CFPA NEWS - California Fire Pilots Association

20
14
Au
gu
st
CFPA
NEWS
The California Fire Pilots Association newsletter
(Sunset over Hollister, photo Jimmy Ferreira)
Around the Bases
News
Sweden on fire
CAL FIRE air attack management school
Drones and fires
PLANES 2 : Fire & Rescue
(Copter 202 during an ATGS training session, photo Barry Smith)
N°2/2014
>August 2014
Chico Mudslingers 2014
Three Jimmys at Hollister
photo Jimmy Ferreira
Editor : Jerome Laval.
Redaction and graphic design : Cyril Defever
Please forward your pictures and articles to:
e-mail : [email protected]
2
CFPA news
The Pilots at the Columbia
Air Attack Base would like to
nominate Mike Silva for the
Mechanic of the Year Award.
His work ethic and unmatched
attention to detail are truly
incredible. He spends HOURS EVERY
DAY inspecting, greasing, and
fixing even the most minor items
regardless if the temperatures are
over 100 degrees in the middle
of the afternoon. The guy just
never seems to stop or run out of
energy!!! It's not an exaggeration
to say he inspects our aircraft with
a flashlight and a mirror, or is
continually checking our planes as
we hot-load, or spends late hours
until he is absolutely satisfied it is
perfect. His unwavering energy
and constant care give us the
confidence to know we are flying
an impeccably maintained and
safe aircraft, so we can focus on
the job.
The "I like Mike" shirts are a
small proud token of appreciation
for all that he does without
recognition every day. He was truly
embarrassed and just thinks he is
doing his job, yet he we know he
definitely goes way beyond what is
expected.
by the Columbia Airbase Pilots
Rich Schlink
Dan Rieger
Tom Voorhees
Erik Hakenen
We like Mike!!!
August 2014
3
Aero Flite News
T
anker 160 and 161 were
declared operationnal by
the US Forest Service at the
end of July. Aero Flite and Conair
choose the RJ85 from British
Aerospace to adapt the 3 300 US
Gallons constant flow tank inspired
by the one used on Sécurité Civile
Dash 8. The maiden flight occured
on september 2013. The cells are
longer and the engines are more
efficient than older BAe 146.
The aircraft can cruise 380 kt
allowing quicker dispatches.
Tanker 160 and 161 were already
activated and sent to Redding
where they fought heavy fires
north of California and Oregon. A
third RJ 85, Tanker 162 was used on
fires in British Colombia. At the end
of July, T162 moved to Moses Lake
ATB, WA, where it logged around
60 hours in two weeks.
(photos Jerome Laval)
NEWS
10 Tanker Air Carrier
News
A
third DC-10, Tanker 912
has been converted by 10
Tanker Air Carrier in July
2014 and arrived to new 10 Tanker's
headquarters in Albuquerque in
August.
The company moved from
Victorville to their new base in
New Mexico in october 2013, to
be more US centered for aerial
firefighting operations. Tanker
4
911 iand 910 are on exclusive use
contracts for USFS.
Tanker 910 suffered minor
wing damages, strking a mobile
stairladder while taxiing at Moses
Lake ATB on july 22nd. It was back
in service on july 28th.
( photo 10 Tanker LLC)
CFPA news
Coulson Aviation
News
New C-130 Next Gen Airtanker
Press Release
Date :
August 14, 2014
Coulson Aviation (USA) Inc. of
Oregon announced today it has
secured a second C-130 from
Lynden Air Cargo, LLC of Alaska for
firefighting operations.
Chief Executive Officer, Wayne
Coulson, said:
“We are excited to increase our
capacity by adding a second C-130
to our firefighting fleet and will
start the upgraded 4,800 USG
Coulson RADS XXL tank install
conversion into the new aircraft
during November 2014.
It is our understanding that the
USFS will have a “Next Generation
II” Air tanker
bid opportunity in the fourth
quarter of 2014, and we want
to be ready to participate in the
bid process. Our current C-130Q
firefighting aircraft has been
performing extremely well, and
both the aircraft and the 4,000
USG RADS XL tanking system have
exceeded expectations.
We are committed to providing
our customers with the most
cost effective firefighting aircraft
and will continue to invest in
technology to enhance their
performance.”
(artwork Steve Whitby, photo Jerome Laval)
NEWS
August 2014
5
photo Mickael Parson /TT
by Frédéric Marsaly
photo Jens L'Estrade/ Expressen.se
On July 31st, a forest fire broke out in
Sweden, in Sala area, 50 miles northwest
of Stockholm. After five
days, the fire was still
uncontrolled and burned
about 24 000 acres to
become, so far, the worst
fire incident in recent
Swedish
history. The
Stockholm’s government
called the European Union
Emergency
Response
Coordination Centre for
help. Their firefighting
assets consisting of 15 civilian and military
helicopters with bambi-buckets, were
photo Jens L'Estrade / Expressen.se
6
overwhelmed. Swedish Coast Guard sent
one of its Coast Guard Dash 8, FLIR equipped,
for fire mapping.
On August 5th, two
French Agency Sécurité
Civile CL-415 (Pélican 32
and 37) with a Beechcraft
200 King Air, to be
used as an Air Attack
aircraft, took off from
M a r s e i l l e - M a r i gn a n e
Airport for a 1200 miles
trip to Vasterås Airport,
where they landed in
the evening after a stopover in Groningen,
Nederland.
photo Lisa Mattisson / Expressen.se
CFPA news
The next day, two CL-415 from
Italian State Agency Vigili del
Fuoco (Italian fire fighters) also
arrived from Roma. On the first
morning, smoke and low clouds
grounded the aircraft but later
that evening, operations started
and the four Scoopers made
120 drops in three hours. This
great productivity was possible
due to numerous nearby scoop
able lakes.
The next four days, the four
aircraft flew intensively. The
Swedish government wanted
to keep the aircraft active until
august 15th but on august 10th,
the fire was contained. The
aircraft and their crews were
released and flew back home.
About 1500 drops were made,
843 by Italian Scoopers and
687 by French Scoopers. The
Bombardier 415 is a 1500 US
Gal water bomber, that means
that about 2 250 000 US Gal of
water or foam were dropped on
the fire in this short period of
time. The difference of figures
between Italian and French
crews comes from that each
French pilot being restricted
to 60 drops a day while Italian
crews don’t have this limitation.
photo Suvad Mekonjic / Expressen.se
The Italian team returned
home on august 11. They
overnighted in Strasbourg,
France, and landed in Roma the
day after. The French delayed
their return flight to because
of some meteorological issues.
They took off on 12th august
in the morning to Gröningen,
Netherlands
for
another
stopover. They were back in
Marseille later that day.
The fire burned about 37000
acres, destroyed about 20
houses. Sadly, a Swedish driver
lost his life and another man
was slightly burnt.
photo Suvad Mekonjic / Expressen.se
Aerial Assets:
Vigili Del Fuoco (Italy) :
CL-415 :
I-DPCQ n°12, I-DPCV n°15
Sécurité Civile (France) :
CL-415 :
F-ZBFS “Pélican” 32 (with 50th anniversary
paint scheme), F-ZBFV “Pélican” 37
Beechcraft 200 King Air :
F-ZBFK “Bengale” 96
Kustbevakningen (Sweden Coast Guard) :
DHC-8-300 :
501 SE-MAA
Swedish
civilian
and
military
helicopters water-bomber
AS-315B, AS332 (Swedish Air Force),
AS-350B3, Hugues 369, UH-1…
photo Swedish Coast Guards
August 2014
7
TRAINING
THE ATGS
F
CAL FIRE AIR ATTACK MANAGEMENT SCHOOL
or thirty years, Cal Fire has
been training air tactical
group supervisors (ATGS) at
an annual school held each May
at McClellan Field in Sacramento
and Redding Air Attack Base. The
school is two weeks long and
includes lecture, flight simulator
time, and flight time in air attack
aircraft during simulated fire
scenarios. Each class is made up
▲The elements are ready to simulate the Backhorn incident.
8
Text and photos
c
D
F
by Barry D. Smith
of 18 students, nine from Cal Fire
and nine from the U.S. Forest
Service or other federal or local
agencies (this year Los Angeles
County Fire Department sent a
representative).
The first week is classroom
training which covers basic
aviation topics, aerial firefighting
terminology, fire traffic area
procedures, principles of retardant
usage, and strategy and tactics for
aerial firefighting.
The first week also includes work
in the Aerial Firefighting Simulator
at McClellan. Developed by the US
Forest Service, it is used to practice
and train on aerial coordination
over a fire. It is not a motion-based
simulation system, but multiple
users can see and interact as if over
a real fire. Role players can include
several tankers, helicopters, a lead
plane, and an ATGS. The ATGS
students communicate with the
other aircraft, coordinate the
airspace, and direct them on how
to fight the fire.
CFPA news
During the evenings of the
first week, the students take
orientation flights in the OV-10 to
get a feel for the aircraft, visibility,
and where the radio panels are
located. They also get training
on how to program the aircraft
radios, how to describe ground
targets to the other aircraft, and
how to use GPS to communicate
locations to both air and ground
units.
The second week begins with
more classroom topics such as
helicopter strategies and tactics,
target description training and
classroom practice application,
and smokejumper operations.
The students spend a majority of
the second week in the air using
the Redding Air Attack Base. They
begin by pairing up in OV-10
Bronco’s. One role plays the tanker
and the other is the air attack
ship. They take turns practicing
target descriptions and making
simulated drops on a fire. Other
flight training includes a large fire
handoff exercise, fire perimeter
mapping, a lightning fire location
exercise, and a lost fire engine
scenario.
The final exam for the course
is called the Buckhorn Incident.
This is full on incident with
actual aircraft on a simulated fire
located about twenty miles from
Redding. A rancher allows Cal Fire
to use some of his land for the
exercise. Bright orange temporary
fencing is laid on the ground to
simulate the perimeter of the fire.
Aircraft involved include two S-2T
tankers, two Cal Fire helicopters
(one deploying a helitack crew),
a USFS lead plane, OV-10s, a USFS
smokejumper aircraft with several
smokejumpers, and Cal Fire’s King
Air 200 (an ex-US Army C-12).
August 2014
9
Several USFS and Cal Fire
personnel are on the scene
of the fire and use radios to
simulate the IC and several
engines. A large smoke machine
is sued to put up a column of
smoke for the students to help
them spot the fire and see how
the winds will affect their attack
plans. Personnel on the ground
also throw out an occasional
smoke bomb to simulate spot
fires outside the perimeter. The
tankers and helicopters actually
drop water under the direction
of the students.
The students are evaluated
on radio usage, fire traffic
area procedures, briefings to
incoming aircraft (i.e. altitudes,
altimeter settings hazards, other
aircraft etc.), and accuracy and
brevity of target description
to incoming aircraft. After the
days flying, there is a thorough
debriefing of the students with
the other participating pilots
and ground personnel.
After their final exam and
completion of the course, they
still have on-the-job training
and mentoring before they are
allowed to act as an ATGS on their
own. This occurs at an air attack
base and can take several weeks
depending on the base’s call
volume. This training uses Cal
Fire’s King Air 200 so the mentor
and student can fly together.
After thirty years, Cal Fire and
the USFS have developed what
is considered by many to be the
world standard for air attack
management training.
Barry Smith
775-972-4892
[email protected]
10
CFPA news
Training
the ATGS
by Barry Smith
August 2014
11
SAFETY
other aircraft engaged in wildfire
suppression missions" , and that
"Unauthorized drone flights could
lead fire managers to suspend
aerial wildfire suppression efforts.”
Air operations over fires
demand
lots of attention.
Looking at bird strike damages,
imagine a drone strike!
Parasite drones over fires
O
n July 28th 2014 an
incident occurred during
Sand Fire air operations,
50 Nautical miles Northeast of
Saramento. Fire fighting airplane
were grounded and air operations
stopped when a drone was
spotted flying over the incident.
The county sheriff deputies
managed to find the drone owner
and grounded the flying engine.
This is the third time during
this fire season that such an
incident occures and like Lynne
Photo Frédéric Marsaly
Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for the
California Department of Forestry
and Fire Protection said about
drones over fire, “This is definitely
something new for us, But I don’t
think it’s going to be the last time.”
The National Interagency Fire
Center of Boise declared that
" Unauthorized UAS [Unmanned
Aircraft System] flights could
cause serious injury or death to
firefighters on the ground. They
could also have midair collisions
with airtankers, helicopters, and
Drone owners,
don't jeopardize
safety of aerial fire
fighting operations!
DRONE :
This is a bird strike, Imagine the impact of midair collision with a drone...
Source : http://ourairspace.org/BirdStrikeHazard.html
12
Don't
Rely
On
No-pilot
Entity
CFPA news
OAS-25A
(12/12)
Interagency Aviation
Safety Alert
No. IA SA 14-03
Date: June 25, 2014
Page 1 of 2
Subject: Conflicts with Civilian Unmanned Aircraft & Hobbyist/Remote Controlled Aircraft
Area of Concern: Aviation Safety
Distribution: All Aviation Operations
Discussion: Recently, a private citizen launched a DJI Phantom unmanned aircraft in order to acquire video
of the Two Bulls fire approximately 10 miles northwest of Bend, Oregon. Although the aircraft remained
outside of the TFR, it serves as a reminder that this emerging hazard is becoming more common due to their
reduction in cost and the public’s interest in fire and natural disasters. These factors pose significant potential
to interfere with our mission and therefore imperative that local aviation managers (UAO/FAO) and Incident
Management Teams (IMTs) attempt to mitigate this hazard.
UAO/FAOs and IMTs should communicate/coordinate with the local media in order to educate the affected
region’s public on unmanned aircraft (UAS and model aircraft) operations and how it can pose greater risk to
the incident aircraft and inhibit response efforts if aircraft are forced to divert and/or abort their missions.
Local law enforcement should also be engaged so that they can act on any reports of unauthorized activity. If
that occurs, notify the FAA and provide them with the LE agency and operator’s contact information so that
they can follow up with the appropriate enforcement action. Last, be sure to submit a SAFECOM for tracking
and trending purposes.
Unauthorized UAS or remote controlled aircraft operations in close proximity to incidents can manifest in
other unique ways as well. Some have sought to make this a business opportunity in that individuals or
businesses offer data that can be collected with these types of unmanned aircraft. This type of commercial
operation is not currently authorized by the FAA, DOI or USFS. Any attempt by an individual to fly an
unmanned aircraft for commercial purposes on an incident should be reported. DOI and USFS are
determining the potential integration of UAS into the incident environment via a deliberative process.
No. IA SA 14-03
Date: June 25, 2014
Page 2 of 2
Increased unmanned aircraft activity presents hazards to ALL aviation users, including resource
operations. Most commonly (but not exclusively), unmanned aircraft will be operating within close
proximity to terrain thus increasing risk for low level resource operations. Resource operations including
reconnaissance and aerial application with extremely limited reaction time usually operate without the
protection a TFR provides within most incident operations. Partner organizations including states and other
cooperators performing manned resource operations must also become aware of this hazard. Timely
communication across jurisdictional boundaries amongst all parties through dispatch centers and partner
contacts is essential to the successful mitigation of this hazard and flight safety in general.
Authorized unmanned activity is approved by Certificate of Authorization (COA) from the FAA. This also
highlights the importance of flight crews checking NOTAMS prior to flying as any approved unmanned
operation will be required to have the appropriate NOTAM in place. Questions pertaining to the use of
unmanned aircraft should be directed to the DOI UAS Specialist or USFS Aviation Safety Manager.
UAS and Model Aircraft Operations Informational Links:
DOI UAS Policy:
http://oas.doi.gov/library/opm/CY2013/OPM_13-11.pdf
FAA Initiative, Model Aircraft Do’s and Don'ts:
http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/uas/model_aircraft_operators/
FAA UAS Myth busting:
http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=76381
FAA COA and UAS FAQs:
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/systemops/aaim/organizations/ua
s/coa/faq/
FAA reporting:
http://www.faa.gov/contact/safety_hotline/
14
/s/ Keith C. Raley
/s/ John Kent Hamilton
Keith C. Raley
Chief, Aviation Safety
and Program Evaluation
DOI, Office of Aviation Services
John Kent Hamilton
Acting Branch Chief, Aviation
Safety Management Systems
USDA, Forest Service
CFPA news
Redding
LeadPlane pilots :
Ryan Curl (Bravo 7),
David Splithopf (Lead 5-8)
T60 crew :
copilot Ron Carpinella,
Captain Philipp Darnell
by Jerome Laval
August 2014
15
Planes 2:
Fire and Rescue
A pleasant surprise
By Franck Mée, pictures © Disney Enterprises
Since he already was an Air Tractor, Dusty logically
becomes a Fire Boss, learning to work with retardant
tanker / tactical coordinator Blade Ranger.
Never trust a press release : Dipper is definitely not a
Super Scooper, since she looks like a Grumman and she
says her first life was cargo in Alaska…
16
If you are found of aerial firefighting and love
cinema, you don’t get a chance to combine
those two passions very often: movies about
aerial firefighters are scarce – chances are you
saw Spielberg’s Always, and if you’re very good
at digging out unknown movies you might
have heard of the smokejumpers in Red Skies of
Montana or Trial by fire, but that’s it. Therefore, the
action of the second Planes movie being moved
into wildfire suppression is promising: it could be
a rare and delicate pleasure. It’s also a bit scary,
since being a sequel to a spin-off is not usually
the most promising omen in the movie industry.
There’s no surprise on the technical side. Picture
quality, design and rendering, lighting and editing
are nicely crafted; there’s plenty of details to look
at and rhythm is pretty good, the film being only
1h20 long. Of course, as the Planes movies come
from the direct-to-video experts at DisneyToon,
it falls short of Pixar’s standards when it comes to
creativity, but it’s definitely well-made.
The real deal comes with the scenario, a field in
which the first Planes was plainly disappointing.
To improve things, the Disney guys met Cal Fire
people and watched the USFS training, and
tried to keep everyone involved: smokejumpers,
retardant bombers and water scoopers, as well as
tactical and winch rescue helicopters all have a
real part. This is of course no documentary and
inaccuracies happen, but overall this is a pleasant
representation of an aerial task force. The scenario
is a nice story about teamwork, bravery and
discipline, as well as an initiatory journey in which
the smug selfish racer has to learn about life. It
is entertaining for kids, of course, as they are the
primary target here; but it can also call to an older
audience, mainly through winks that no kid of the
year 2014 may notice, the most obvious being
the ChiPs parody. Aerial firefighting enthusiasts
also get a few winks of their own and you might
actually be moved by the smiling faces of Tanker
82 and Tanker 87, in a tribute to those who had
“the right stuff”.
CFPA news
Funny and well documented
Disney asked several aerial fire fighting experts
to contribute by explaining tactics and proper
terminology used during air operations.
Still, it's a movie and not a documentary but film
makers should be inspired by this attitude.
Smokejumpers are not forgotten and have a real part
in the plot, even though how their work is never really
explained.
Jerome Laval
Windlifter might be the strangest and best new
character: his rotor blades make him look like a Rasta
on weed, he talks powerful nonsense with Ed Harris’
voice, and he’s definitely the most impressive of the
team.
August 2014
17
Enquiries: [email protected]
"Bombardiers d’eau
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NEW BOOK
18
CFPA news
Airtank’art
by Steve Whitby
August 2014
19
Nor Cal on
Fire
by
Jerome
Laval
20
CFPA news