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The what, why and where of this story seems like it warrants additional reporting. One has to write to the audience who butters their bread! They essentially want a Sky Crane to do a Jet Rangers job. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. We live near Custer S.D. Along with Monitormonkey from above. 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. Bill is pandering to advertisers and we here at FS have so much knowledge we cant be wrong. Exactly. Why are only Types III and II legacy helicopters being phased out? A CWN aircraft could be tied up on something else or undergoing heavy maintenance when the phone in the office rings asking if they can respond to a fire. He replied: The existing Call When Needed (CWN) Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) will be utilized for both Type 1 and Type 2 CWN helicopters. In addition, the federal land management agencies said last year they were going to limit the number of less-than-full-suppression fires and attack new ignitions aggressively. Typos, let us know, and please keep in mind the commenting ground rules before you post a comment. They are proposing to increase the dollars spent on Defense by $165 billion. Let the folks who have ADSB be exempt from ELT burden. Putting more aircraft (fixed and rotor) in the air and cutting corners on Aerial Supervision is a bad, bad recipe. In addition to just a one year guarantee, there were new requirements for equipment to be added to the aircraft requiring significant additional expenditures for the private companies bidding on the services. Chapter 1 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and. The idea of one year contracts is just one characteristic of a contracting process that lacks experience, maturity and common sense. What a crock of crap! in the Black Hills between Custer and Hill City and having one of these is a much needed and necessary thing especially given the dead and down Pine and Spruce trees from the Bark Beatle infestation we suffered through. Chinas new amphibious air tanker conducts ground test of water drop system, More rotor wing help arrives in California, Lockheed looks ahead to advancing capability in wildland firefighting, Aerial Firefighters Association to promote safety, standards, innovation, Coulson tanker down in Western Australia, pilots okay, Helicopter crash kills 2 in Chilean fires. 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 The FS contracting office posted more than a dozen versions of the presolicitation between July 7 and December 6. Call-When-Needed (CWN) Large Jet Transport, Matthew Olson,Contracting Officer Women's Bond NFT Collection usfs type 1 helicopter contracts 2021 . usfs type 1 helicopter contracts 2021. by | Jun 10, 2022 | championship wrestling from florida dvd | wheeler middle school staff | Jun 10, 2022 | championship wrestling from florida dvd | wheeler middle school staff At the beginning of the 2017 western fire season there were 20 large and very large air tankers on EU contracts plus two water-scooping air tankers. The administrative bases of the helicopters will be at 48 locations. On a grand scale, the report showed yet again that U.S. military spending easily dwarfed the rest of the world. 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 safely operable? . And the hits just keep on coming. Nap time seems more like it versus getting too much into Fire Season 2021 and my thoughts. Modular AirborneFirefighting System (MAFFS) Mechanics We operate Type III helicopters and are now faced with 40+ pounds 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?). The recent Fire at Custer State Park is proof that such Wildland Fire Fighting Equipment is a very welcome addition to our Fire Protection District. Even if a vendor received a guaranteed five-year contract it can be difficult to establish and implement a long-term business plan that would make sense to their banker and the solvency of the company. Does anyone smell a red herring or see a strawman waving his arms? LockA locked padlock See Full Story. 0) Interagency Aviation Life Support Equipment Guide 2021. 9-Mar-2021 Source: Fire Aviation. Aerial SupervisionModule(Lead Planes) ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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. (Fire Aviation has requested a copy of the report.). Give us folks in the field a little credit for the same credit you so richly deserve, Have a fire aviation news tip? But only when they decide, of course! Airtankers What is your source on zero HLCO platforms? Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Brian. Refer to the NRCG Incident Business Management . -noO:y~f9T|}`CN'oS&4F0{@h2{B(bj) 3h~EL9- Woodbury was in 2019. In addition, the federal land management agencies said last year they were going to limit the number of less-than-full-suppression fires and attack new ignitions aggressively. Some of these folks need to spend 20+ yrs like some us did in the aviation maintenance and everyday flying to expend this much energy to get vendors spooled up and then say there is not enough time. Aircraft Engineering Services Our suggestion is to prioritize the defense and protection of our citizens, homeland, forests, parks, grasslands, refuges, prairies, and wildlands FIRST, before considering spending trillions on the other side of the world. I agree the process has become absurd; personnel within federal agencies who develop and oversee aircraft contracts for fire-fighting need significant redirection. On the contractor side, if you want to bid on a contract without those things, fine, lets see how important they really are for the mission by whether the FS still go for the low bid or walk the walk and share the expense of upgrades. 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. Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) Focal Point, Mike McFarlane,Contracting Officer Without a federal contract, we cant get carded and without cards, we cant work for the state. I believe the FS had about 6-9 nationally funded HLCO platforms in order to provide aerial supervision to these surge aircraft but this year? Aviation Safety. Nor is it actually clear to me that is what is happening. In each case, only the first year is guaranteed. Have a fire aviation news tip? Its playing out exactly like we (helitack crews who actually do the work and are face to face with the vendors every day) predicted at the beginning of this season. NICC is the sole source for large transport aircraft holding 14 CFR Part 121 Certificates and for Type 1 and 2 Call-When-Needed (CWN) Helicopters. PAY the vendor to include the STCs, FAA 337s, time the office folks have to catch up on the logbooksOnce again the Agency simply does not know what it takes to run a fleet of helicopters at the vendor level. Some helitack crews are trained to rappel from helicopters to fires in remote locations. 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. 6-month Exclusive Use (EU) contract extensions for 34 Type 2 helicopters with contracts expiring in 2022, utilizing BOAs for remaining EU line items. The only modern type III helicopter we can find that meets the requirement is $6.4m which is triple the value of our 5 type III helicopter fleet (and we own a Type III light twin, its just too old for the Forest Services liking). Chief Pilot for the USFS, Abraham Fandrich, retires, Ride with a single engine air tanker as it drops near Borger, Texas, Lockheed looks ahead to advancing capability in wildland firefighting, Aerial Firefighters Association to promote safety, standards, innovation, Coulson tanker down in Western Australia, pilots okay, Helicopter crash kills 2 in Chilean fires. Meanwhile, the defense of our Homeland gets cut. People will write their Congressional Reps and lowly GS grade bureaucrats will get mushroom stamped for creating an untenable contracting environment that leads to a massive shortage of rotors when homes are burning. However, multi-year contacts must also include an aspect of a cancellation ceiling which must be funded up front. The USFS has determined there is not enough time for an adequate response from industry, a complete evaluation by the government, and ultimately timely award prior to the start of 2022 mandatory availability periods. . Perhaps thats the point: There are available alternatives on the market that can replace the legacy platforms for type II and III, so we should continue upgrading the fleet as we can. mudslides will come erosion. Try to pass on the cost of newer more expensive equipment in less than 10 years than the operators fails on the LPTA front. In 2016 the FS hired 34 Type 1 helicopters but starting in 2017 reduced the number to 28. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 16, 2020. Due Nov 16, 2020. a request arrives from the US Forest Service to locate a missing range tech and his unit last reported headed for nearby Stinkin' Springs, and the brutal murder of Constance Suarez in the . agency that, more and more, is becoming its own worst enemy, as well as ours! Forest Service contracted Type 1 helicopters are a strategic National Resource, contracted to support the national firefighting effort. BTW, does anyone flying on fires really need an ELT if they have ADSB? dallas cowboys roster 2021 2022; is bodie stroud married; Select Page. An official website of the United States government. The banker looks at your household income and job stability. 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. The intent of the USFS for acquiring helicopter services for 2022 is as follows: 1. Jeffrey McGinley, Associate Branch Chief, Aviation The Contracting office doesnt make the requirements or evaluation criteria in the solicitation, that is the responsibility of the program office..PERIOD ! As a former FS aviator I can confidently say that every single FS Aviation Officer from the WO to the ROs needs to be fired or reassigned. I am curious as to your solution on how to better handle the fire season? Woodbury Fire, I cannot speak to. Its coming, and sooner than you expect. Pratt & Whitney Engine Maintenance. In other locations they would just shrug their shoulders and walk away. Next Generation Multi-Engine Fixed-Wing Airtankers 3.0 Im not convinced that either trying to do an abrupt transition is appropriate NOR is standing still while other more modern aircraft are available. Office: (208) 387-5682 Mobile: (208) 407-6003, Andrea Marks-Cash, Contract Specialist In addition the Logistics Branch provides procurement support for eleven National Cachesfor wildland fire suppression and prevention, as well as other emergency incident response activities. This document provides errata to the 2022 Red Book. So wed be glad to discuss more about air tankers. 5 more pack tests and Im done. CHAPTER 50 AIRCRAFT . IBC's Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD) is responsible for the acquisition of a full suite of commercial aviation services supporting each bureau in the Department of the Interior, as well as many external customers. Office: (208) 387-5252 Mobile: (208) 866-0417 Who will buy a 206, 407, etc besides AG guys? You must be USFS this sounds exactly like the Q&A session Language will remain as written. helicopter services hourly flight rates, fuel consumption, and weight reduction chart effective february 16, 2019 for contracts awarded 2018-2021 (cwn/exclusive use) Well, maybe in some locations. Samantha Roberts, Zoological Society of London [ TOP ] Plate 42. The Surge helicopters will be available for a 120-day contract availability period, beginning June 1, 2021 (except for the Santa Fe Surge). We all understand that. Smokejumper STC Being told to shut up and color indicates a less than collaborative environment and makes Gov employees who work for top down leadership, pretending to be the military. Additionally, these aircraft have a unilateral option to extend for an In 2018 when the Forest Service began issuing one-year contracts for air tankers we wrote: Few if any vendors can simply write a check to purchase and convert an air tanker, so they have to convince a lender to give them large sums of money usually even before they have a contract with the USFS. The FS would have had the option at their discretion to extend it further in one year increments, up to 9 years for Call When Needed (CWN) helicopters and up to 4 years for Exclusive Use (EU) ships. Buying a/c is a lot like buying a house. You want a loud hailer, fork it over. Helicopters were first used on wildfires in 1947. 25 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<4B96358E361BA0CE76F6294DEFAC0978>]/Index[10 25]/Info 9 0 R/Length 79/Prev 92044/Root 11 0 R/Size 35/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream When the helicopter is in position, the crew releases the water to extinguish hot spots. It also recommended a total of 35 air tankers by 2018, which included three water-scooping air tankers. TheAirtanker Modernization Strategydoes not make an independent recommendation on the number of helicopters or air tankers that are needed. 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. Let the operators upgrade when if/it will work. Typos, let us know, and please keep in mind the commenting ground rules before you post a comment. 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. 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. They should change their contract terms should change if theyre forcing companies to buy X aircrafts. The December 13 update did not mention CWN helicopters, so we asked USFS Fire Communications Specialist Stanton Florea about their status. The Branch is comprised of two teams; aviation and logistics. The U.S. Forest Service, the agency responsible for awarding federal contracts for large air tankers and firefighting helicopters, is proposing a number of very significant changes to the helicopter contracts. If any of those folks everrrrrr knew what it takes to run a rotary operation. Click here. Its driving us away from government work and Im truly worried about the availability of rotor assets next year if they end up going through with this wish list RFP. Anyone who served in the military knows that Uncle Sam Air is the most inefficient airline in the world, and having worked there is in no way a guarantee that you are the best subject matter expert on anything. usfs type 1 helicopter contracts 2021. aer city sling vs day sling 2; etobicoke basketball rep tryouts; sylacauga city council members; memorial lawn cemetery parsons, kansas; city of euless code compliance; can someone enter your property without permission; khloe kardashian weight and height; colatura di alici di sciacca. The Bush fire WAS aggressively IAd, however given the fuel and weather conditions at the time escaped rather quickly. NIFC Operations Support 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. 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. Federal Contract Opportunity for National Exclusive-Use Type 1 and Type 2 Helicopter Modernization SN-2021-01. Fire camp infrastructureand Incident Command Post (ICP) is a location at which primary command functions are executed. Have a fire aviation news tip? FAA Temp Tower Agreement - Western Service Area (2019-24) SAFECOMs. But you better pay for it, USFS says! Secure .gov websites use HTTPS These large helicopters are beloved by wildland firefighters, since they can strategically drop with pinpoint accuracy thousands of gallons of water or retardant while working close air support with ground personnel. The cheapest camera we could find is $10,000. The administrative bases of the helicopters will be at 48 locations. We live near Custer S.D. The Woodbury Fire overhead were told to let it go, isnt that right, SCC? They never seem to be logical ! We are all for the push for better equipment for our wildland fire efforts but the USFS cant do the change this suddenly and without any industry input. That is by far the highest percentage of UTFs in the last 18 years. Thats my Commo unit helibase pictured in the photo, and yes we were required to have a PA system to yell at the fire Nope. But they wont tell us when they are doing that, just that as we bid on EU work within the CWN contract eventually they are going to want modern helicopters. So given that the PM and the HS are both aviation folks, this means that they have certain goals that they are trying to achieve given the shape that the Solicitation is taking. Cell phone gps location, sat phones and ADSB are far more useful. 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. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. A 407 isnt a twin, even tho a 407hp will outperform all the above as a type III. 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.. 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! 2. Bill do you have access to USFS decision makers? Talking to the local authority of that Bush Fire area- depending on the rainfall it will wipe out watersheds roads Just curious on what you think would have made the difference as the Initial Attack IC? One thing Ive been dealing with, Rep. Mike Simpson said, are the aviation assets of the Forest Service Are we going to have a clear outline for the next 10-year plan for what the Forest Service needs in terms of air assets? Sawtooth burned in parts of the fire scar. The number of requests for Type 1 helicopters was close to average, but the number of orders that were Unable To be Filled (UTF) was almost double the number of filled orders. The end result is fewer options for the government, but maybe that is what they want. 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. Imagine that. What year was this pic taken?? Office: (208) 387-5670 Mobile: (208) 616-5547 With the expiration of contracts for firefighting helicopters looming, the US Forest Service began the lengthy process of issuing new contracts for 2022 on July 7, 2021 with the posting of a presolicitation. The new concept was based on a one year contract. Many of us here may not see the inner workings of The Office but we surely do see the end product of some inept folks or folks in the contract office who may not have the fortitude of researching aviation subjects to inform their leadership. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. Dont blame industry for adding on BS items like loudspeakersFS wants it? usfs type 1 helicopter contracts 2021. Smokejumper Aircraft Rest assured the FS are aware of the concerns from industry, but everyone needs to realize that the FS is the customer. 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. HmmmThey say its for aggressive initial attack but we know that has not been working out, (e.g. The U.S. Forest Service had estimated there were as many as 150 of the . Call-When-Needed (CWN) Amphibious Water Scooper Aircraft The U.S. Forest Service (FS) is expecting to contract for 48 Type 1 helicopters for the 2021 wildfire season. (like everything they do) or does this mean there will be a shortage of helicopters available for fires?.. She saidUp to 30 additional Type 1 helicoptersare on Call When Needed contracts, which includes the six that no longer have EU contracts. Heres an idea that probably nobody will like. Until thenenjoy this fine day. What will replace a 407 for a Type III ship? There is no cost, and in case you change your mind each email has an unsubscribe button. Todd more well informed insight here. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Support The Agencys incompetence and self sabotage never fails to amaze. They are all tied to contractors in the business. 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. The U.S. Forest Service (FS) is expecting to contract for 48 Type 1 helicopters for the 2021 wildfire season. Instead of a quick turn around of a week after the invoice closes- the new payment procedure has us waiting the full 30 days. Doing business with the feds is not for the faint of heart. No.thats what happens when you have cradle to grave beuracrats (who havnt a clue about running a business) in charge of doling out federal dollars. _A KWS ranger learning to identify individual elephants. How the five and ten year contracts youre looking at will affect us and benefit us and what we need to put into our budget to so that the Forest Service has the necessary equipment to address these wildfires?, We are studying the question about going to a 10-year contract, what the pros and cons are, Chief Christiansen said. Were nearly complete with that report. Two discussions, one one year, the other 2019. Phone: (208) 387-5670 Add to this that they are wanting us to throw all of this money into our aircraft to get on the contract (which is now a 10 year contract!) The difference is there are very few air tankers compared to helicopters on EU and CWN contracts. Little to no way to sock away money for these required upgrades to bid on the contract. If the FS or DOI wants collision avoidance, fine but its gonna cost them. National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Support Publications include manuals, handbooks, standards, guides, plans, and other documents. Your last sentence in 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? 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 stats are in for the use of firefighting helicopters in 2017. A series of water drops can enable hand crews to make steady progress on active flanks of the fire. Federal Contract Opportunity for National Exclusive-Use Type 1 and Type 2 Helicopter Modernization SN-2021-01 . Those who can manage might do fineor they might just get tossed out with the bathwater.. Office: (208) 616-5548 Mobile: (208) 616- 5548, Training Centers Support (Main Contact) In 2016 the FS hired 34 Type 1 helicopters but starting in 2017 reduced the number to 28. rao autorius Autorius ; rao data welsh springer spaniel club of america; rever de fiente d'oiseau sur la tete rae usfs type 1 helicopter contracts 2021 rae usfs type 1 helicopter contracts 2021 Todd more well informed insight here. Interested vendors must get their offers to the FS by March 3, 2021. Thank you. 3. 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. There is no cost, and in case you change your mind each email has an unsubscribe button. LGBT Themes. Theyre only offering a one-year contract, said Ron Hooper, president of Missoula-based Neptune Aviation. National Interagency Fire Center I would be interested to see more reporting on why the USFS is making this transition now and how they made the decisions. The FS will still have the 28 exclusive use Type 1 ships; the additional 20 will serve a mandatory availability period of 120 days, with a possible option for another 30 if the FS determines a need. 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. The U.S. Forest Service (FS) is expecting to contract for 48 Type 1 helicopters for the 2021 wildfire season. Air Tanker 163, an RJ 85, at Rapid City December 12, 2017. The U.S. Forest Service, the agency responsible for awarding federal contracts for large air tankers and firefighting helicopters, is proposing a number of very significant changes to the helicopter contracts. Melinda Draper, Associate Branch Chief, Logistics, The EC135/145 have potential, but at what cost? Certainly valid concerns regarding the quantity of helicopters to transition and timeline. These standards assign typing designations based on measurable capability and performance criteria. I say all you vendors simply BOYCOTT the USFS. 19th ave apartments phoenix, az. In my experience last year, the surge helicopters ended up on large fires, because there were so many and the need was there. Getting older with health concerns doing my best to stay on top of current events has not been a smooth path. NWCG Standards for Fire. Looks like CH-47s at Jeffco (2) and Rifle, and Durango and Kmax at Monument. Temp Tower Ordering Guidance - Central Service Area (ND) (2022-2027) Interagency Emergency Helicopter Extraction List. The fleet remained at that level until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 when they added an additional 22 ships for a total of 50. The FS will still have the 28 exclusive use Type 1 ships; the additional 20 will serve a mandatory availability period of 120 days, with a possible option for another 30 if the FS determines a need. Thank you. The U.S. Forest Service (FS) is expecting to contract for 48 Type 1 helicopters for the 2021 wildfire season. Give me a break. Publications include manuals, handbooks, standards, guides, plans, and other documents. 10 0 obj <> endobj Office: (208) 387-5279 Mobile: (208) 608-6763, But we think we are really on the right track with our air tankers.. Type 1 helicopters are frequently moved around depending on fire danger and incident activity and are often not at their home base. 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. Click here. This would raise the total military budget for the next two years to $1.4 trillion. 2. 0 National Exclusive Use Helicopters (Large Fire Support/Initial Attack) Oh, and dont glance over the cockpit camera, which they want even on restricted category bucket ships. Interested vendors must get their offers to the FS by March 3, 2021. No wonder there is absolutely no concern about the financial impact of this proposal. . If we have an aircraft on the market that give us a better margin of safety in the high and hot environment the USFS works in why wouldnt we pursue it other than money?
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