stanley: “Me and Sharon was Holding position until October in translation, Avia Solutions going to do a fortnight in goes on to say that “business aviation companies already Majorca. But Ryanair would only give us middle seats so Recalling 809 report a massive number of new we’ve decided to take one of Publication of Harrier 809, the clients who have never flown them Gulfstreams to the much-anticipated new release private. Therefore, by becoming Maldives instead.” from author Rowland White, has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic but will be available this year. Originally timed to publish in April to coincide with the anniversary of the Falklands War, it is now due for release in October.

The book examines the vital roles of military aviation and the British Aerospace Harrier force Avia Solutions Group during the 1982 conflict in the South Atlantic. A full review will appear on this page nearer the time of publication, when Uncle After this I go back to the white van Roger has finished reading it!

Training RAF boys

The Air Ministry scheme for the entry and training of boys for the Royal Air Force is now in active operation. Examinations will take place twice yearly and candidates must be between the ages of 15 and 16½ years. At the end of three years qualified boys are promoted to leading aircraftmen.

Changing over

Production of Liberator bombers will cease before August, according to a recent statement in Detroit. Studies are being made to see if the plant can be adapted for the production of other types. The reason for these changes is said to the report from Europe that “the Luftwaffe has been whipped”.

Guppy acquired

Negotiations for the sale of an Aero Spacelines Guppy 201 outsize C-97/ Stratocruiser development to SNIAS and Deutsche Airbus have been completed with a contract price reported to be about $9 million (£3.75 million). The aircraft will carry A-300B components.

Be-200 wins orders

Beriev says that it has secured what amounts to launch orders for its Be-200 amphibian from Russia’s Federal Forestry Service and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The Federal Forestry Service claims that it will need 50-60 firefighting aircraft between 1996 and 2005.

EVENTS

24-28 June Eurasia air show Antalya, Turkey eurasiaairshow.com 10-12 August AUVSI Xponential Boston, USA xponential.org/xponential2020 16-20 September Africa Aerospace & Defence Expo Centurion, South Africa aadexpo.co.za 23-25 September World Aviation Festival 2020 London, UK terrapinn.com/conference/ aviation-festival/index.stm 6-8 October NBAA Orlando, USA nbaa.org/bace 19 October

Airlines 2050 London, UK flightglobalevents.com/ airlines20502020 28-29 October Mexico’s Aerospace Summit Queretaro, Mexico mexicoaerospacesummit.com 10-12 November European Rotors Cologne, Germany europeanrotors.eu 8-10 December MEBAA Show 2020 Dubai, UAE mebaa.aero 21-22 January 2021 International Conference on Aircraft Design and Aerodynamics London, UK waset.org 23-26 February Avalon Geelong, Australia airshow.com.au/airshow2021 24-26 March Aerospace Tech Week Toulouse, France aerospacetechweek.com 30 March-1 April Aeromart Montreal Montreal, Canada montreal.bciaerospace.com 13-15 April Aircraft Interiors Expo Hamburg, Germany aircraftinteriorsexpo.com 18-20 May EBACE Geneva, Switzerland ebace.aero 21-27 June Paris air show Paris, France siae.fr

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WORK EXPERIENCE JOHN DANDURAND People person thrives on support

A background in construction and a career start in human resources helped shape John Dandurand’s affinity for building objects and relationships, as head of Textron Aviation’s European service network

How did you get into aviation?

Growing up in Wichita, Kansas, known to many as the air capital of the world, I had the good fortune to be exposed to the aviation industry from a young age. Like many people, once introduced, I was hooked. My family owned a small construction company where I quickly learned the satis faction that comes from building and maintaining things. In 1997, I began my aviation career at Cessna. This allowed me to explore my interest in aviation and at the same time, to be involved in a business that builds and maintains tangible products. For me, this is the best of both worlds.

How has your career progressed?

My career began in human resources. Not surprisingly, I quickly gravitated towards working closely with the production and aftermarket aspects of the business as they involve the building and maintenance of our products. After moving through the ranks at Cessna, I transferred to Bell, where I worked in the military aircraft assembly and delivery centre in Amarillo, Texas. In 2007, I returned to Tex tron Aviation as director of human resources for integrated supply chain. Having spent several years of my career working closely with the build process, I was given the opportunity to lead the build teams. In 2012, I became director of assembly operations, where I was responsible for assembly of Citation business jets and the Caravan single

Textron Aviation Working around aircraft is a fringe benefit of the job, says Dandurand

engined turboprop. In 2016, I moved into customer services, which allowed me to interact with our teams around the world supporting our products in the field. Early last year, I started my current role as vice-president of European service centres.

What are the highlights?

It is always rewarding to see the end products we create and fascinating to see the mechanical systems and technology involved in building and maintaining them. The people we work with make my job all the more enjoyable. I love being part of such an enthusiastic team.

How would you describe your current role and responsibilities?

I am responsible for operating service facilities, line service stations and mobile service units throughout Europe. Along with the European customer service team, my main objective is to provide customers with the ongoing aircraft maintenance and support to maximise aircraft availability and effective operations.

What plans does Textron Aviation have for its European service centre network?

Our strategy in Europe is to provide support for the aircraft we produce with centrally located, company-owned service centres in the region. In addition, we recently expanded our parts warehousing/distribution centre, doubling its size and significantly increasing regional inventory levels and part counts. We also provide customers enhanced access to parts and service through regional mobile units, line stations and aircraft on ground and technical support co-ordinated through our 1CALL support team service which can be reached 24h per day. We provide complete support for all Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker aircraft in Europe at our service centres in Doncaster, Dusseldorf, Paris, Prague, Valencia and Zurich, and offer line service at Biggin Hill, Cannes, Geneva, Nice and Stuttgart.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

For me, it comes down to the people and the products. I have the opportunity to work with customers and colleagues alike who are passionate about what they do. As a bonus, let’s face it – aircraft are cool and I get to work around them every day.

What are the challenges facing business aviation?

Our industry continues to change and evolve. While this is a challenge for everyone in aviation, it brings the opportunity for us to find new and better solutions, and identify new paths forward for the industry to thrive. I am confident in the future of business aviation and welcome the challenges that come along the way. Q

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