There are two kinds of USFS contracts. Additional current information can be accessed on the Interagency Fire UAS Operations website. Who will buy a 206, 407, etc besides AG guys? Other candidates would be the 412, and the other twin engine mediums on the market from AW and Airbus/Eurocopter. As a former helitacker I know we were always looking forward to moving to a more modern helicopter fleet. If the income is lower and lower due to LPTA and the job security is year to year with no guarantee, most lenders will tell you to try another bank to mortgage your house. 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. jtaris@aspentimes.com. Wont the guaranteed hours for a contract be a exclusive use. Sucks that theyre limiting their choices on the RFP. Cargo Ordering - How To, BLM They never seem to be logical ! I dont know if there is another 1960s Choctaw still flying fire! Sunrise/Sunset Calculator. Typos or errors, report them HERE. When determining the hourly rate, agencies should utilize the appropriate rate category. Aerial Supervision Module (ASM) Lead Planes Fire managers recognized the value of helicopters to rapidly transport personnel and cargo to a fire, especially in remote locations. National Helicopters (Large Fire Support, Initial Attack, Call-When-Needed) ALSE Handbook/Guide Ver 2.8 November 25, 2017 2 . Click here. Does a 407 not meet the new requirements? National Call-When-NeededHelicopters (Large Fire Support/Initial Attack)Flight Rate Charts Effective February 16, 2021for contracts awarded 2013-2017Flight Rate Charts Effective February 16, 2021 for contracts awarded 2018-2021Region 5 Aviation Jeffrey McGinley, Associate Branch Chief, Aviation T able 2- LAT and . Note, however, that the civil versions of the bi-rotor, Boeing Vertol 234, have been flying against fire, sometimes within the same companies, for many years, with close performances and operational costs equivalent to the AirCrane, ($ 24,000 / day + $ 7394 per flight hour for a CH-47D, $ 22,150 / day + $ 7,776 / per flight hour for a CH-54B, 2016 rate). Southern Area Coordination Center Operating Plan. Application of gel, foam or retardant? 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. 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. Avian Aviation Biologist. And now this year before we head into fall contracting with the MATOC still looming they have changed how they pay us. Provides support to both the Aviation and Logistics Branch Chiefs National Exclusive Use Helicopters (Large Fire Support/Initial Attack) =Wd{,,}[bx`3j2Fyyn y } So given these facts, what do you think they are trying to achieve in ultimately reducing the number of a/c in a time when we need more of them? National Type 1 and 2 CWN Contract: Great response, fellas. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Type 2 helicopters are very effective initial attack resources. So do we get balanced journalism here. Helicopters were first used on wildfires in 1947. . NIFC Operations Support Office: (208) 387-5279 Mobile: (208) 608-6763, AMD-23E v2.0. Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations And they are cheap azzs that wont pay much for anything. Aircraft types: P2V, HC-130H, BAe-146, MD-87, C-130Q, RJ85, C-130 H & J equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS). Aircraft Purchases: Todd Novinger, Contracting Officer Your last sentence is the the nail in the coffin.seeing as that this contract will be LPTA and a year to year option, how do you finance a new a/c that will surely be $2-$4M on the low end? Provide Equipment and Services for Fire Suppression | WA - DNR To put things in perspective, these aircraft perform interventions against US fires which CL-415 water bombers perform at home. What do you do with an expensive asset like a helo when youre only customer suggests to just not submit? Sounds like a great schedule to buy a next gen helicopter. hbbd```b``Od?eKfWI0, &}@b iH(O/ / So this all begs a question how do we bridge the gap here? The banker looks at your household income and job stability. 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 operable? Some helitack crews are trained to rappel from helicopters to fires in remote locations. MOU - Interagency Fire Helicopter Standards Forest Service Agreement # 13IA-11130206-011 . 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. PDF USDA Forest Service Aviation Strategy Implementation The arrogance and dismissal by the FS with most questions being answered Noted, Language will remain as written just adds frustration to irritation. IQCS Qualifications | IQCS - NWCG Southern Area Regional Coordination Group Operating Plan. There is a question and answer phase that allows anyone to submit questions and the answers will be posted on the SAM site. Theres the rub! National Exclusive Use SEAT SOP, Implementation Typos, let us know, and please keep in mind the commenting ground rules before you post a comment. Us, Northern Rockies Coordination Nobody should bid, then when everything is on fire and the USFS comes begging then youd have some leverage on them. Crews from the White River National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, and Aspen Fire executed a prescribed burn at Collins Creek on Sunday. Maybe the PM, HS and the CO should talk to some a/c financing companies to better understand the reality of upgrading or buying new equipment. Video of two Type 1 helicopters reloading with retardant, 41 Companies on $1B Forest Service Helicopter Support Contract, Updates on Nob Fire and WatchDuty is looking for help, North Carolina: Great Lakes Fire burning in footprint of 2012 fire. 2. Although I dont know if this counts as a legacy platform. These helicopters can strategically drop thousands of gallons of water or retardant with pinpoint accuracy, while working closely with ground personnel and other firefighting aircraft. A 212 is a twin, performs better than a 412 is all aspects but is a little older and only has two blades. Well not quite, imho. 0000001330 00000 n Large Airtankers (LATs) can deliver from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of fire retardant to support firefighters on the ground. 0000000923 00000 n Calfire is seeing right now how much NOT an upgrade they really are and how they are just too big for some things. We dont fly in 58Ts (which I saw on exclusive use contract as an unrestricted as late at 2006) Llamas, etc. 0000001945 00000 n All senior leadership, including Squad Leaders and higher must be able to read and interpret the language of the crew as well as English. 0000001055 00000 n 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 . Home | About Instead of a quick turn around of a week after the invoice closes- the new payment procedure has us waiting the full 30 days. 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. Category 3 includes helicopters capable of lifting more than 700 gallons of water or retardant. NWCG is the sole source for the publication. 10 0 obj <> endobj For point-to-point flights, AFF flight following may be used as well. What you all have put out leaves these folks in harms way.you guys ok with that on your souls. Its contracts are often the most profitable, and also have the advantage of being valid for 5 seasons, which gives economic visibility to companies that manage to win this sesame. They simply never had to deal with these considerations. Things like long term stability, Banking considerations and finance never enter into the Governments equation. The reason your seeing all the blackhawk bucket ships is because you can buy a milsurp bird for less than 2$ million and be flying on a fire for less than 5. Firewatch Cobra (Bell 209-AH-1) Aerial Supervision Helicopter Scurit civile: the Dragons in the early hours of Rostec signed dealership agreements on supplying VRT500 Mi-38: successful test in extreme conditions, Wiking Helikopter Service adds an H145 to its fleet. Apart from a few military helicopters mobilized occasionally and only as reinforcement, most of the air assets used to fight fires in the US are the work of countless more or less specialized aerial work companies, who each have very varied means. 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. Helicopters have a tank of flammable product and a flare and are used to burn down wooded areas in prescribed burning and fire areas. 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? If you like warm beer, buy a FS refrigerator. NWCG operations standards are interagency by design; they are developed with the intent of universal adoption by the member agencies. Well, maybe in some locations. 0000000016 00000 n To request access to this page, submit request to FS-FS AQM ISB. Same thing with Erickson. 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!! 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. 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). Note:Tanker capacity standards may vary by agency. The Q&A period is a nicety, but rarely ever provides valuable responses to industry. Office: (208) 387-5695 Mobile: (208) 860-7334 The partners to the USFS are all moving that direction with their purchases of Firehawks. Bill would rather not take his private industry advertisers $$$, but he should and needs to get paid for the hard work he puts in and he knows you Government boys cant/wont pay him to tell the truth. 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?). Category 3 includes the lightest helicopters with the lowest payload. All perpetuated by the Gov. Helicopters | National Interagency Fire Center An official website of the United States government. 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? Forest Service says there's not enough time to issue new helicopter See what happens when the arrogant customer has no place shop! 0 2023 US FOREST SERVICE AIRTANKERS - SCHEDULE OF ITEMS (April 26, 2023) Next Generation Airtankers 2.0 Next Generation Airtankers 3.0 CWN Activations. The ultimate goal is to drive out the independent operator entirely so they can justify owning their own fleet. Thank you. Do you know anything that can replace the current platforms? No. It seems nothing is making sense anymore, and we are destined to fail if this shortsightedness is allowed to continue. PDF Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the and the Subject 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. Given the current climate of helicopter contracts there will be more people getting out of helicopters than getting into them. Office: (208) 616-5548 Mobile: (208) 616- 5548, Training Centers Support (Main Contact) *Manufacturers published rated net horsepower (HP). Unfortunately your assumption is incorrect, the program manager has several years experience in aviation operations and the Helicopter Specialist is one of the best around and also has several years of experience. There are only 2 options and they are well in to the 10s of millions of dollars. The National Interagency Fire Center is committed to making its information and communication technologies accessible to individuals with disabilities by meeting or exceeding the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. PDF Cal Fire Emergency Equipment Rental Agreement 3934 Agreement Period PDF Welcome to the Nation's Logistical Support Center | National 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. U.S. Forest Service Contracting | US Forest Service I also think your comments are short sighted on Bills pandering to industry. Agency Abbreviation. Todd more well informed insight here. Have a fire aviation news tip? to Air Missions (NOTAMS), Para DAY OFF DAILY AV RATE HRLY FT RATE (DRY) 150Hrs/Over 150 Hrs DAILY OPTIONAL POST AV RATE CONTRACTING OFFICER 1. Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Bob. When the helicopter is in position, the crew releases the water to extinguish hot spots. PDF 2023 US FOREST SERVICE AIRTANKERS - SCHEDULE OF ITEMS (April 26, 2023) 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. At least two CL-415s were removed from USFS contracts and placed on a state contract this year too. 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. One has to write to the audience who butters their bread!. Initial attack/can be broken up into squads, fireline construction, complex firing operations (backfire). Then why are one year contracts with optional years considered a sustainable way for helicopter companies to provide helicopters for fire fighting? The Branch is comprised of two teams; aviation and logistics. These were but up for bid to have extra fully staffed helicopters ready to respond due to the virus. They are capable of carrying four to five firefighters at atime, anduse a 180 gallon water bucket. Large Jet Transport No wonder there is absolutely no concern about the financial impact of this proposal. See Full Story. Type 1 helicopters are the largest, fastest flying and the most expensive helicopters used on wildland fires. To request access to this page, submit request to, Forest Service Acquisition Management Incident Procurement, Solicitations on Federal Business Opportunities, Flight Rate Charts Effective February 16, 2021for contracts awarded 2013-2017, Flight Rate Charts Effective February 16, 2021 for contracts awarded 2018-2021, Crews Type 2 IA, Standard Form 1449, 2022 Summary, National Type 2-IA Crew COR Designation Letter, National Type 2-IA Crew Performance Evaluation, Type 2 Crew Generic Agreement 1202SC21Q0001, 2020 COVID-19 Modification for Mobile Shower Facilities, Mobile Shower Performance Evaluation Form, 2020 COVID-19 Modification for Mobile Food Services, Retardant Contractor Performance Evaluation Form, Retardant Contracts COR Designation Letters, National Mobile Shower COR Designation Letter, National Long Term Fire Retardant Contract. Office: (208) 387-5665 Mobile: (208) 616-5549, NIFC Operations Support Aviation Safety and Mngmnt Plan Office: (208) 387-5610 Mobile: (208) 867-5073, Tonya Campbell,Contracting Officer USFS R8 / USFWS R4 Annual Operating Plan for the use of the AS350B2 Helicopter. These may be local governments seeking to preserve a territory, but also counties or even states. Hows about an STC for personal electronic devices, only available from one company, nobody else in the industry even knows what the hell the STC is or is for! 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. We can only hope the upcoming DOI on-call helicopter RFP due out later this year isnt so crazy. 6-month Exclusive Use (EU) contract extensions for 34 - Type 2 helicopters with contracts expiring in 2022, utilizing BOAs for remaining EU line items. Office: (208) 387-5670 Mobile: (208) 616-5547 Guess what those choppers wont have cockpit cameras or loudspeakers or TAS. There is obviously some back door dealing going on with this RFP as it very specifically pushes money to certain equipment providers and tips the hat to certain helicopter companies. One vendor said new requirements could reduce the number of helicopters on contract. TheNWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typingestablishes minimum typing standards for aircraft, crews, and equipment for national mobilization to wildland fire incidents. Its coming, and sooner than you expect. Office: (208) 387-5231 Mobile: (208) 991-7639, Larry Robillard,Contracting Officer
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