USA & Canada:
Hiring: Basic USFS Airtanker Second-In-Command Requirements (most contractors are looking for a minimum of 2-3000 hours):
1. Commerical Pilot Airplane Certificate with Instrument and multi-engine rating.
2. Valid Class II FAA Medical Certificate.
3. AKC shall meet requirements of 14 CFR Part 61.55 and 61.56.
4. Proof of completion of the USFS Airtanker Pilot Training Program annually and/or the NAFA course.
Pilot-In-Command (Airplanes) ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 800 hrs
Pilot hours in the Preceding 12-months ………………………………………………………………………….. 100 hrs
Aero Flite Inc. CL215, RJ85
Air Spray Electras, BAe146 (Canada)
Coulson Group Martin Mars, C130H (Canada)
Conair At802, FireBoss, CV580, CL215 (Canada)
Neptune P2V, BAe146
I.E.S. – International Emergency Services (BE200)
MINDEN AIR CORP P2v, BAe146
Queen Bee Air SEAT
Evergreen B747
Aero Spray, Inc. FireBoss
United Aeronautical Corporation (UAC) – S2 Tracker – P3 Orion– MAFFS
Australia:
Previously there was only an aerial application endorsement required but it required no instruction on aerial firefighting. There was nothing at all for helicopter pilots. So CASA, Australia’s FAA equivalent has changed their legislation to include this from advice from one of my staff when I managed aerial operations in SA. It is not much but it is a start and they are yet to work out the competencies yet for the aerial firefighting component. Compared to the standards required for the aircraft national contracts this is way below them but as I said enables a pathway for learning.
Part 2—Firefighting endorsements
Aeroplane firefighting endorsement
- · Pilot an aeroplane conducting a firefighting operation below 500 ft AGL
- · Pilot an aeroplane conducting a low-level operation
Aeroplane category rating
- · At least 200 hours of flight time as pilot of an aeroplane
- · At least 5 hours of dual flight in an aeroplane while receiving training in low level operations
- · At least 5 hours of dual flight in an aeroplane while receiving training in firefighting operations
Helicopter firefighting endorsement
- · Pilot a helicopter conducting a firefighting operation below 500 ft AGL
- · Pilot a helicopter conducting a low-level operation
Helicopter category rating
- · At least 200 hours of flight time as pilot of a helicopter
- · At least 5 hours of dual flight in a helicopter while receiving training in low-level operations
- · At least 5 hours of dual flight in a helicopter while receiving training in firefighting operations
Here are the National Aerial Firefighting Centre contract requirements in comparison:
Except where specifically exempted in writing by NAFC the Contractor will ensure that pilots and co-pilots will meet all of the requirements of this subheading.
3.2. The Contractor will ensure that the pilot in the command of any Aircraft provided has flown a minimum of 1500 hours as pilot in command.
3.3. The Contractor will ensure that the pilot of any Aircraft provided that may undertake Firebombing has flown a minimum of 1000 hours total time in agricultural operations or in similar operations certified by the Chief Pilot of the Contractor as providing equivalent experience to agricultural operations. This clause does not apply to pilots provided for Air Attack Supervision Aircraft or Specialist Intelligence Gathering Aircraft.
3.4. The Contractor will ensure that the pilot in command of any Aircraft provided has flown a minimum of 100 hours total time in agricultural operations or in firefighting operations at low level in mountainous or heavily dissected terrain or in similar operations as certified by the Chief Pilot of the Contractor as providing equivalent experience to operations in a mountainous environment. The Contractor will ensure that the pilot in command of any Air Attack Supervision Aircraft provided has flown a minimum of 25 hours total time in agricultural operations or firefighting operations under the conditions outlined in this clause. This clause does not apply to pilots provided for Fixed Wing Specialist Intelligence Gathering Aircraft
