The Chinooks were mainly operated with a Bambi Bucket but three companies, Helimax, Columbia Helicopters and Billings, now use internal bunkers developed by subcontractors, including Simplex, a well-known manufacturer of HBE kits, which allows these aircraft to have a higher intervention speed while taking up to 12,000 liters of water internally. So this all begs a question how do we bridge the gap here? We operate Type III helicopters and are now faced with 40lbs+ of equipment (costing over $60k per aircraft) to meet minimum requirements things that we really dont need like a Traffic Avoidance System (but the ADS-B they required last year isnt good enough) and a loudspeaker (because yelling at the fire helps?). Faintly, what are the advertisement you see posted on this site? 0000001014 00000 n
I think you answered your own question with why are they only replacing type II and III legacy platforms and not type I? The Incident Command System (ICS) uses this system based on the equipment capability. If as you suggest they can choose to not submit a proposal then two things are going to happen: 1) that aircraft will not be part of the AFF fleet next year and 2) you will have less a/c in the future b/c of it. N/A = Not applicable National Interagency Aviation Committee (, Incident and Position Standards Committee (. The S-70 could work but again, at what cost? Helicopters with buckets can pull water from water sources that are deep enough for the buckets. 34 aircraft in this category operate in the US, mainly Bell 205 and 212. approved helmets for helicopter use as note to emphasize., 9; Helicopter, add table . The Cal Fire owns a fleet of UH-1 Huey, rigged with Bambis or HBE Simplex Kits, depending on the geographic areas they must cover. Steve Peterson, Contracting Officer We dont fly in 58Ts (which I saw on exclusive use contract as an unrestricted as late at 2006) Llamas, etc. Mission: Designed to carry out close-air support at low altitude and low speed. Forest Service Fire and Aviation Qualifications Guide (FSFAQG) Federal Wildland Fire Qualifications Supplement. Aircraft types: P2V, HC-130H, BAe-146, MD-87, C-130Q, RJ85, C-130 H & J equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS). They requested to remain anonymous in order to avoid retribution from the agency. Melinda Draper, Associate Branch Chief, Logistics, AMS Mission Codes. Note:Certain aircraft are specialized and will not fit this classification. Helicopters conducting mission flights shall check-in prior to and immediately after each takeoff/landing, as soon as communications can be established, per the NWCG Standards for Helicopter Operations (PMS 510) Chapter 04, page 30. CO Support on all major contract programs (Mobile Food Services, Mobile Showers, Type 2 & 2-IA Crews, Retardant Chemicals), Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) Alternate Focal Point So do we get balanced journalism here. Region 6 Cache Freight Services The table below shows NWCG minimum performance requirements for water tenders. I remember seeing N1168U on the LP & Southern Sierras in the 80s! <<0B6C55EEACE9564A8C1EB025C5E90DF9>]>>
Columbia has been focusing a lot of their efforts to Afghanistan and other overseas over the last decade. The end result is fewer options for the government, but maybe that is what they want. Flight Rate Hourly Daily Availability # OF UNITS TOTAL COST Exclusive Use Helicopters Type 1 HEL1 $ 4,290 $ 13,950 Type 2 HEL2 $ 1,760 $ 5,030 Type 3 HEL3 $ 1,050 $ 2,325 Call When Needed Helicopters Type 1 HEL1 $ 4,200 $ 26,600 Type 2 HEL2 $ 1,960 $ 7,150 . I dont know if there is another 1960s Choctaw still flying fire! Agency Abbreviation. NFPA = National Fire Protection Association But they wont tell us when they are doing that, just that as we bid on EU work within the CWN contract eventually they are going to want modern helicopters. Typos, let us know, and please keep in mind the commenting ground rules before you post a comment. Us | Site
These aircraft are classified in three categories, depending on their capabilities, categories that also determine the value of the contracts. Most aircraft manufacturers provide a document illustrating the operating costs for each of their models but it's hard to tell how accurate their estimates are (they are trying to sell you a helicopter after all). Anyone who served in the military knows that Uncle Sam Air is the most inefficient airline in the world, and having worked there is in no way a guarantee that you are the best subject matter expert on anything. If helicopters are widely used in the USA to fight forest fires, they can also be used to burn them. Entities without current agreements may contact the IBC-AQD Business Management Specialist at 208-433-5025. To compensate for the precarious nature of these contracts, which do not presume any activation during the season, the rates are higher than for exclusive contracts. Id guess many of them follow your websites, but if not and you have access to them, it would be good to alert them to the commentary here on this pageif anyone else feels strongly negative about this, chime in!! TheNWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typingestablishes minimum typing standards for aircraft, crews, and equipment for national mobilization to wildland fire incidents. The agency has posted a second draft of a new Request for Proposals (RFP) and will hold a virtual meeting about the contracts on September 29. Next Generation Multi-Engine Fixed-Wing Airtankers 3.0 Helicopters were first used on wildfires in 1947. These are not the usual 4 years contracts that should be announced soon. For an operator to be competitive in the LPTA world, you need to amortize the cost of the a/c over 10 years or more. Qualification Category. Anyone else seeing a trend, that they like to spend money on the most expensive piece of equipment they can find, including fixed wings. Buying a/c is a lot like buying a house. 0000001330 00000 n
Great to see that ole S-58T N1168U workhorse from Aris is still getting after it! The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing establishes minimum typing standards for aircraft, crews, and equipment for national mobilization to wildland fire incidents. Office: (208) 387-5682 Mobile: (208) 407-6003, Andrea Marks-Cash, Contract Specialist w/ R1 Supplements, Notice
In addition the Logistics Branch provides procurement support for eleven National Cachesfor wildland fire suppression and prevention, as well as other emergency incident response activities. Helicopters have a tank of flammable product and a flare and are used to burn down wooded areas in prescribed burning and fire areas. Calculator, GPS
NEPTUNE AVIATION . Well not quite, imho. Office: (208) 387-5681 Mobile: (208) 866-1610 Through the use of Preseason Agreements and by partnering with the U.S. Forest Service Region 6 Fire Aviation Contracting Team (FACT), through VIPR contracts, DNR is able to pull in outside resources quickly if needed. Staffing Report, NIROPS
We can only hope the upcoming DOI on-call helicopter RFP due out later this year isnt so crazy. A lock ( The ultimate goal is to drive out the independent operator entirely so they can justify owning their own fleet. PRINT NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200, NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200, M-581, Fire Program Management Course Steering Committee, M-582, AA Advanced Wildland Fire Course Steering Committee, Committee Roles and Membership Information, Course Steering Committee Guidance & Templates, International Association of Fire Chiefs Roster, National Association of State Foresters Roster, Alternative Pathways to NWCG Qualification, Incident Performance Training Modernization (IPTM), Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program, NWCG Data Standard: Fire Resource Kind, Category, and Type, Incident and Position StandardsCommittee, Standards forInteragency Hotshot Crew Operations, Retardant or water-carrying capability (gal), Maximum gross takeoff and landing weight (lb). National Interagency Fire Center TheNWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typingis jointly developed and maintained bythe following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) committees and their subgroups: While they may contain current or useful information, previous versions are obsolete. See Full Story. Obviously another FS fella here. AMD-23E Instructions for USFS National Type 1 & 2 Call When Needed (CWN) Contract Helicopters hired for DOI Incidents. Less publicized than the Tanker, US Forest Service helicopters are front-line aircraft with an essential and fundamental mission. All the UTFs for rotors can get name-tied back to a few individuals at NIFC. Columbia sold to another company last year and with the combined ammount of aircraft they are considered a large company. . If you like warm beer, buy a FS refrigerator. As for air assets, Tankers dominate the sky. In other locations they would just shrug their shoulders and walk away. Access to these sites is restricted and the information and files provided through these sites is not intended for general disclosure or distribution to anyone other than Authorized Government Representatives and solely for the purpose of facilitating the performance of their Official Duties with respect to their administration of these contracts. Aviation for Region 2 *Sensor payloads are variable but typically include daylight (electro-optical), infrared (IR), thermal, or mapping cameras. The NWCGcategorizes information on fire apparatus into logical groups and provides common options often requested by fire managers. This draft RFP is such a massive and violent change from what has been requested in previous contracts that most operators arent going to be able to handle it. Other candidates would be the 412, and the other twin engine mediums on the market from AW and Airbus/Eurocopter. Little to no way to sock away money for these required upgrades to bid on the contract. Office: (208) 387-5627 Mobile: (208) 985 6266 0
Add to this that they are wanting us to throw all of this money into our aircraft to get on the contract (which is now a 10 year contract!) The ICP may be co-located with the incident base or other incident facilities and provides certain essential auxiliary forms of support, such as food, sleeping areas, equipment, trailers,and sanitation. Fire managers recognized the value of helicopters to rapidly transport personnel and cargo to a fire, especially in remote locations. I do not know of any small operators who can afford to buy new ships, if any are even available. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 5121, et seq., for ownership and operation of equipment, including depreciation, overhead, all maintenance, field repairs, fuel, lubricants, tires, OSHA equipment and other costs incidental to operation. There are certainly concerns with moving to a twin engine platform related to performance, and Im not currently versed enough in all of the platforms to have an opinion, but I do know that this article doesnt address it and instead seems to be a sounding board for industry without presenting the case for increased firefighter safety and performance in modern aircraft. Just like how the new GM Suburban for Diplomates costs millions of dollars each and the contract went to the one company that can make it. Forest fire contracts are also an economic windfall for operators and manufacturers, yet they are a tiny portion of the $ 3 billion that the fight against forest fires cost in 2017! Where the CWN is available cost per a number of days, or per day, and the flight rate as shown on the Hopps meter. They are capable of carrying four to five firefighters at a time, and use a 180 gallon water bucket. Aircraft Engineering Services Maybe all of the experienced aviation folks you mention are part of this have never actually had to buy a multi-million a/c, maintain it, crew it and ensure that its safely operable? But you better pay for it, USFS says! Type IIs? Vendors reserve the right to refuse service to the customer that is rude, arrogant and disrespectful. Office: (208) 387-5252 Mobile: (208) 866-0417 Furthermore the numbers they provide are usually . Office: (208) 387-5665 Mobile: (208) 616-5549, NIFC Operations Support Aerial Supervision Module (ASM) Lead Planes The most spectacular heavy-duty helicopters have long been the Erickson AirCrane, the CH-54 refurbished by the Oregon-based company that has developed for them a constant-rate and controlled-release airdrop that is considered one of the most efficient and reliable. while simultaneously saying that they fully intend on moving to modern helicopters that are built after the year 2000 and are all twin engine. Well not quite, imho. Fax: (208) 387-5384, https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/contracting, Important Information Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic, Access to the U.S. Forest Service Contracting, Incident Support Branch, DOI SharePoint Page must be granted individually. Must be annually certified by the local host unit agency administrator or designee prior to being made available for assignment. While Im sure you and the FS believe that all the operators swim in pool fulls of cash and take $$$$millions home every year, that fact of the matter is that Mother Nature and worsening Contracts just dont allow that to happen, so no one can ever just pay for a new a/c with cash from operations. More insanity from the USFS ! helicopter services hourly flight rates, fuel consumption, and weight reduction chart effective february 16, 2020 for contracts awarded 2018-2021 (cwn/exclusive use) Topping the list is Tennessee, with New Jersey and Hawaii close behind in second and third. These may be local governments seeking to preserve a territory, but also counties or even states. It has been lightly edited. On May 9 the agency released a list of 14 helicopters for the >1,600 tier. Thanks for giving us a voice. They will tell you they have their smerfs.SMEs ( who typically are cradle to grave beuracrats as well), who are supposedly dialed in on the subject matter surerightlmao The Incident Support Branch (ISB) at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is located in Boise, Idaho. Does a 407 not meet the new requirements? They are versatile fire management tools. Say goodbye to the 205 and 212, its brand new 412EPXs or nothing. The day started at 10 a.m. around a truck bed fully stocked with boxes of discount croissants, a bag of clementines, and a stack of Incident Action Plan packets. 0000006627 00000 n
Unmanned Aerial Supervision(UAS) Program, Delphine Arizana, Contract Specialist Aircraft Purchases: Todd Novinger, Contracting Officer The single vs twin vs safety argument doesnt have a clear winner unless youre talking about CAT A capable aircraft. It seems nothing is making sense anymore, and we are destined to fail if this shortsightedness is allowed to continue. Us, Northern Rockies Coordination
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Fire camp infrastructureand Incident Command Post (ICP) is a location at which primary command functions are executed. Given the current climate of helicopter contracts there will be more people getting out of helicopters than getting into them. LockA locked padlock Several vendors opted for EU contracts with states instead of the USFS. 0000000716 00000 n
Give me a break. DOI Incident Position Qualification Guide (IPQG) AABI. CWN aircraft, both fixed and rotor wing, cost more than exclusive use ships. Normally both are higher with a CWN. DO NOT listen to your bosses, DO THE RIGHT thing and pull this RFP back and get it rightMILLIONS of U.S. citizens are expecting that you will. Then why are one year contracts with optional years considered a sustainable way for helicopter companies to provide helicopters for fire fighting? All perpetuated by the Gov. The so-called exclusive contracts make it possible to reserve the contracted aircraft for the USFS missions for the duration of the fire seasons. The Call When Needed (CWN) Parent Contract is a 1 year with 9 option years contract, with Exclusive Use (EU) contracts being bid *through* the parent contract for 1 year with four option years. U.S. Forest Service employees (Forest Service Internal Link), U.S. Department of Interior (DOI Internal Link). Region 6 Cache Freight Services, Bryce Pitchford,Contracting Officer These are also similar systems found in the lower section of the DC-10 Tanker 10, and there are also constant flow bunkers found on board many tankers such as the C-130, P -3 Orion and other RJ-85AT. They are usually contracted for 5 years. Thank youfor taking the time to tell us how we're doing! PDF Fillable Forms must be downloaded to your computer, you can then open them up in your Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat software to fill them in and save. Without a federal contract, we cant get carded and without cards, we cant work for the state. Under contract this season there are 28 heavyweights, including Kaman KMax, CH-46, CH-47, S-70, CH-54 and S-61 from a dozen companies. & Booklets), FS
Modular AirborneFirefighting System (MAFFS) Mechanics When determining the hourly rate, agencies should utilize the appropriate rate category. However cwn have a slower response time because they are not usually fully staffed. - R1 Overdue/Missing Aircraft Protocol, DOI
The Call When Needed contracts, which are also valid for 5 years, are intended to provide additional equipment when the situation requires it. I am concerned that it will reduce resources in a way that will harm the communitys we generally get to help. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Office: (208) 387-5350Mobile: (208) 258-1450, Tessa Bach, Contract Coordinator Nobody should bid, then when everything is on fire and the USFS comes begging then youd have some leverage on them. Montana / Dakotas Fire and Aviation, NRCC
The NWCGcategorizes information on fire apparatus into logical groups and provides common options often requested by fire managers. 10 0 obj
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Your input here is really helpful. The FS is a sinking ship by every measurable metric and the aircraft contracting department is clearly no exception. Firewatch Cobra (Bell 209-AH-1) Aerial Supervision Helicopter Call-When-Needed (CWN) Amphibious Water Scooper Aircraft Forest Service CWN Medium/Heavy Helicopters Fire Suppression Orders 11/1/2021 Through 10/31/2022 DOI OC Small Type III Helicopter - National Park Service Search and Rescue (SAR) (2022) For Alaska/Hawaii Emergency/Fire/SAR task order numbers, please contact Heather Sizick, Lead Contracting Office at 571-479-0323 or Rebecca Fentzke, Division . Aircraft carded by USFS/OAS? This change will be a double edged sword..as operators cannot meet requirements or afford changes they will shut their doors and then already limited resources will be permanently removed for fire. Perhaps thats the point: There are available alternatives on the market that can replace the legacy platforms for type II and III, so we should continue upgrading the fleet as we can. 0000002454 00000 n
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) I can see daily availability rates sky rocketing, which it sounds like is expected. 0000001055 00000 n
Lots more. Aviation for Regions 3,4,6,8 Oh, and dont glance over the cockpit camera, which they want even on restricted category bucket ships. Temp Tower Agreement -, Interagency Emergency Helicopter Extraction List, USFS
One has to write to the audience who butters their bread!. Comments, questions, and recommendations shall be submitted to the appropriate agency representative assigned to the steward for each resource. It is known that the retardant is a product much more effective than water which reinforces the tactical importance of rotating wings. Basic firefighter training and/or annual firelinesafety refresher prior to assignment, Arrives with: Crew first aid kit, personal first aid kit, headlamp, 1-qt canteen, web gear, sleeping bag. Website Coordinator We all understand that. There is no cost, and in case you change your mind each email has an unsubscribe button. The Logistics Branch provides support for WO Fire & Aviation Operations customers (located at NIFC) with the procurement of (urgent/immediate)incidentresources, such as retardant chemicals and related services, mobile food services, mobile shower facilities, firefighting crews, Critical Incident Stress Management Services (CISM) and National Videographer/Photographer Services. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Coordinator *Manufacturers published rated net horsepower (HP). FEDERAL WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY & DOCTRINE OVERVIEW CHAPTER 1 Release Date: January 2020 1 1 Chapter 1 2 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and Doctrine 3 Overview 4 Scope 5 The Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations states, 6 references, or supplements policy for Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest 7 Service, U.S. Large, heavy-lift helicopters can fill their water tanks with a snorkel that siphons water from lakes, rivers, or other sources. Thats discouraging as it suggests that the customer really isnt listening and just providing the perception of doing so.your point of just not choosing to submit if an operator doesnt like it is incredibly insensitive and uninformed. Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Bob. AMS - Aviation Management System (AMD-23E), AMD-23E Instructions for USFS National Type 1 & 2 Call When Needed (CWN) Contract Helicopters hired for DOI Incidents, BLM Annual Helitack Data Master (January 2017), BLM Exclusive Use Fire Helicopter Crew Training and Experience Requirements, 14 CFR Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), National Transportation Safety Board Information, Toggle Dyslexia-friendly black-on-creme color scheme, Aerial wildland fire training taking place this week at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Military aircraft equipped with MAFFS mobilized to assist with wildfire suppression efforts, First Annual National Wildland Firefighter Day Announced, BLM and Maverik Partner to Reduce Human-Caused Wildfires, Aerial wildland fire training taking place in Boise april 25-29, Andrus Center for Public Policy and Partners Seek National Student Congress Address Wildland Fire Management, National Interagency Incident Communications Division, National Incident Management Organization. For point-to-point flights, AFF flight following may be used as well. To put things in perspective, these aircraft perform interventions against US fires which CL-415 water bombers perform at home. These proposed contract changes have made working for USFS impossible for most all operators especially restricted categories that will all be phased out when the new 2000 or newer requirement takes affect. USFS R8-R5 Intra-Agency Agreement. The following links are provided for Interagency Fire Professionals who are tasked with administering contracts issued by our Unit and is provided solely for that purpose and intent.
For type 3 helos it may be possible, providing the USFS can double the budget because thats what vendors are going to bid for a new aircraft with higher maintenance cost and complexity, additionally operating hot and high im sure the load charts are going to have to be quite conservative to ensure OEI is landing safely and not just crashing slower, Everything has to be in balance, you cant spend unlimited money, and you cant eliminate all risk, the safest and most inexpensive helicopter is one that sits on the ground. Category 3 includes the lightest helicopters with the lowest payload. Office: (208) 387-5670 Mobile: (208) 616-5547 They are all tied to contractors in the business. They should change their contract terms should change if theyre forcing companies to buy X aircrafts. National Exclusive Use Helicopters (Large Fire Support/Initial Attack) Thank you. Forest Service Aviation Management. Helicopters refill their buckets at dip sites such as public lakes, reservoirs, or any water sources that are deep enough for the buckets. 0000001234 00000 n
The U.S. Forest Service (FS) is expecting to contract for 48 Type 1 helicopters for the 2021 wildfire season. Let the operators upgrade when if/it will work. We are all for the push for better equipment for our wildland fire efforts but the USFS cant do the change this suddenly and without any industry input. Of course, the US Forest Service is not the only organization to have helicopter water bombers. NIFC Janitorial
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