I was wondering if there was anyone on this forum that has been involved with Aerial Firefighting. I wanted some information as to how realistic it is getting a job doing it and what it is like. Also, if anyone knows of a forum that discusses that could you let me know, I've tried looking all over the internet. Thanks

 

Had a friend who did it for two or three seasons. He made a lot of $ and only worked half a year. On the down side, it's dangerous and I think your life expectancy is around 5 seasons. All the older dudes he flew with urged him to get out! He went to Pinnacle for a few years and is now at CAL.

 

I have looked into it. Only requires 800pic. It seems interesting, though I wonder why its so dangerous.

 

Older planes, massive thermals, flying in box canyons, ****ty vis due to smoke, etc.

http://www.iasa.com.au/folders/Safet...erCrash-2.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bDNCac2N1o&search=c130

 

It's dangerous because you are flying old airplanes with poor maintenance. The owners do everything on the cheap, but the plane has the fly when the bell rings.

It's dangerous because when your wings fall off, there is not a darn thing you can do to save yourself (2 C-130's and one PB-4Y, Boxcars before that).

It's dangerous because there are lots of planes and helicopters over the fires with poor visibility, and everyone is looking down at the fire instead of in front of them.

It's dangerous because the USFS denies that they are flying formation. There was no formation training or standardization or "how to" book, and when some military new hires offered to write one, we were told they didn't need one. I was nearly killed twice in formation near mid-airs, wasn't my fault, either. They still didn't listen. They didn't want to spend the money on training.

It's dangerous because you drop retardent at 150 feet in a smoke filled canyon, and you can't always see the power lines, tall trees, towers, and other obstacles.

It's dangerous because Maverick isn't flying F-14's, he is flying airtankers.

It's dangerous because they keep you on the ground in the morning when the fire is laying down, then launch you in the afternoon when it is burning to beat the band. Then you fly until you can't see any more.

When I did this, they lost an average of 2 pilots per year. That's a lot in a small community.

I am sure the Captains makes some good money, but I don't think the co-pilots do. There is a famous framed note on the wall in one of the tanker bases. It says "I quit", and was left on the yoke when the co-pilot packed his gear and left in the middle of the night.

Oh, and if you decide to still want to do this, buy life insurance now. You won't be able to buy any once you start. The life insurance companies know a bad risk when they see it. The question is, do you?

Having said all of that, it was really fun flying. Closest thing to being in the military. Great fun if you are a single NAFOD. Not so good if you have a wife and kid to think about. I felt safer doing night traps; at least I had an ejection seat.

If you do this, let us know how it turns out.

 

wow, interesting thanks for the links.......

 

Does anyone have a POC for a position flying as a fire suppression pilot?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

Pinnacle? as in the aviation school at CRQ?

 

I was a contract pilot for the USFS and the State of Alaska for wild land fire suppression activities.

It was a highly dangerous job. All you heard about all summer was plane crashes. The pay was good and they treated pilots well but the job was inherently dangerous and highly fun.

I would spend weeks stuck at some miserable base in the middle of nowhere doing absolutely nothing then told to depart within 15 minutes for a destination that was maybe 2600 miles away. It did not matter what the weather was like or what you were carrying you just left and made it happen somehow.

You had no support. No mechanics. No bosses and few to zero co-workers. Training was scant. The equipment did not work right. The avionics were parched together junk. You were always moving to a new location.

Many of the planes that I flew have been crashed since. A few of my best friends in the profession are dead now from it. Most of the time it takes a lot of the right type of flying experience to get the job and to then be able to survive it.

I had bush piloting experience and that really helped. I took a job after a guy with 10,000 hours was fired because he could not get comfortable with the job. His whole career was spent in the IFR, long runway environment. Low and slow off dirt and gravel runways with a twin blew his mind.

SkyHigh

 

So I take it Maverick lost his rubber dog doo-doo job out of Hong Kong?