usfs helicopter rates

5121, et seq., for ownership and operation of equipment, including depreciation, overhead, all maintenance, field repairs, fuel, lubricants, tires, OSHA equipment and other costs incidental to operation. 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. There are still going to be normal cwn helicopters. Always use the applicable contract, CO/COR for specific contract administration information. "Today is a day of zeros, zero rate of spread, zero flame length, zero probability of ignition and zero fire growth." . Melinda Draper, Associate Branch Chief, Logistics, Several vendors opted for EU contracts with states instead of the USFS. Single Engine Airtankers (SEATs), Helicopters, Fixed Wing. Being able to pump water from bodies of water inaccessible to fixed wings, they operate with fast rotations and can also be loaded to delay if necessary, thanks to mobile cages that firefighters can position close to the area of operations. 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. 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. Region 6 Cache Freight Services Flight Rate Hourly Daily Availability # OF UNITS TOTAL COST Exclusive Use Helicopters Type 1 HEL1 $ 4,290 $ 13,950 Type 2 HEL2 $ 1,760 $ 5,030 Type 3 HEL3 $ 1,050 $ 2,325 Call When Needed Helicopters Type 1 HEL1 $ 4,200 $ 26,600 Type 2 HEL2 $ 1,960 $ 7,150 . What do you do with an expensive asset like a helo when youre only customer suggests to just not submit? Very well stated on what most of us are thinking and in the same boat. Initial attack/can be broken up into squads, fireline construction, firing to include burnout. These standards assign typing designations based on measurable capability and performance criteria. Contact Us: NWCG Comments & Questions | USA.GOV | Notices | Accessibility | Copyrights | Linking Policy | Records Management | FAQs. The arrogance and dismissal by the FS with most questions being answered Noted, Language will remain as written just adds frustration to irritation. That is just a single hour shy of six. Some helitack crews are trained to rappel from helicopters to fires in remote locations. As such, it is necessary for forest teams to rely on natural protection or retarding barriers to avoid losing control of the fire, which is potentially a huge risk. Same thing with Erickson. USFS awards 90-day contracts for 22 additional helicopters They will tell you they have their smerfs.SMEs ( who typically are cradle to grave beuracrats as well), who are supposedly dialed in on the subject matter surerightlmao Smokejumperstravel all over the country, including Alaska, to provide highly-trained, experienced firefighters and leadership for quick initial attack on wildland fires in remote areas. Type 1 and 2 UAS carry multiple camera types in a gimbaled configuration. The Call When Needed (CWN) Parent Contract is a 1 year with 9 option years contract, with Exclusive Use (EU) contracts being bid *through* the parent contract for 1 year with four option years. Robinson Helicopter Operating Cost Calculator Aircraft operating cost estimates. GVWR = Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park . 2023 US FOREST SERVICE AIRTANKERS - SCHEDULE OF ITEMS (April 26, 2023) Next Generation Airtankers 2.0 Next Generation Airtankers 3.0 CWN Activations. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. endstream endobj 11 0 obj <> endobj 12 0 obj <> endobj 13 0 obj <> endobj 14 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]/ExtGState<>>> endobj 15 0 obj <> endobj 16 0 obj <> endobj 17 0 obj <>stream They should change their contract terms should change if theyre forcing companies to buy X aircrafts. The cheapest camera we could find is $10,000. ). Just need to add, Mama told me the customer is always right. What Is Helicopter Flight Instructor Salary by State? Provides support to both the Aviation and Logistics Branch Chiefs Add to this that they are wanting us to throw all of this money into our aircraft to get on the contract (which is now a 10 year contract!) For operators, the Grail is a contract with the US Forest Service. Ordering instructions contained within each contract or agreement should be followed. startxref 0 What light twin replaces a 407? Initial attack, fireline construction, firing as directed. Southern Area Coordination Center Operating Plan. And now this year before we head into fall contracting with the MATOC still looming they have changed how they pay us. Type 3 engines and tactical water tenders shall be equipped with a foam proportioner system. Application of gel, foam or retardant? PDF Welcome to the Nation's Logistical Support Center | National The Forest Service was looking for 10 helicopters in each tier, if available, with Mandatory Availability Periods commencing on either June 1stor June 15th. Mulcher / Masticator - Boom Mounted Checklist, U.S. Forest Service, Contracting No.thats what happens when you have cradle to grave beuracrats (who havnt a clue about running a business) in charge of doling out federal dollars. Some of the contracts have a set number of guaranteed hours instead of a daily rate. Calculator, GPS Pratt & Whitney Engine Maintenance. Doing business with the feds is not for the faint of heart. NEPTUNE AVIATION . HUn6S@F$E]7Mb UOm"!'!RKGO%zqRHR.~H"Z~QBEIGjZW_^VJ4)+lMT@I-|7%J81^ The banker looks at your household income and job stability. Mission: Designed to carry out close-air support at low altitude and low speed. A minimum of 100 gallons of extinguishing products, water or retardant, must be able to be conveyed by these machines. And the hits just keep on coming. Category 3 includes helicopters capable of lifting more than 700 gallons of water or retardant. They can be fitted with tanks or buckets to deliver water and fire retardant to the fireline. Each bucket has a release valve on the bottom controlled by the helicopter crew. Type 3 Helicopters Although Type 3 helicopters are smaller, they have a higher cruise speed than a typical Type 2 helicopter and can arrive on the scene of an initial attack wildfire faster. Fire Cacheis asupply of fire tools and equipment assembled in planned quantities or standard units at a strategic point for exclusive use in fire suppression. Rest assured the FS are aware of the concerns from industry, but everyone needs to realize that the FS is the customer. Guide for Aerial Retardant Application What do you do with an expensive asset like a helo when youre only customer suggests to just not submit? Helicopters | National Interagency Fire Center AMS Billee Codes. Position Title. CWN Helicopter Procurement Comparison NOTE: The procurement (USFS or DOI) is determined by which agency has jurisdiction over the fire, project or lands. endstream endobj startxref Base model costs 50k where does the rest go??? of Fire Retardant, FAA Temp Tower Agreement -, Interagency Emergency Helicopter Extraction List, USFS Large Airtankers (LATs) can deliver from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of fire retardant to support firefighters on the ground. See what happens when the arrogant customer has no place shop! A Department of Defense liaison was added as a permanent partner at NIFC in 2008. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Support Each rate covers all costs eligible under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. For heavyweights, we know that the KMax may have ventral kits but the general opinion is that the aircraft is much more stable and secure with a Bambi Bucket under a long-line and it is in this configuration that it is mainly used against fires. Chattanooga Air Tanker Base Agreement. 0000074247 00000 n Helicopters were first used on wildfires in 1947. 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. List of air tankers on USFS contracts - Fire Aviation Here is what they wrote. Normally both are higher with a CWN. Vendors reserve the right to refuse service to the customer that is rude, arrogant and disrespectful. The day started at 10 a.m. around a truck bed fully stocked with boxes of discount croissants, a bag of clementines, and a stack of Incident Action Plan packets. Courtesy Photo/USFS. Category 2 is that of aircraft with 6,000 to 12,500 pounds at take-off and having a water carrying capacity of more than 300 gallons. For type 3 helos it may be possible, providing the USFS can double the budget because thats what vendors are going to bid for a new aircraft with higher maintenance cost and complexity, additionally operating hot and high im sure the load charts are going to have to be quite conservative to ensure OEI is landing safely and not just crashing slower, Everything has to be in balance, you cant spend unlimited money, and you cant eliminate all risk, the safest and most inexpensive helicopter is one that sits on the ground. xb``b``Vg```+g@L@,&@ If a vendor doesnt like the requirements, they can choose not to submit a proposal. Aye, Laddie. Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Bob. 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. Contracts & Agreements | IBC Customer Central Cargo Ordering - How To, BLM Resource Library (Handbooks, Guides Aerial Supervision Module (ASM) Lead Planes 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? United States Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Aviation Services (OAS) and the . The Branch is comprised of two teams; aviation and logistics. Helicopters have a tank of flammable product and a flare and are used to burn down wooded areas in prescribed burning and fire areas. Local Small Business Specialist Disclaimer | Contact Most aircraft manufacturers provide a document illustrating the operating costs for each of their models but it's hard to tell how accurate their estimates are (they are trying to sell you a helicopter after all). NIFC Operations (Photographer/Videographer Services), Chris Kirk,Purchasing Agent They are all tied to contractors in the business. Bill do you have access to USFS decision makers? Apart from a few military helicopters mobilized occasionally and only as reinforcement, most of the air assets used to fight fires in the US are the work of countless more or less specialized aerial work companies, who each have very varied means. TheNWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typingestablishes minimum typing standards for aircraft, crews, and equipment for national mobilization to wildland fire incidents. I do not know of any small operators who can afford to buy new ships, if any are even available. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the . Helicopter Rental Rates Helicopter Rental Rates 2023.docx/Jaz F (Prot) Page 1 February 2023 Operator Information Company Name: Address: Day Phone #: Taxpayer Identification #: . Setting the forest on fire on purpose | AspenTimes.com NIFC Operations Support 0000010826 00000 n Personnel shall meet the qualification requirements of. Rotating wing aircraft have a special place in the fire-fighting system. The so-called exclusive contracts make it possible to reserve the contracted aircraft for the USFS missions for the duration of the fire seasons. Personnel and Equipment: 219 total personnel; 2 helicopters, 14 Type-6 engines, 13 Type-2 tractor plow units, 1 drone, . What you all have put out leaves these folks in harms way.you guys ok with that on your souls. Great to see that ole S-58T N1168U workhorse from Aris is still getting after it! Furthermore the numbers they provide are usually . Southern Area Master Interagency Agreement. 2. Helicopters also deliver firefighting crews called helitack crews to fires for initial attack. An official website of the United States government. When determining the hourly rate, agencies should utilize the appropriate rate category. Aircraft types: P2V, HC-130H, BAe-146, MD-87, C-130Q, RJ85, C-130 H & J equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS). 5765 West Broadway, Missoula, Montana 59808-9361, Automated Faintly, what are the advertisement you see posted on this site? Call-When-Needed (CWN) Amphibious Water Scooper Aircraft Obviously another FS fella here. Other candidates would be the 412, and the other twin engine mediums on the market from AW and Airbus/Eurocopter. FS. Unmanned Aerial Supervision(UAS) Program, Delphine Arizana, Contract Specialist 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! This amounts to budget dollars that would have to be tied to each individual contract and could not be utilized anywhere else. They are versatile fire management tools. 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. They are usually contracted for 5 years. 553 0 obj <>stream Typos, let us know, and please keep in mind the commenting ground rules before you post a comment. xref They are capable of carrying four to five firefighters at a time, and use a 180 gallon water bucket. Todd thanks for chiming in. A quick peruse through that Q&A shows that dozens of operators really gasped when this RFP came out. Jeffrey McGinley, Associate Branch Chief, Aviation What will replace a 407 for a Type III ship? Modular AirborneFirefighting System (MAFFS) Mechanics To meet this commitment, we continue to monitor and update our content to make sure our documents meet these standards. PDF Cal Fire Emergency Equipment Rental Agreement 3934 Agreement Period Fax: (208) 387-5384, https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/contracting, Important Information Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic, Access to the U.S. Forest Service Contracting, Incident Support Branch, DOI SharePoint Page must be granted individually. Office: (208) 387-5682 Mobile: (208) 407-6003, Andrea Marks-Cash, Contract Specialist The Incident Support Branch (ISB) at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is located in Boise, Idaho. The banker looks at your household income and job stability. The user of this information is responsible for confirming they have the most up-to-date version. Although Type 3 helicopters are smaller, they have a higher cruise speed than a typical Type 2 helicopter and can arrive on the scene of an initial attack wildfire faster. Why arent fixed wing on CWN awarded a offered daily minimum? Of course, the US Forest Service is not the only organization to have helicopter water bombers. Not entirely true.why would a state find the funding to contract with a LAT provider??? They may also be federal agencies such as Indian Affairs or the Bureau of Land Management, who are responsible for natural areas that must be fought against forest fires. DO NOT listen to your bosses, DO THE RIGHT thing and pull this RFP back and get it rightMILLIONS of U.S. citizens are expecting that you will. flight time rates. 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. 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? 0000000923 00000 n What can replicate the performance of a UH-1H with a -703 as a bucket bird? Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Office: (208) 387-5231 Mobile: (208) 991-7639, Larry Robillard,Contracting Officer So do we get balanced journalism here. Incident Contacts . 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? This second list was released by the agency May 13 and is a result of a solicitation requesting bidsfor 30 helicopters that were already on Call When Needed contracts in three tiers capable of lifting up to 1,600, 3,300, or 7,000 pounds. 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. Others are only used to drop water or fireretardant, ormove firefighting supplies and equipment. Lots more. They are versatile fire management tools. @RtS1yD &LS,60E0U22U0J7gm:b|gY. Official websites use .gov Basic firefighter training and/or annual firelinesafety refresher prior to assignment, Arrives with: Crew first aid kit, personal first aid kit, headlamp, 1-qt canteen, web gear, sleeping bag. NIFC is home to the national fire management programs of each federal fire agency, along with partners including the National Association of State Foresters, the U.S. Fire Administration, and the National Weather Service. Columbia sold to another company last year and with the combined ammount of aircraft they are considered a large company. Nope. For the 2018 season, the UFS had at its disposal, in addition to its planes, 105 helicopters under exclusive contracts and about 200 others under CWN agreements. Columbia has been focusing a lot of their efforts to Afghanistan and other overseas over the last decade. National Interagency Aviation Committee (, Incident and Position Standards Committee (. Office: (208) 387-5350Mobile: (208) 258-1450, Tessa Bach, Contract Coordinator Horsepower rating taken at the flywheel with all the engine accessories installed not counting transmission losses or anything after the flywheel. Buying a/c is a lot like buying a house. GPS Visualizer - Convert Coordinates. Center These helicopters can strategically drop thousands of gallons of water or retardant with pinpoint accuracy, while working closely with ground personnel and other firefighting aircraft. Smaller helicopters carry water in buckets that hold between 100-400 gallons of water. Its contracts are often the most profitable, and also have the advantage of being valid for 5 seasons, which gives economic visibility to companies that manage to win this sesame. Nevertheless, the aviation branch of the US Forest Service is often seen as a versatile administration, without any long-term vision, with abrupt and sometimes difficult to understand decisions and against which innumerable legal proceedings and even lawsuits are brought by its subcontractors and those who are in line to become one. Office: (208) 387-5610 Mobile: (208) 867-5073, Tonya Campbell,Contracting Officer The reason your seeing all the blackhawk bucket ships is because you can buy a milsurp bird for less than 2$ million and be flying on a fire for less than 5. U.S. Forest Service Contracting | US Forest Service Say goodbye to the 205 and 212, its brand new 412EPXs or nothing. PRINT NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200, NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200, M-581, Fire Program Management Course Steering Committee, M-582, AA Advanced Wildland Fire Course Steering Committee, Committee Roles and Membership Information, Course Steering Committee Guidance & Templates, International Association of Fire Chiefs Roster, National Association of State Foresters Roster, Alternative Pathways to NWCG Qualification, Incident Performance Training Modernization (IPTM), Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program, NWCG Data Standard: Fire Resource Kind, Category, and Type, Incident and Position StandardsCommittee, Standards forInteragency Hotshot Crew Operations, Retardant or water-carrying capability (gal), Maximum gross takeoff and landing weight (lb). Nevertheless, in recent years, with the current situation, CWN aircraft have often been used. 0000047400 00000 n We operate Type III helicopters and are now faced with 40lbs+ 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 Forest Service also has helicopters on Call When Needed contracts, on the hope that they will be available when the phone rings. w/ R1 Supplements, Notice Guess what those choppers wont have cockpit cameras or loudspeakers or TAS. Besides the cost for the new equipment will be passed on the FS through the increase in Daily Availability rates. The NWCGcategorizes information on fire apparatus into logical groups and provides common options often requested by fire managers. Its coming, and sooner than you expect. We really love being on Team USFS. Vendors do not drive the requirements the customer does. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. TheNWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typingis jointly developed and maintained bythe following National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) committees and their subgroups: While they may contain current or useful information, previous versions are obsolete. . Phone: (208) 387-5670 Ncncf Great Lakes - Great Lakes Daily Update, April 30, 2023 | InciWeb Exactly. PDF 2023 US FOREST SERVICE AIRTANKERS - SCHEDULE OF ITEMS (April 26, 2023) All perpetuated by the Gov. Office: (208) 387-5272 Mobile: (208) 616-5546 This change will be a double edged sword..as operators cannot meet requirements or afford changes they will shut their doors and then already limited resources will be permanently removed for fire. %PDF-1.6 % Theres the rub! Aviation Safety Management System, IAT Aircraft carded by USFS/OAS? Cooperative Agreements - National Interagency Fire Center 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. Farm planes that can carry a ton of retardant to the Boeing 747 Supertanker and 75 tons of load, anything that can drop on a fire was mobilized to fight monsters like the fire of the Mendocino Complex that devoured more than 150 000 ha in a month and a half. Access to these sites is restricted and the information and files provided through these sites is not intended for general disclosure or distribution to anyone other than Authorized Government Representatives and solely for the purpose of facilitating the performance of their Official Duties with respect to their administration of these contracts. fleet is composed of primarily contractor-owned and operated aircraft but the Forest Service does own numerous helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Video of two Type 1 helicopters reloading with retardant, 41 Companies on $1B Forest Service Helicopter Support Contract, Updates on Nob Fire and WatchDuty is looking for help, North Carolina: Great Lakes Fire burning in footprint of 2012 fire. We have gone a few years in the past 10 where we had zero USFS work at all based on fire behavior but they want their random equipment to be installed on our dime. The end result is fewer options for the government, but maybe that is what they want. Fire camp infrastructureand Incident Command Post (ICP) is a location at which primary command functions are executed. 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. They simply never had to deal with these considerations. The intent of the USFS for acquiring helicopter services for 2022 is as follows: 1. Let the operators upgrade when if/it will work. Bill is pandering to advertisers and we here at FS have so much knowledge we cant be wrong. Aircraft types: P2V, HC-130H, BAe-146, MD-87, C-130Q, RJ85, C-130 H & J equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS). 0000003543 00000 n Kinda like the air tankers. One has to write to the audience who butters their bread!. PDF Fillable Forms must be downloaded to your computer, you can then open them up in your Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat software to fill them in and save. FEDERAL WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY & DOCTRINE OVERVIEW CHAPTER 1 Release Date: January 2020 1 1 Chapter 1 2 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and Doctrine 3 Overview 4 Scope 5 The Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations states, 6 references, or supplements policy for Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest 7 Service, U.S. Initial attack/can be broken up into squads, fireline construction, complex firing operations (backfire). Category 3 includes helicopters capable of lifting more than 700 gallons of water or retardant. agency that, more and more, is becoming its own worst enemy, as well as ours! In reality the CWN is the same, many times EU ships roll into a day by day CWN extension of their EU contract after the mandatory availability period is over if there are still fires. Flight Following (AFF), FlightAware The companies willing to make adjustments will do just that and end up with contracts. We've identified seven states where the typical salary for a Helicopter Flight Instructor job is above the national average. i digress. Yes, the customer is the FS. Visualizer - Convert Coordinates, Airtankers, Helicopters, Long-term Retardant Contracts, FAA Maybe they could have figured out a better transition, maybe not. All water tenders and engine types 3 through 6 shall be able to prime and pump water from a 10 foot lift.

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