PDF Cal Fire Emergency Equipment Rental Agreement 3934 Agreement Period So this all begs a question how do we bridge the gap here? The partners to the USFS are all moving that direction with their purchases of Firehawks. endstream endobj startxref For type 3 helos it may be possible, providing the USFS can double the budget because thats what vendors are going to bid for a new aircraft with higher maintenance cost and complexity, additionally operating hot and high im sure the load charts are going to have to be quite conservative to ensure OEI is landing safely and not just crashing slower, Everything has to be in balance, you cant spend unlimited money, and you cant eliminate all risk, the safest and most inexpensive helicopter is one that sits on the ground. 3833 S. Development Avenue fleet is composed of primarily contractor-owned and operated aircraft but the Forest Service does own numerous helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. 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. These standards assign typing designations based on measurable capability and performance criteria. 0000006627 00000 n . U.S. Forest Service employees (Forest Service Internal Link), U.S. Department of Interior (DOI Internal Link). They are capable of carrying four to five firefighters at a time, and use a 180 gallon water bucket. What do you do with an expensive asset like a helo when youre only customer suggests to just not submit? Southern Area Regional Coordination Group Operating Plan. Bill wrote 3 sentences without even putting his opinion in, the overwhelming response is that the only people happy or satisfied with this RFP are the people who wrote it. The Cal Fire owns a fleet of UH-1 Huey, rigged with Bambis or HBE Simplex Kits, depending on the geographic areas they must cover. The blackhawk will not replace the 212 because it cant, and a regular category S-70 would have to bid three or four times the price of a 212 to make financial sense even if you could get a 4 year EU contract. Smaller helicopters carry water in buckets that hold between 100-400 gallons of water. Temp Tower Agreement -, Interagency Emergency Helicopter Extraction List, USFS Do you know anything that can replace a CH-54/S-64 or an S-61? These proposed contract changes have made working for USFS impossible for most all operators especially restricted categories that will all be phased out when the new 2000 or newer requirement takes affect. 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). 0000000016 00000 n NFPA = National Fire Protection Association Large Airtankers (LATs) can deliver from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of fire retardant to support firefighters on the ground. One vendor said new requirements could reduce the number of helicopters on contract. Buying a/c is a lot like buying a house. If helicopters are widely used in the USA to fight forest fires, they can also be used to burn them. They are versatile fire management tools. USFS to contract for 48 Type 1 helicopters this year So, because the Forest Service wants to push all but the top tier of their options out, they are essentially putting every government agencys resources at risk. Columbia sold to another company last year and with the combined ammount of aircraft they are considered a large company. However, multi-year contacts must also include an aspect of a cancellation ceiling which must be funded up front. 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. Incident Contacts . The ultimate goal is to drive out the independent operator entirely so they can justify owning their own fleet. 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. Category 3 includes helicopters capable of lifting more than 700 gallons of water or retardant. 0 Category 3 includes the lightest helicopters with the lowest payload. 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. Your input allows us to recognize outstanding service and also provides a tool to address areas of industry concern. Jeffrey McGinley, Associate Branch Chief, Aviation Flight Rate Hourly Daily Availability # OF UNITS TOTAL COST Exclusive Use Helicopters Type 1 HEL1 $ 4,290 $ 13,950 Type 2 HEL2 $ 1,760 $ 5,030 Type 3 HEL3 $ 1,050 $ 2,325 Call When Needed Helicopters Type 1 HEL1 $ 4,200 $ 26,600 Type 2 HEL2 $ 1,960 $ 7,150 . Montana / Dakotas Fire and Aviation, NRCC Calculator, GPS TFRs List/Map, Nat'l A 407 isnt a twin, even tho a 407hp will outperform all the above as a type III. Cooperative Agreements - National Interagency Fire Center Obviously another FS fella here. USFS awards 90-day contracts for 22 additional helicopters See what happens when the arrogant customer has no place shop! If it aint broke, dont try to fix it. 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. (Y/N - if "Y" add expiration date on card) 6. These may be local governments seeking to preserve a territory, but also counties or even states. helicopter services hourly flight rates, fuel consumption, and weight reduction chart effective february 16, 2020 for contracts awarded 2018-2021 (cwn/exclusive use) Large Airtankers (LATs) can deliver from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of fire retardant to support firefighters on the ground. Fires are taking place in sometimes isolated areas, and this ancestral technique is very widely used, allowing firefighters to block the fire thus depriving it of fuel. For information about Lower 48 Aircraft Rental Agreements, please contact John Anderson 208-433-5018, For information about Air Tactical Contracts please contact Matthew Allen, Lead Contracting Officer at 703-972-5080, On-Call Fixed Wing Alaska please contact Heather Sizick, Lead Contracting Officer at 571-479-0323, For information about Alaska/Hawaii Contracts please contact Heather Sizick, Lead Contracting Officer at 571-479-0323, For information about WHB and ACETA Contracts please contact Jeanhei Christy, Contracting Officer at 208-433-5019, For information about SEAT Contracts please contact Angelina Clements, Lead Contracting Officer at 571-479-0325, For information about On Call Small Helicopter Contracts please contact Austin Carter, Lead Contracting Officer at 208-433-5032, For DOI project or non-fire needs requiring a medium/heavy helicopter, please contact Austin Carter, Lead Contracting Officer at 208-433-5032 for contract and cost data information along with instructions for placing an order, Heather Sizick, Lead Contracting Officer at 571-479-0323, Aviation Information Reporting Support (AIRS), Fire Suppression & Search & Rescue Task Order Numbers, On Call & ARA Fire Suppression Task Order Numbers, DOI OC Small Type III Helicopter - Both DOI and USFS Task orders when hired under DOI, 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), On-call Alaska Fixed Wing Sample Contract, On-Call Alaska Helicopter Sample Contract, On-Call Hawaii Helicopter Sample Contract, USFS/DOI Medium/Large Helicopter Contract, AQD-10 Airplane Rental Agreement Price List, AQD-11 Helicopter Rental Agreement Price List, AQD-13A Questionnaire for Airplane Services Requirements, AQD-13H Questionnaire for Helicopter Services Requirements, AQD-16 Contract Award/Renewal Recommendation and Funding Availability Certification, For Alaska/Hawaii Emergency/Fire/SAR task order numbers, please contact Heather Sizick, Lead Contracting Office at 571-479-0323 or Rebecca Fentzke, Division Chief at 703-964-5320. & Booklets), FS The following links are provided for Interagency Fire Professionals who are tasked with administering contracts issued by our Unit and is provided solely for that purpose and intent. 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. NWCG operations standards are interagency by design; they are developed with the intent of universal adoption by the member agencies. What light twin replaces a 407? Does a 407 not meet the new requirements? 0000073974 00000 n I can see daily availability rates sky rocketing, which it sounds like is expected. A lot of the operators that will get pushed out because of this RFP do a lot of irrefutably safe work when fire season peaks, or when resource work is needed, with excellently maintained legacy platforms at great value to the taxpayers. Comments, questions, and recommendations shall be submitted to the appropriate agency representative assigned to the steward for each resource. Flight Following (AFF), FlightAware Category 2 is that of aircraft with 6,000 to 12,500 pounds at take-off and having a water carrying capacity of more than 300 gallons. Helicopters also deliver firefighting crews called helitack crews to fires for initial attack. Why are only Types III and II legacy helicopters being phased out? Light Operational Loads Monitoring Systems (OLMS) For example they get 4 hours of flight pay whether they fly 0 or 3.8. We all understand that. N/A = Not applicable When the helicopter is in position, the crew releases the water to extinguish hot spots. Aerial SupervisionModule(Lead Planes) But you better pay for it, USFS says! Basic Ordering Agreements (BOAs) for 28 - Type 1 helicopters having 120-day mandatory availability periods. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Furthermore the numbers they provide are usually . Entities without current agreements may contact the IBC-AQD Business Management Specialist at 208-433-5025. 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? Provides support to both the Aviation and Logistics Branch Chiefs Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Coordinator Aviation for Regions 1, 2, & 9, 10 The US Forest Service's Aerial Firefighting Helicopters Have a fire aviation news tip? Forest Service Fire and Aviation Qualifications Guide (FSFAQG) Federal Wildland Fire Qualifications Supplement. Typos, let us know, and please keep in mind the commenting ground rules before you post a comment. All types shall meet federal, state and agency requirements for motor vehicle safety standards, including all gross vehicle weight ratings when fully loaded. I do not know of any small operators who can afford to buy new ships, if any are even available. We all understand that. To meet this commitment, we continue to monitor and update our content to make sure our documents meet these standards. DOI Incident Position Qualification Guide (IPQG) AABI. These are also similar systems found in the lower section of the DC-10 Tanker 10, and there are also constant flow bunkers found on board many tankers such as the C-130, P -3 Orion and other RJ-85AT. United States Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Aviation Services (OAS) and the . 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? These changes are going to put operators who have worked hard for generations, who have tirelessly jumped through USFS hoops for years out of businessthat is a crappy government thanks, with costly and unnecessary changes as the final slap in the face! <<0B6C55EEACE9564A8C1EB025C5E90DF9>]>> PDF Office of The Under Secretary of Defense 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. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) Helicopters conducting mission flights shall check-in prior to and immediately after each takeoff/landing, as soon as communications can be established, per the NWCG Standards for Helicopter Operations (PMS 510) Chapter 04, page 30. 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. Office: (208) 387-5272 Mobile: (208) 616-5546 National Interagency Aviation Committee (, Incident and Position Standards Committee (. 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? They should change their contract terms should change if theyre forcing companies to buy X aircrafts. Say goodbye to the 205 and 212, its brand new 412EPXs or nothing. What do you do with an expensive asset like a helo when youre only customer suggests to just not submit? PDF STATE OF OREGON - DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY Helicopter Rental Rates Oh, and dont glance over the cockpit camera, which they want even on restricted category bucket ships. Your input here is really helpful. Agency Abbreviation. The Q&A period is a nicety, but rarely ever provides valuable responses to industry. 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. Office: (208) 387-5695 Mobile: (208) 860-7334 Maybe the PM, HS and the CO should talk to some a/c financing companies/banks to better understand the reality of upgrading or buying new equipment? The Robinson Helicopter Operating Cost Calculator Courtesy Photo/USFS. And now this year before we head into fall contracting with the MATOC still looming they have changed how they pay us. - R1 Overdue/Missing Aircraft Protocol, DOI November 25, 2017 Revision 2.8 . National Pilots National Maintenance Agreement, Robert Hoffman,Contracting Officer One of our readers whose company has been providing helicopters on the previous contracts has some opinions about the changes the Forest Service is pushing. 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. There is a question and answer phase that allows anyone to submit questions and the answers will be posted on the SAM site. Anyone else seeing a trend, that they like to spend money on the most expensive piece of equipment they can find, including fixed wings. These aircraft are classified in three categories, depending on their capabilities, categories that also determine the value of the contracts. 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. 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. HUn6S@F$E]7Mb UOm"!'!RKGO%zqRHR.~H"Z~QBEIGjZW_^VJ4)+lMT@I-|7%J81^ while simultaneously saying that they fully intend on moving to modern helicopters that are built after the year 2000 and are all twin engine. We speak of aircraft with a maximum mass of 3000 kg, and a payload of 1200 kg. Thanks for giving us a voice. Office: (208) 387-5627 Mobile: (208) 985 6266 Airbus Helicopters breaks ground on first helicopter as Leonardo: Centaurium Aviation Ltd. takes delivery of it Health Crisis: the French Gendarmerie air support. Please help us improve by taking a few moments to complete our voluntary USFS Fire Industry feedback form. Airtankers The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) provides national leadership to enable interoperable wildland fire operations among federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local partners. Doing business with the feds is not for the faint of heart. Cargo Ordering - How To, BLM 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. 2. "Today is a day of zeros, zero rate of spread, zero flame length, zero probability of ignition and zero fire growth." . CWN Helicopter Procurement Comparison NOTE: The procurement (USFS or DOI) is determined by which agency has jurisdiction over the fire, project or lands. The Incident Support Branch (ISB) at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is located in Boise, Idaho.
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