Aerial Firefighting

juxtapilot said:
Ah, so they monitor the firefighting? I guess I don't understand what exactly they do. Is the Air Tactical officer the person who would tell the aircraft where to drop?
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Air Attack is the TAC-A, vs the leadplane being the FAC-A.
 
juxtapilot said:
Ah, so they monitor the firefighting? I guess I don't understand what exactly they do. Is the Air Tactical officer the person who would tell the aircraft where to drop?
Click to expand...
The air attack is basically the officer in tactical command of the air battle. He's coordinating efforts between the ground IC, the heli guys, and the air guys. The lead plane is utilized for specific tactics, especially when you are close to homes, water, or have numerous air tankers on scene. The lead is determining the exact tactic to use to accomplish the goal of the air attack or IC. Without a lead, usually the air tanker Initial attack captain will decide on the exact tactics to use.
 
mjg407 said:
The air attack is basically the officer in tactical command of the air battle. He's coordinating efforts between the ground IC, the heli guys, and the air guys. The lead plane is utilized for specific tactics, especially when you are close to homes, water, or have numerous air tankers on scene. The lead is determining the exact tactic to use to accomplish the goal of the air attack or IC. Without a lead, usually the air tanker Initial attack captain will decide on the exact tactics to use.
Click to expand...

Ah ok. Perhaps the 337 was Air Attack and there wasn't an individual lead plane in Montana. That would make sense.

Thanks MJG!
 
Thanks for the info! Its the kind of thing I search for and don't find much. Flying and helping the people...just awesome to me. I hope one day in some way either be it this way or air ambulance, something along those lines would be amazing.
I'm sure ill come up with a question or two soon after some sleep.

Nick
 
I have a more technical question. How do you know exactly where to release your load? Do you typically have it marked, or do you just follow the lead plane in and release over the point where he/she says "pull?"
 
ppragman said:
I have a more technical question. How do you know exactly where to release your load? Do you typically have it marked, or do you just follow the lead plane in and release over the point where he/she says "pull?"
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With a lead where they say to let it go, or when you get the target description you need to figure what the drift is to get it where it needs to be. So you judge the winds, the load size, and use a little force to get it where it needs to go.
 
Having grown up in the Methow Valley in Washington state, I've had a lot of friends that were smokejumpers. Lost a few of them as well. That video was just awesome. Thanks
 
Two of them died in a fire, Roger Roth and Jim Thrash they died in the Storm King Mountain fire in 94.

The other Billy Martin, died in a training accident in the early 90's


RIP bro's :beer:
 
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