Has anyone here gone into aerial firefighting?

Posted by vivalicious16@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 11 comments

If you have, what has been your experience? do you enjoy it? Would you recommend it? Do you work all year or is work slow in the colder months? All that jazz. Was thinking about how cool it would be to fly the tankers and even the lighter aircraft for firefighting. Currently on track for my ATP and want to go into cargo.

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11 Comments

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Harry609676@reddit

A couple of friends with nerf guns. Good fun.

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Phenix08@reddit

I'm a current air attack pilot, have worked on the smokejumper side, as well. Yes, I would recommend it. Working in public service has a different motivation long-term than going into the airlines. That is, if you're strictly becoming a pilot to make as much money as possible and fly 1000 hours a year, do not become a wildfire pilot. However, salaries for tanker and scooper captains are rivaling the majors....for 6 months of work (two weeks on/off during those 6 months, too). I came from a wildland fire background, so flying for wildfire has always been my career goal.  It is not a time-building job - you will have to gain most of your flying experience in a different sector of aviation. I've never heard of a 1500 hour CFI being hired - companies want to see cargo/Alaska/other 135 time - they do not like to hire project pilots. Most new hires have 2500+ hours minimum. As with most other industries, making connections early will go a long way.  The industry is changing as wildfire seasons grow longer and larger. There are a couple companies that are at the forefront of that change, one mentioned elsewhere in this thread, that treat wildfire aviation as a career and will pay pilots/mechanics/support personnel as professionals. Those companies want the experienced people to stay in the industry and treat it as a career path, not just a seasonal "do a couple of seasons and move on" kind of job. Training and safety has increased significantly.  No one hopes for destructive wildfires, but when they happen, I love being one of the people pitching in to help manage the blaze. In my opinion, it is the coolest industry in the world.

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vivalicious16@reddit (OP)

Thank you for the explanation!!!!! It’s for sure something I want to consider going into. My main motivation with it is to be able to help protect our wildlife and wilderness and communities. You’re badass for doing that!!!

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redditburner_5000@reddit

Air Attack is the standard entry-level job in fire. Air Attack is the plane that circles the fire and coordinates the airplanes and ground crews. You can have upwards of five radios going at the same time. You're not always using all of them, but when you do it's crazy. A few seasons of that and then you are probably ready to talk to tanker outfits. Again, my experience is dated, but that was the general rule at the time. It was not really seen as an entry-level job when I did it. You had to have a fair bit of time, including "mountain time," to be PIC on a fire contract. You also needed 25 make and model in planes that were not exactly exotic, but not everyday flyers for a CFIs either (Commanders, Twin Cessnas, King Airs, Barons). Contracts require more than minimum 135 PIC time even though it is all part 91 "public benefit" flying. If we hired a pilot for the 135 operation (which we would do from a local school), we'd put them on charters for a year or so to get time in the types, and then qualify them for the USFS when they proved that they were employable and played well with others. Hiring off the street required previous experience in fire, which usually meant we were getting people that made it a career or were retired 121. It's been a while but our fire pilots usually had way more time than I did, and I had a couple thousand hours with a type and a fair chunk of TPIC.

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kmmontandon@reddit

> Commanders, Twin Cessnas, King Airs, Barons Are any piston engines still even used for Air Attack in the U.S.? It's all 690s, King Airs, and OV-10s here in California.

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Lormar@reddit

In New Jersey they use super cubs still

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redditburner_5000@reddit

I have no idea what they're using these days. By the time I got out it, if it wasn't air conditioned it on its way out. I only flew pressurized and air-conditioned planes on contract. We had cheaper options, but they wouldn't ever call them out. The contract ATGS guys would pretty much dictate terms and the government would order whatever they wanted. The USFS employees just sort of got what they got...so I was told. There are some Commander 500 for sale on TAP but only one under \~8,000hrs.

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vivalicious16@reddit (OP)

Great explanation, thank you so much!

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mutarjim@reddit

The CEO of Bridger Aerospace came and talked at our school this spring. They do aerial firefighting and crew oversight. Flying the multi- engine seaplanes they use for water dropping requires 1500 hours, but they usually promote to those planes from smaller aircraft they use for other purposes ... from what I remember. Their primary mission is seasonal, sure, but they have provided support to multiple countries. Try https://bridgeraerospace.com

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lctalbot@reddit

Was checking out their "Career" options. Air Attack Captain, I assume is the command eyes in the sky, so to speak? $65K seems pretty low for this, but then I remembered it's a seasonal job. Anyone actually do this job and can comment? What's the realistic time frame for a gig like this?

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vivalicious16@reddit (OP)

Oh man they’ve got some pretty cool pics on their website! Thanks!