The aircraft drop water or fire retardant from
externally mounted tanks. “That is the most we have had
working fires at any given time,” Rotonda points out.
“In a normal season, it would be more like seven on
active fires.” He adds that in years past, one or two
regions of the US would be considered at risk for a fire
outbreak. “Now, it's the entire western part of the US
that's at risk for major fire activity.”
In
fact, that includes Alaska, where Rogers Helicopters has
a Bell 212 working a fire, according to company Vice
President Robin Rogers. Other aircraft operated by the
Fresno, California, company two Bell 212s on fires in
California, and another two working fires in Montana and
Idaho.
Dan Sweet, Public Relations Manager for Columbia
Helicopters in Portland, Oregon echoes observations that
fires this year have been far more scattered. “We have
been on fires as far away as Florida, as well as in
Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico and Washington,” he
reports. “Four helicopters, available to the USFS under
exclusive use contracts, are out fighting fires, and a
fifth one, is being deployed under a 'call when needed'
contract.”
As
Sweet points out, to support the helicopters in the
field, the company has had to “double staff” its fuel
and maintenance equipment vehicles, in order to reach
the far flung locations where the company is
operating--faster--as well as to comply with USFS
mandated rest periods.
Construction Helicopters has been in a continuous
firefighting mode since May 15, according to Larry
Kelley, manager of the Boise, Idaho-based company's West
Coast Operations. He calls this year's fire season its
busiest since 2007, with helicopters currently deployed
in California, Idaho, Colorado and Utah on exclusive use
USFS contracts.
“Just this month, we have flown over 300 hours from a
base in Ogden, Utah--alone--and over 250 hours from
other bases” Kelley says. “In other years, it would have
been about 150 hours.” He adds that the company is
approaching nearly 100 days straight on fires in
locations, flying seven to hours per day--about twice
the number in more normal years.
Also in a maximum utilization mode is large tanker
operator Neptune Aviation Services of Missoula, Montana,
with seven P2Vs and one modified BAe 146 in the field.
Dan Snyder, the company's President, reports that given
the number of fires, their locations are changing almost
daily. Neptune is flying more cycles, compared to last
year, but he attributes this to the mid-season, 2011,
shut down of a competitor. In addition, he notes that
the BAe 146, which came on-stream last fall has proven
itself effective in the firefighting environment. “It
handles as well as, if not better, than our P2Vs,
although we are still working out some minor issues with
the tanking system.”
“The extraordinary challenges of this year's fire season
have, once again, shown that the private operators of
helicopters and fixed wing air tankers were
well-prepared for any contingency, including greater
utilization of equipment and people,” says Tom Eversole,
Executive Director of the American Helicopter Services
and Aerial Firefighting Association (AHSAFA).
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