585:
non-certificated, public-use aircraft. The first helicopter was built up
November, 1981 and was placed in service at Hemet-Ryan Helitack Base. Six more F Model Hueys were built up and placed in service at helitack bases throughout California in the summer of 1982. During the first two years CDF employed “Personal Service Contract” pilots. Each base was assigned a full-time pilot and a seasonal relief pilot who covered two bases. The majority of the contract pilots became state employees in 1984. The helitack unit was designed to be a cohesive unit which consisted of the helicopter and helitack crew. A typical configuration for the helicopter was a Helitack Fire Captain in the copilot’s seat and a Helitack Fire Captain plus six fire-fighters in the passenger compartment. The water bucket was replaced in 1984 with a newly designed Canadian 324 gallon
373:. On November 10, 2006, TimberWest Forest Ltd. announced that they are looking for buyers of the Mars. A condition of this sale is that the purchasers will donate one back to Port Alberni when they are retired as a historical attraction. The Maryland Aviation Museum and British Columbia Aviation Council have initiated a joint effort to preserve the aircraft, one in Maryland and the other at their current location in Canada. On April 13, 2007, TimberWest has announced the sale of both Martin Mars aircraft to Coulson Forest Products, a local forestry company in Port Alberni. The Mars will remain in Port Alberni operating from their base at Sproat Lake.
581:
in the
Department’s Initial Attack strategy during the late 70s. In 1978 three Bell 205 medium helicopters were hired in addition to the standby helicopters. One helicopter was located at the Howard Forest, Mendocino Ranger Unit Headquarters. The other two were located at Hemet/Ryan Field and the Monte Vista, San Diego Ranger Unit Headquarters. Each of the medium helicopters was assigned 11 person helitack crews. Unfortunately, in the mid to late 70s CDF experienced an increased accident rate throughout the helicopter program. Five accidents involving contractor-owned Bell Jet Rangers occurred in 1979.
398:
390:
646:"The USDA Forest Service promoted the transfer of military surplus C-130A airplanes to the contract fire tanker operators in an effort to update the fleet of airtankers to an all turbine fleet. After the USDA Forest Service facilitated transfer of an airplane, it became the operator’s financial responsibility to prepare the airplanes for the airtanker mission. The operators then had to competitively bid for the contract at a low enough price to be awarded a year-long contract for fire suppression missions."
722:
713:
704:
260:
54:-controlled doors on its tank. The doors are controlled based on the area to be covered and wind conditions. Fixed-wing aircraft must make a pass and drop water or retardant like a bomber. Spotter aircraft often orbit the fire at a higher altitude to coordinate the efforts of the retardant-dropping aircraft. Lead planes fly ahead of larger airtankers to mark the
561:
heli-jump suits from the US Forest
Service, it was never found necessary to make a jump. Six helitack hases were established in the early 1970s. They were staffed with contracted Bell JetRangers. A typical CDF helitack crew which responded with the helicopter consisted of one fire captain and two to three seasonal firefighters.
617:
Both the F model and the Super Huey maintenance programs were developed by CDF using the most restrictive overhaul/replacement criteria of the military or Bell
Helicopter. All maintenance is performed by contract mechanics. Big Valley built up and maintained the F model helicopters from 1981 to 1990
580:
were used the most through the 1970s. The helicopters were located at CDF facilities which protected high value timberlands and critical watershed areas generally in
Northern and Central California with one located at Ryan Field in Southern California. The helicopter began playing an increasing role
497:
engines at speeds in excess of 200 kn (370.4 km/h). A contract for building 23 of the new S-2T airtankers was entered into, with 13 delivered by the end of 2002, seven additional aircraft delivered and placed in service by the end of 2004 and the final three in 2005. As the new air tankers
481:
Three TBM accidents in 1973 and three F7F accidents in 1974 accelerated the CDF S-2 modification program. As a result, contracts were entered into with four
California contractors, Aero Union Corp., Sis-Q Flying Service, TBM Inc. and Hemet Valley Flying Service to modify and tank ten S-2 air tankers
425:
for fighting brush and grass fires. During the four fire seasons from 1954-1957, CDF used several small airtankers on a call-when-needed basis. These were primarily spray airplanes converted for use as firefighters. Also during this period, several enterprising aviation companies had been converting
609:
The UH-1H aircraft were significantly modified to meet CDF’s specialized needs. The modified helicopters were designated as "Super Hueys". The Super Huey sported a larger, more powerful engine, transmission and rotor system. The tail boom and tail rotor were also modified to accommodate the engine,
593:
had been causing a concern. An accidental drop of a water bucket could cause catastrophic results, while a fixed tank reduced the exposure. In addition, some areas where the helicopters operated had few water sources from which a helicopter could fill its bucket. A fixed tank allowed the helicopter
364:
Cyclone engines of 2500 hp (1860 kW) each. The aircraft can carry up to 7,200 US gal (27,250 litres) of water, enough to cover an area of 4 acres (16,000 m²). They are used to fight fires along the coast of
British Columbia, and even sometimes in the interior. They also make appearances at local
560:
In 1960 the
Division of Forestry decided to experiment with a small, skilled initial attack, or "helitack" crew to be transported by helicopter to increase the early arrival of manpower and equipment to an initial attack fire. Although the crews were trained for hover jumping and had purchased
438:
and four TBM Avenger air tankers. The N3Ns and
Stearmans were World War II biplanes used for pilot training and converted for use as agricultural spray planes. They were capable of carrying up to 200 gallons of fire retardant chemicals. The TBM, a World War II torpedo bomber, could deliver 600
37:
Aerial application of fire retardant can be made either directly onto a fire, to cool the fire and reduce flame length in support of ground personnel, or ahead of the fire onto unburned fuel, reducing the fuel's ability to burn. Since retardant remains effective for several hours, depending on
584:
As a result of the accidents, CDF decided that better approach would be for the agency to own and operate its own helicopters. In 1981, CDF leased 12 excess UH-1F Hueys which had previously been used by the USAF in
Vietnam. Nine helicopters were initially reconditioned, and were operated as
485:
Three separate leases with the U.S. Navy brought a total of 55 S-2s and 60 engines for the program. This allowed CDF to keep the fleet going until the mid-1990s when it was decided to upgrade from S-2A to S-2T air tankers. In 1987, CDF entered into an agreement with Marsh Aviation of
597:
As the 1991 lease agreement expiration date with the USAF rapidly approached, the Department started a search for a replacement that ultimately resulted in the acquisition in 1989 of the UH-1H. The airframes that the Department obtained were part of 100 that had been released by the
38:
conditions, retardant is applied progressively by successive drop passes to build a long fire line. In this way, retardant is used to pretreat the areas based on expected fire behavior, although with enough intensity, fires may burn around, under or even through a retardant line.
490:, to build a prototype S-2T. This prototype was placed in service and used at several bases. The success of the prototype led to acquisition of 26 S-2E/G aircraft in 1996. The E/G series S-2 was larger and newer. It could haul 1200 gallons of retardant with two
61:
Water is often dropped directly on flames because its effect is short-lived. Fire retardants are often dropped ahead of the moving fire or along its edge and may remain effective for two or more days. This can create an artificial
469:
completed a test program that showed the S-2 was a suitable replacement for the TBM. Two S-2 prototype air tankers were placed in service in 1973 with the prototype tank being built at the CDF Mobile Equipment Facility in
548:
maintenance facility. A crew of California Conservation Corp (CCC) members reassembled the aircraft. They were placed in service in 1976. The O-2 program was a success and served the Department for more than 20 years.
461:
By 1970, concerns with maintainability and accidents occurring in the TBM fleet led to an evaluation of the Grumman S-2 Tracker as a new generation air tanker. Although they were still active in the
654:
T&G Aviation, a "small" airtanker company, operating 8 DC-7s in te 1980s. VP William Woodford (“Woody”) Grantham. These were, at the time, the only 3,000 gallon aircraft available to the USFS.
365:
airshows, demonstrating their water-dropping ability. Flying Tankers Inc. also flies the water bombers to other hotspots around the world if a need develops, such as in August of 2003 when a
618:
at their Stockton facility. They also started building up the first Super Hueys in 1989. San Joaquin Helicopters completed the Super Huey build-ups and maintained them in their facility in
589:. In the mid-1980s, fixed water dropping tanks were installed on several helicopters. Water bucket operations over ever-increasing populated regions in the urban interface areas of eastern
482:
during the 1973/1974 winter period. As a result, 12 S-2As were placed in service in 1974 and five more were built by Bay Aviation Services and put into the fleet for the 1975 fire season.
552:
In 1993, CDF obtained 16 twin-engine turbine-powered North American OV-10A aircraft from the U.S. Navy. The OV-10s replaced the O-2s as the CDF's next-generation air tactical platform.
306:
474:
and the S-2 modification being completed by Hemet Valley Flying Service. These conversions were accomplished using plans developed by Ontario Lands and Forests in
349:
294:
458:. The air tanker program continued to expand until finally in the early 1970s, a total of 14 TBMs, five F7Fs, one PBY and one B-17 comprised the CDF fleet.
430:
for air tanker use. Thus, in 1958 CDF first contracted for air tanker services with private aviation companies. That year contracts were let for three
744:
413:
The possibility of using aircraft for fighting wildland fires in California was first proposed in 1931 and again in the late 1940s after
858:
831:
678:
89-468 - Used by USFS for smokejumpers and as a spotter. Held a cross-country speed record in the 1940s. To Planes of Fame, Chino.
887:
630:
from 1989 to 1999. DynCorp was awarded the contract in 2000 and continued to maintain the Super Hueys at Mather and now at
544:, had been shipped back to the United States in containers and were disassembled and on pallets when they arrived at CDF's
366:
525:, did not provide the airspeed and safety needed for the new air tanker program. In 1974, CDF acquired 20 retired
378:
357:
353:
271:
603:
533:
163:
635:
577:
442:
During the ensuing years other aircraft were converted to air tankers and used by CDF. Among these were
491:
783:
370:
144:
898:
631:
569:
606:
for distribution to states as Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) for wildland fire fighting.
502:
859:
http://www.pe.com/digitalextra/metro/wildfires/stories/PE_News_Local_D_airtanker14.3ed4e7a.html
627:
517:
In the mid 1970s CDF found that the contractor-owned air tactical planes, mostly single-engine
466:
501:
In 2007, CDF contracted with 10 Tanker Air Carrier for three years' of exclusive use of their
623:
599:
422:
406:
899:
International Air Response v. USA, U.S. Court of Federal Claims, No. 00-428C, March 12, 2007
447:
397:
317:
during firefighting operations; all four crewmembers were lost. Just over a year later, on
8:
817:
537:
443:
418:
348:
The two surviving tankers are still operated by Flying Tankers Inc., now a subsidiary of
298:
192:
186:
78:
545:
804:
471:
127:
389:
590:
342:
322:
314:
286:
278:
109:
72:
475:
465:, four were loaned to CDF for the evaluation. The Army Aviation Test Facility at
435:
222:
681:
DC-7B 44-701 - 1st DC-7 airtanker in commercial service, went to Pima Air Museum
564:
CDF began using contractor-owned helicopters for fire control in the mid 1960s.
180:
51:
32:
17:
684:
487:
361:
330:
83:
66:
where the terrain is too rugged or remote for ground crews to cut fireline.
586:
455:
451:
414:
290:
267:
240:
341:
had their conversions to water bombers accelerated and entered service in
721:
619:
614:
UH-1H helicopters in hotter and higher conditions typical of California.
541:
427:
214:
210:
110:"Interagency Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations 2007, Chapter 17"
529:
522:
518:
506:
431:
318:
282:
233:
218:
88:
55:
759:
712:
594:
to obtain water from sources previously unobtainable with the bucket.
498:
were delivered and placed in service, the original S-2As are retired.
611:
494:
462:
402:
63:
703:
873:
573:
360:. When converted, the original powerplants were replaced with four
259:
253:
172:
866:
565:
310:
832:"Canadian Aviation Organization and U.S. Museum Create Alliance"
861:"Supertanker ready for summer of fighting California's fires",
675:
47:
657:
876:
869:
526:
610:
giving the aircraft greater performance than the standard
393:
Tanker 910 during a drop demonstration in December, 2006
46:
Helicopters can hover over the fire and accurately drop
784:"TimberWest Seeks Buyers For Martin Mars Water Bombers"
376:
289:
lumber companies, recognized their potential value as
622:and later at the Aviation Management facility at
246:
89:French wiki article with aircraft and crash lists
73:http://www.nifc.gov/red_book/2001/Chapter13.pdf
191:split off parts of the "equipment" section of
297:was formed, and purchased the "Big Four" for
41:
104:
102:
281:, the remaining Mars were sold for scrap.
888:NTSB accident brief LAX02GA201 for N130HP
658:Aircraft involved in the exchange program
555:
293:and had them converted. A company called
512:
396:
388:
258:
99:
743:was invoked but never defined (see the
14:
892:
50:or retardant. The S-64 Helitanker has
824:
730:
641:
509:, at a cost of $ 5 million per year.
175:and combine several articles into it.
881:
401:CDF S-2T Turbine Tracker landing at
333:while parked onshore. The remaining
776:
752:
735:
135:Cite has empty unknown parameters:
23:
666:C-130A 56-0478 (Crashed in France)
285:, who represented a consortium of
115:. National Interagency Fire Center
24:
912:
851:
195:into it's own air tanker article?
26:
720:
711:
702:
417:. In 1953 the Nolta brothers of
409:, while fighting the North Fire.
251:
379:CDF Aviation Management Program
307:Northwest Bay, British Columbia
384:
358:Port Alberni, British Columbia
270:moored at its current base on
247:History of aerial firefighting
155:
13:
1:
209:add appropriate material to:
79:Interagency Tanker Base Guide
534:Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
164:Category:Aerial firefighting
7:
10:
917:
695:
649:
532:observation aircraft from
30:
371:Kelowna, British Columbia
42:existing text for Tactics
839:Maryland Aviation Museum
505:"super tanker" known as
423:agriculture spray planes
687:55-4943 - to Milestones
421:, proposed using their
369:threatened the city of
578:Aerospatiale Alouettes
556:CDF helicopter program
536:. These O-2s had been
467:Edwards Air Force Base
410:
394:
350:TimberWest Forest Ltd.
274:
791:TimberWest Forest Ltd
600:Department of Defense
513:Air tactical aircraft
407:Lancaster, California
400:
392:
262:
739:The named reference
205:2002 crashes article
185:complete rewrite of
574:Bell 206 JetRangers
538:forward air control
419:Willows, California
352:, and are based at
299:aerial firefighting
295:Flying Tankers Inc.
199:CDF history article
193:Aerial firefighting
187:Aerial firefighting
764:Flying Tankers Inc
642:USDA C-130 program
632:McClellan Air Park
411:
395:
362:Wright R-3350-24WA
275:
367:large forest fire
329:was destroyed by
908:
901:
896:
890:
885:
879:
863:Inland Wildfires
855:
849:
848:
846:
845:
836:
828:
822:
821:
815:
810:
808:
800:
798:
797:
788:
780:
774:
773:
771:
770:
760:"Aircraft Fleet"
756:
750:
749:
748:
742:
734:
724:
715:
706:
591:Riverside County
452:Consolidated PBY
287:British Columbia
149:
148:
142:
141:|coauthors=
138:
133:
131:
123:
121:
120:
114:
106:
916:
915:
911:
910:
909:
907:
906:
905:
904:
897:
893:
886:
882:
856:
852:
843:
841:
834:
830:
829:
825:
813:
811:
802:
801:
795:
793:
786:
782:
781:
777:
768:
766:
758:
757:
753:
740:
738:
736:
731:
725:
716:
707:
698:
672:C-130A 57-0512
660:
652:
644:
636:North Highlands
558:
515:
476:Ontario, Canada
387:
382:
339:Philippine Mars
263:The Philippine
257:
249:
223:Boeing Stearman
158:
153:
152:
140:
136:
134:
125:
124:
118:
116:
112:
108:
107:
100:
94:
69:
44:
35:
29:
22:
21:
20:
12:
11:
5:
914:
903:
902:
891:
880:
850:
823:
775:
751:
728:
727:
726:
719:
717:
710:
708:
701:
697:
694:
693:
692:
691:
690:
689:
688:
682:
679:
670:
669:C-130A 54-1631
667:
659:
656:
651:
648:
643:
640:
604:Forest Service
557:
554:
514:
511:
386:
383:
381:
375:
256:
250:
248:
245:
244:
243:
237:
231:
225:
207:
202:
196:
189:
183:
181:fire retardant
177:
168:
157:
154:
151:
150:
97:
96:
92:
91:
86:
81:
58:for the drop.
52:microprocessor
43:
40:
33:Fire retardant
31:Main article:
28:
27:Fire retardant
25:
18:User:Akradecki
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
913:
900:
895:
889:
884:
878:
875:
871:
868:
864:
860:
854:
840:
833:
827:
819:
806:
792:
785:
779:
765:
761:
755:
746:
733:
729:
723:
718:
714:
709:
705:
700:
699:
686:
683:
680:
677:
674:
673:
671:
668:
665:
664:
662:
661:
655:
647:
639:
637:
633:
629:
625:
621:
615:
613:
607:
605:
601:
595:
592:
588:
582:
579:
575:
571:
570:Hiller FH1100
567:
562:
553:
550:
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
528:
524:
520:
510:
508:
504:
499:
496:
493:
489:
488:Mesa, Arizona
483:
479:
477:
473:
468:
464:
459:
457:
453:
449:
445:
440:
437:
433:
429:
426:World War II
424:
420:
416:
408:
404:
399:
391:
380:
374:
372:
368:
363:
359:
355:
351:
346:
344:
340:
336:
332:
331:Typhoon Freda
328:
327:Caroline Mars
324:
320:
316:
312:
308:
305:crashed near
304:
303:Marianas Mars
300:
296:
292:
291:water bombers
288:
284:
280:
273:
269:
266:
261:
255:
242:
238:
235:
232:
229:
228:MAFFS article
226:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
206:
203:
200:
197:
194:
190:
188:
184:
182:
178:
176:
174:
169:
166:
165:
160:
159:
146:
129:
111:
105:
103:
98:
95:
90:
87:
85:
82:
80:
77:
76:
75:
74:
70:
67:
65:
59:
57:
53:
49:
39:
34:
19:
894:
883:
862:
853:
842:. Retrieved
838:
826:
794:. Retrieved
790:
778:
767:. Retrieved
763:
754:
737:Cite error:
732:
653:
645:
624:Mather Field
616:
608:
596:
587:Bambi bucket
583:
563:
559:
551:
540:aircraft in
516:
500:
484:
480:
460:
441:
428:TMB Avengers
415:World War II
412:
347:
338:
334:
326:
302:
276:
268:water bomber
264:
241:Conair Group
227:
204:
198:
170:
161:
137:|month=
117:. Retrieved
93:
71:
68:
60:
45:
36:
872:, accessed
620:Yolo County
523:Cessna 210s
519:Cessna 182s
456:Grumman F7F
448:Boeing B-17
385:Air Tankers
354:Sproat Lake
335:Hawaii Mars
272:Sproat Lake
215:TBF Avenger
211:S-2 Tracker
156:Other tasks
844:2006-11-12
814:|url=
796:2006-11-12
769:2006-05-06
628:Sacramento
530:Cessna O-2
507:Tanker 910
492:TPE-331 GR
444:Twin Beech
319:October 12
283:Dan McIvor
265:JRM-2 Mars
234:Aero Union
219:N3N Canary
119:2007-08-31
64:firebreaks
56:trajectory
745:help page
612:U.S. Army
495:turboprop
439:gallons.
403:Fox Field
239:clean up
874:August 6
805:cite web
663:T&G
436:Stearman
254:JRM Mars
179:cleanup
173:Helitack
128:cite web
867:June 14
816:value (
696:Gallery
650:T&G
602:to the
566:Bell 47
542:Vietnam
434:, four
311:June 23
236:article
171:set up
162:set up
84:Calfire
812:Check
741:goebel
685:UH-19B
546:Fresno
454:, and
325:, the
301:. The
230:- DONE
201:- DONE
167:- DONE
835:(PDF)
787:(PDF)
676:SNB-5
503:DC-10
472:Davis
377:From
356:near
252:From
113:(PDF)
48:water
16:<
877:2007
870:2007
818:help
576:and
527:USAF
521:and
463:Navy
343:1963
337:and
323:1962
315:1961
279:1959
145:help
139:and
865:[,
634:in
626:in
478:.
432:N3N
309:on
277:In
837:.
809::
807:}}
803:{{
789:.
762:.
747:).
638:.
572:,
568:,
450:,
446:,
405:,
345:.
321:,
313:,
221:,
217:,
213:,
132::
130:}}
126:{{
101:^
857:[
847:.
820:)
799:.
772:.
147:)
143:(
122:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
