usfs helicopter rates

=Wd{,,}[bx`3j2Fyyn y } Center These standards assign typing designations based on measurable capability and performance criteria. 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? Aircraft Type: DC-10. 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. Live Flight Tracking, Rappel See Full Story. Helicopters have a tank of flammable product and a flare and are used to burn down wooded areas in prescribed burning and fire areas. Of course, the US Forest Service is not the only organization to have helicopter water bombers. Does anyone smell a red herring or see a strawman waving his arms? The Branch is comprised of two teams; aviation and logistics. Type 3 Helicopters Although Type 3 helicopters are smaller, they have a higher cruise speed than a typical Type 2 helicopter and can arrive on the scene of an initial attack wildfire faster. Others are only used to drop water or fireretardant, ormove firefighting supplies and equipment. *Manufacturers published rated net horsepower (HP). NWCG typing standards enable accurate ordering and acquisition of needed resources in support of nationally interoperable wildland fire operations. Besides the cost for the new equipment will be passed on the FS through the increase in Daily Availability rates. For example, the 2017 average daily rate for large federal call when needed air tankers was 54 percent higher than aircraft on exclusive . Being able to pump water from bodies of water inaccessible to fixed wings, they operate with fast rotations and can also be loaded to delay if necessary, thanks to mobile cages that firefighters can position close to the area of operations. Very Large Airtankers (VLAT)are capable of delivering over 8,000 gallons of fire retardant to support firefighters on the ground. Crews from the White River National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, and Aspen Fire executed a prescribed burn at Collins Creek on Sunday. Then why are one year contracts with optional years considered a sustainable way for helicopter companies to provide helicopters for fire fighting? Well, maybe in some locations. 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. What light twin replaces a 407? If a vendor doesnt like the requirements, they can choose not to submit a proposal. They simply never had to deal with these considerations. Normally both are higher with a CWN. 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. Melinda Draper, Associate Branch Chief, Logistics, Sadly, this is just another reason why operators will have to get out of the fire fighting business or send the aircraft to other countries where they will actually be treated like the critical assets that they are. - R1 Overdue/Missing Aircraft Protocol, DOI At least two CL-415s were removed from USFS contracts and placed on a state contract this year too. trailer It is known that the retardant is a product much more effective than water which reinforces the tactical importance of rotating wings. National Helicopters (Large Fire Support, Initial Attack, Call-When-Needed) As such, it is necessary for forest teams to rely on natural protection or retarding barriers to avoid losing control of the fire, which is potentially a huge risk. NFPA = National Fire Protection Association Do any of you FS boys understand how capitalism works? Nope. A minimum of 100 gallons of extinguishing products, water or retardant, must be able to be conveyed by these machines. The NWCGcategorizes information on fire apparatus into logical groups and provides common options often requested by fire managers. 0000010826 00000 n This amounts to budget dollars that would have to be tied to each individual contract and could not be utilized anywhere else. The single vs twin vs safety argument doesnt have a clear winner unless youre talking about CAT A capable aircraft. What do you do with an expensive asset like a helo when youre only customer suggests to just not submit? Aircraft Engineering Services Courtesy Photo/USFS. Without a federal contract, we cant get carded and without cards, we cant work for the state. In each case, only the first year is guaranteed. Yes (work and train as a unit 40 hours per week. 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. They are all tied to contractors in the business. Try to pass on the cost of newer, more expensive equipment in less than 10 years, than the operator fails on the LPTA front b/c his day rate will be too high. A 407 isnt a twin, even tho a 407hp will outperform all the above as a type III. Steve Peterson, Contracting Officer 0000000716 00000 n Note:Certain aircraft are specialized and will not fit this classification. The biggest issue overall is that this contract is a prerequisite for our other federal and state work such as state fire and wildlife survey, etc. Maybe they could have figured out a better transition, maybe not. 0000002454 00000 n Helicopters refill their buckets at dip sites such as public lakes, reservoirs, or any water sources that are deep enough for the buckets. Sucks that theyre limiting their choices on the RFP. Smokejumperstravel all over the country, including Alaska, to provide highly-trained, experienced firefighters and leadership for quick initial attack on wildland fires in remote areas. To put things in perspective, these aircraft perform interventions against US fires which CL-415 water bombers perform at home. 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. qG4f2v$dlP^~nyH6JQ[c~x(-lCA;r:\00v40pt00 ) -: Very well stated on what most of us are thinking and in the same boat. . 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. Regardless of how many aircraft are available it is how to use them in a timely manner, not a 1000 mile ferry two days later. Type 3 engines and tactical water tenders shall be equipped with a foam proportioner system. Office: (208) 616-5548 Mobile: (208) 616- 5548, Training Centers Support (Main Contact) Mulcher / Masticator - Boom Mounted Checklist, U.S. Forest Service, Contracting Faintly, what are the advertisement you see posted on this site? Southern Area Regional Coordination Group Operating Plan. 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. Furthermore the numbers they provide are usually . 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. The companies willing to make adjustments will do just that and end up with contracts. Buying a/c is a lot like buying a house. 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. National Geographic Area Coordination Center Website Portal Well said Maghreb.sadly, doing so would guarantee financial disaster/bankruptcy for the industry while also ensuring that the country and its citizens in fire prone states would be without helos for many more years than just one season.I do love the idea as it would send a message for suremaybe a few calls to the White House make sense here? Call-When-Needed (CWN) Airtankers 2.1 I also assume that the CO just channeled the PM and HSs needs for the program. - IR Scanner Orders, Sunrise/Sunset The table below shows NWCG minimum performance requirements for water tenders. They should change their contract terms should change if theyre forcing companies to buy X aircrafts. USFS awards 90-day contracts for 22 additional helicopters Bill Gabbert May 13, 2020 Contracting, Helicopters contract The U.S. Forest Service has awarded 90-day contracts for an 22 additional helicopters that can lift at least 3,300 or 7,000 pounds. They claim that 2 times throughout the 1/9 year parent contract, they will allow onboarding of new vendors/equipment. Click here. Fire managers recognized the value of helicopters to rapidly transport personnel and cargo to a fire, especially in remote locations. They ensure the impressive attack on flames with water. I may be incorrect in this, but I think the less than excited response from industry is based on them providing questions and input to the PM, HS and CO and getting pretty unsatisfactory responses. Candidates include the Bell 429, Airbus/Eurocopter H135 or H145 or other light twins on the market. And they are cheap azzs that wont pay much for anything. What you all have put out leaves these folks in harms way.you guys ok with that on your souls. National Exclusive Use SEAT SOP, Implementation 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. 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 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! CWN aircraft, both fixed and rotor wing, cost more than exclusive use ships. National Interagency Aviation Committee Publication Library, BLM National Air Attack Exclusive Use Aircraft 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 don't need like a Traffic Avoidance System (but the ADS-B they required last year isn't good enough) and a loudspeaker (because yelling at the fire helps? Nevertheless, in recent years, with the current situation, CWN aircraft have often been used. Type 1 and 2 UAS carry multiple camera types in a gimbaled configuration. The NWCGcategorizes information on fire apparatus into logical groups and provides common options often requested by fire managers. And then everything over 4 hours is paid too obviously. Comments, questions, and recommendations shall be submitted to the appropriate agency representative assigned to the steward for each resource. Companies like Columbia and Erickson are considered too big now. You guys (and gals) should possess enough experience to influence how contracts are conceptualized, and bring some common sense back to the process, Nobody should bid, then when everything is on fire and the USFS comes begging then youd have some leverage on them.. Aviation for Region 2 Next Generation Multi-Engine Fixed-Wing Airtankers 3.0 Well not quite, imho. U.S. Forest Service employees (Forest Service Internal Link), U.S. Department of Interior (DOI Internal Link). 0000001945 00000 n ). Call-When-Needed (CWN) Amphibious Water Scooper Aircraft Fire fighting tools, food and water are dropped by parachute to the firefighters after they land near the firemaking them self-sufficient for the first 48 hours. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) provides national leadership to enable interoperable wildland fire operations among federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local partners. Large Jet Transport Modular AirborneFirefighting System (MAFFS) Mechanics Tanked helicopters with snorkel capabilities can draft from open water sources. USFS R8-R5 Operating Plan. Yes, the customer is the FS. The banker looks at your household income and job stability. Qualification Category. agency that, more and more, is becoming its own worst enemy, as well as ours! SD3-60 Sherpas;Avionics; Maintenance They are all tied to contractors in the business. Nor is it actually clear to me that is what is happening. Ignoring the facts of what that aircraft can actually carry, not what the vendor claims.
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