Fixed-wing platforms range from single-engine air tankers (SEATs) often adapted from crop-dusters, such as the Thrush 510 and Air Tractor 802 Fire Boss, to larger tankers (more than 3,000-gallon capacity), including jet transports repurposed for dropping massive firefighting loads. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service also contract aerial firefighting services, as do individual states and agencies within states.īoth fixed- and rotor-wing aircraft are used. Forest Service, the largest federal contractor of aerial firefighting services, also has 52 full-time pilots, according to an agency spokesperson. The problem continues today.įederal agencies employ some aerial firefighter pilots, but most work under seasonal contracts for companies the agencies hire for fire protection. In fact, operators “are having a lot of trouble filling positions,” with retirements creating vacancies and brisk airline hiring draining the already-small applicant pool for aviation firefighters, the former Coast Guard and ag pilot says. “There are opportunities, but it’s not very well-organized,” says Dean Talley, an air tanker captain and board member of the Associated Aerial Firefighters. While we don’t have hard figures on their ranks or the number of jobs that exist, demand for aerial firefighter pilots is increasing, industry experts say.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |