Hopefully it wont be used to often but should the need arise its great to have one right here locally to answer the call. Buying a/c is a lot like buying a house. 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. 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!) And of course, stop lying / omitting to the public and making false, lame excuses with only a grain of truth in their news conferences and news releases. Cost Code Equipment Specifications Capacity or Size HP Notes Unit 2021 Rate; 8010: Air Compressor: Air Delivery: 41 CFM: to 10: Hoses included. sparked by a US Forest Service prescribed burn is the state's largest wildfire. Next Generation Multi-Engine Fixed-Wing Airtankers 3.0 Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. It just will. It seems nothing is making sense anymore, and we are destined to fail if this shortsightedness is allowed to continue. Firewatch Cobra (Bell 209/AH-1) Aerial Supervision Helicopter. OAS-64A Interagency Airplane Pilot Evaluation Application Form, OAS-64BInteragency Helicopter Pilot Evaluation Application Form, 5700-20Airplane Pilot Qualifications and Approval Record, 5700-20aHelicopter Pilot Evaluation Application, Cost Comparison Travel Worksheet(FS 5700-11), Flight Request Justification Approval Administrative Use Aircraft Form (AUA-1), National and Regional Report of Annual Administrative Flight Use (AUA-2), 2021,2020,2019,2018,2017,2016,2015,2014,2013,2012, Amphibious Water Scooper Aircraft Operations Plan, Administrative Use of Aircraft Desk Reference, Airworthiness Assurance Guide for Aerial Firefighting &Natural Resources Aircraft, Aviation Management Handbook - FSH 5709.16, C-23B+/SD3-60 Aircraft Change Management Implementation Plan, Federal Excess Personal Property Guide(11/05/2021), Fire Imaging and Mapping Guide (coming soon), Forest Service Standards for Airtanker Operations 2022, Forest Service Standards for Short-Haul Operations (January 2022), Forest Service Standards for UAS Operations, National Aviation Safety and Management Plan, (2022 - 2023), National Aviation Safety Management System Guide, National Rappel Operations Guide,(2019 Approval Letter), National Type I and Type II Exclusive Use Helicopter Operations Plan, Working Capital Fund Aircraft Users Guide, Basic Weather Information on Manifests and Use of Belt Weather Kits (IATB 2015-02), Clarification of the HOGE Power Check requirement(IATB 17-01), Airtanker Base Directory (Located on the Fire Enterprise Geospatial Portal), DOT Special Permit Authorization 9198 Forest Service DOT SP-9198 Grantee Letter, Emergency Helicopter Extraction Source List, Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operations, Interagency Airplane Pilot Practical Test Standards 2012 (Revision 2.0), Interagency Aviation Life Support Equipment Guide 2021, Interagency Helicopter Pilot Practical Test Standards 2015, Interagency Smokejumper Pilot Operations Guide, ISMOG Forest Service Section Forest Service National Smokejumper Training Guide, National Aviation Safety Management System (NASMS) Guide, NWCG Aviation Mishap Response Guide and Checklist, NWCGStandards for Airtanker Base Operations, NWCGStandards for Aviation Transport of Hazardous Materials, RAM-Air Parachute Training Guide Forest Service RAM-Air Canopy Evaluation Plan, Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations (Red Book), https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/aviation/publications, Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operati, Flight Request Justification Approval Administrative Use Aircraft Form, National and Regional Report of Annual Administrative Flight Use, Forest Service Standards for Short-Haul Operations, National Aviation Safety and Management Plan, Basic Weather Information on Manifests and Use of Belt Weather Kits, Clarification of the HOGE Power Check requirement, Forest Service DOT SP-9198 Grantee Letter, Forest Service National Smokejumper Training Guide, Forest Service RAM-Air Canopy Evaluation Plan, Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations, U.S. Forest Service and Interagency Aviation Publications. As a former helitacker I know we were always looking forward to moving to a more modern helicopter fleet. Typos, let us know, and please keep in mind the commenting ground rules before you post a comment. In 2018 when the Forest Service began issuing one-year contracts for air tankers we wrote: Few if any vendors can simply write a check to purchase and convert an air tanker, so they have to convince a lender to give them large sums of money usually even before they have a contract with the USFS. If it aint broke, dont try to fix it. Other candidates would be the 412, and the other twin engine mediums on the market from AW and Airbus/Eurocopter. Today the U.S. Forest Service announced the contract awards for 48 Type 1 helicopters. Have a fire aviation news tip? Y63 u3e11iQfkbKT?cx6Yi>#/@ G6
There is no cost, and in case you change your mind each email has an unsubscribe button. Services include, but are not limited to aircraft purchase and sales; maintenance of fleet aircraft; pilot service contracts . Thank you. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. More insanity from the USFS ! |2020 Executive Summary 2 Table 1 - CY 2020 Forest Service Aircraft Fleet Summary Number of Aircraft Helicopters Exclusive Use (EXU) 102 Call When Needed (CWN) 520 Agency Owned 3 Airtankers Firewatch Cobra (Bell 209-AH-1) Aerial Supervision Helicopter National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Support This document provides errata to the 2022 Red Book. Chief Pilot for the USFS, Abraham Fandrich, retires, Ride with a single engine air tanker as it drops near Borger, Texas, Lockheed looks ahead to advancing capability in wildland firefighting, Aerial Firefighters Association to promote safety, standards, innovation, Coulson tanker down in Western Australia, pilots okay, Helicopter crash kills 2 in Chilean fires. My look and details are just that- my perception. Civil, Firefighting, News, US Forest Service Call-When-Needed (CWN) Amphibious Water Scooper Aircraft What a crock of crap! The USFS did not get the number of LATs they assumed they would, I know it shocked them. These standards assign typing designations based on measurable capability and performance criteria. The Aviation Branch supports the acquisition of Airtankers, Helicopters, Light Fixed Wing Aircraft, Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) maintenance, Large Jet Transport and related aviation support including aircraft maintenance, consulting, aircraft purchase, contract pilots and aircraft equipment. https://www.kelly.senate.gov/, I think many of us do understand the contracting world and the pages put out by the head shed. Todd more well informed insight here. Maybe in talking to a 3rd party lender the FS would learn more about these challenges that industry is facing due to the well intended, but poorly delivered solicitation requirements? No.thats what happens when you have cradle to grave beuracrats (who havnt a clue about running a business) in charge of doling out federal dollars. 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. All the experienced aviation folks leading the latest helo RFP need to know that what youre proposing will lead to less a/c and more accidents/deaths. CTS Language Link (On-Demand Remote Interpreting (OPI & VRI) and Document Translation) PADD202000297. As I indicated, Im very interested in more reporting on this from the customer side of the table, IE the USFS as well as industry. 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. From completely unacceptable accident rates to corrupt hiring decisions and horrendously abysmal contracting they are all utter and complete failures. Companies like Construction Helicopters are even putting together S-61 ships and crews for Afghanistan. Aircraft Engineering Services Once we get all of that figured out, turns out that the increase in performance specifications at 7,000 / 30C combined with the added equipment pretty much eliminates legacy ships from meeting performance requirements. 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. Being told to shut up and color indicates a less than collaborative environment and makes Gov employees who work for top down leadership, pretending to be the military. They essentially want a Sky Crane to do a Jet Rangers job. The recent Fire at Custer State Park is proof that such Wildland Fire Fighting Equipment is a very needed as well as welcome addition to our Fire Protection District. In addition, the federal land management agencies said last year they were going to limit the number of less-than-full-suppression fires and attack new ignitions aggressively. 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. These helicopters are the largest that are used for fighting wildfires and can carry between 700 and 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant. In other locations they would just shrug their shoulders and walk away. You want a loud hailer, fork it over. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. If you like warm beer, buy a FS refrigerator. Such costs could be spread out over the period of the contract. Try to pass on the cost of newer more expensive equipment in less than 10 years than the operators fails on the LPTA front. Just need to add, Mama told me the customer is always right. The U.S. Forest Service has 18 large air tankers on exclusive use (EU) contracts this year. Click here. Time management skills and Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance is not a skill this outfit excels in.time to get back to timber management and master THAT, if thats possible before trying to re write contracts.maybe this outfit needs to hire some of us aviation professionals to assist the other professional mechanics and pilots on the USFS staff.surely they could assist in helping the contract office in being more realistic, First off its not the contracting office that is being unrealistic. Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) Focal Point, Mike McFarlane,Contracting Officer Posted by the Forest Service (USDA) . Just another site. Chinas new amphibious air tanker conducts ground test of water drop system, More rotor wing help arrives in California, Lockheed looks ahead to advancing capability in wildland firefighting, Aerial Firefighters Association to promote safety, standards, innovation, Coulson tanker down in Western Australia, pilots okay, Helicopter crash kills 2 in Chilean fires. We live near Custer S.D. Its driving us away from government work and Im truly worried about the availability of rotor assets next year if they end up going through with this wish list RFP. The Incident Support Branch (ISB) at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is located in Boise, Idaho. Forest Service and interagency publications are the primary vehicles by which Forest Service and Interagency policy and standards are transmitted. I also think your comments are short sighted on Bills pandering to industry. LockA locked padlock The FS will still have the 28 exclusive use Type 1 ships; the additional 20 will serve a mandatory availability period of 120 days, with a possible option for another 30 if the FS determines a need. usfs type 1 helicopter contracts 2022. fort collins real estate investors. All the UTFs for rotors can get name-tied back to a few individuals at NIFC. So a one year contract with each additional option year at the discretion of the agency with unreliable congressional funding is not a concept that makes potential vendors feel all warm and fuzzy. Putting more undue pressure on vendors to meet their misunderstanding of both FW and RW aviation. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Office: (208) 387-5231 Mobile: (208) 991-7639, Larry Robillard,Contracting Officer Nada! coleman 533 stove carry case; trumpets in the sky alaska; replica designer swimwear vendors; Several vendors opted for EU contracts with states instead of the USFS. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Support hb``e``c```Y The end result is fewer options for the government, but maybe that is what they want. That has to come from Congress to the FS and DOI Chiefs, and then down to them. Well not quite, imho. (A source in D.C. told us there is a chance the legislation will include a fix to the fire borrowing fiasco, where funds are taken from other functions to pay for wildfire suppression.). Time to take care of my health morehave my brain ss procedure soon. Certainly valid concerns regarding the quantity of helicopters to transition and timeline. contracts. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. The second highest was 46 percent in 2012. Nap time seems more like it versus getting too much into Fire Season 2021 and my thoughts. hmo0?n'*$hKjA RHPJX)T|~C}""HFB g R1F$\^=$F~s~m:lLNUy?$4(ci1agLZ^O;js"Yt4cRdQAWx~)x=("B|5df/ed%4&lCh$+M/ooXS{RNrdt Even if a vendor received a guaranteed five-year contract it can be difficult to establish and implement a long-term business plan that would make sense to their banker and the solvency of the company. All Standard and Restricted category Type 1, 2 and 3 helicopter contracts awarded under the USFS Type 1, 2 and 3 2022 Multiple Award Task Order (MATOC) Helicopter Support . Unmanned Aerial Supervision(UAS) Program, Delphine Arizana, Contract Specialist NWCG Standards for Fire. The Blackhawk wont work because they are restricted category. We have gone a few years in the past 10 where we had zero USFS work at all based on fire behavior but they want their random equipment to be installed on our dime. The Surge helicopters will be available for a 120-day contract availability period, beginning June 1, 2021 (except for the Santa Fe Surge). But it refers to astudy conducted from 2007 to 2009, theNIAC Interagency Aviation Strategy, which concluded that the optimum number of Type 1 helicopters on EU was 34. TheAirtanker Modernization Strategydoes not make an independent recommendation on the number of helicopters or air tankers that are needed. Temp Tower Ordering Guidance - Central Service Area (ND) (2022-2027) Interagency Emergency Helicopter Extraction List. These helicopters are the largest that are used for fighting wildfires and can carry between 700 and 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant. Office: (208) 387-5695 Mobile: (208) 860-7334 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. When I feel less crappy and can give this the focused attention I will write more. She saidUp to 30 additional Type 1 helicoptersare on Call When Needed contracts, which includes the six that no longer have EU contracts. Welcome to the Nation's Logistical Support Center | National . Above: N137BH, a Sikorsky70A or Firehawk helicopter, flies to refill its water bucket after dropping on the Rankin Fire in South Dakota September 13, 2017.