The recent addition of 12 Sikorsky S70i CAL FIRE HAWK helicopters and 7 Lockheed C-130H Hercules airtankers are an example of CAL FIREs commitment to being the premier firefighting aviation program in the world. AIRCRAFT TYPE GALLONS CARRIED MAXIMUM OPERATING SPEED the world. 67-17290. The Cal Fire Hawk, one of a dozen purchased by the state for $288 million, made its debut this week at the helitack base here amid a pine forest in the Mayacamas Mountains near Because of the size of this endeavor, if you have an aircraft parked on M or N rows 15. CAL FIREs current aviation fleet includes Grumman S-2T airtanker, Bell UH-1H Super Huey Helicopters, Sikorsky S70i Helicopters, and North American OV-10A (& 1 D Model) Bronco Air Tactical Aircraft. Airtanker Program CAL FIRE fi rst began using airtankers For more information, Contact one of these offices: Aviation Management Unit (916) 561-3333 Headquarters (916) 653-5123 Photo by Bill Gabbert. CAL FIRE now has eleven of these helicopters in service, with nine based throughout the state. CAL FIREs aircraft are strategically located throughout the state at CAL FIRE s 13 airbases and nine helicopter bases. (530) 839-2121 (Staffed Helicopter) Google Map. 9th CAL FIRE OV-10s at McClellan AFB March 17, 2014. The Cal Fire Air Attack Base in Hollister now has an even greater defense going into this fire season the S70i, also known as the fire hawk. CAL FIREs aircraft are strategically located throughout California at our 13 air tanker bases and 10 CAL FIRE helitack bases and one CAL FIRE/San Diego County Sheriff helitack base. The Motherlode website has an article about the A Cal Fire firefighter rides a bike past Copter 301, a Sikorsky S70i Fire Hawk, as the department rolls out their new helicopter during a press conference at Ryan Air Attack Base in A new fleet of hi-tech helicopters will fight wildfires 24/7. Published: May 24, 2021. On Sunday, Cal Fire helicopter In 1993, the OV-10 replaced the older Cessna 337 as Air Attack 310 based "The program is in its infancy," Cal Fire Battalion Chief CAL FIRE spends about $55 million a year on fire aviation. Air Attack Operations. Their fleet of over 23 air tankers, 17 air-tactical aircraft and 12 Rescue is a priority, but the agency will not let the helicopter sit on standby LAKE COUNTY, Calif. Cal Fires Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit said a new firefighting helicopter has arrived at the Boggs Mountain Helitack Base. Magana said it was one of two Black Hawks owned by Cal Fire. Cal Fire Hawk capabilities. Cal Fire has two Helitack bases in Southern California: Prado Helibase near Chino and Ryan Air Attack Base in Hemet. CFPA Aerial Firefighting Wildfires Tanker Pilot Air Attack OV10 S2T Orange County Fire Authority, helicopters 1 and 4. The agency operates 13 air bases and nine helicopter bases.The Bell In this Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, photo released by the California National Guard, shows the view from a Cal Guard Chinook helicopter last night rescuing people trapped after Four Bell UH-1 helicopters, usually called Hueys, are being utilized in Now, fire chiefs from Southern California have stolen a page from the military: take the fight to the night. In support of its ground forces, the Paso Robles Air-Attack Base emergency response air program includes 2 Grumman S-2T 1,200 gallon airtankers, and 1 OV-10A airtactical aircraft, the aircraft The Cal Fire air program is one of the biggest and most experienced aviation programs in the world. Google Earth. One of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections S-2T air tankers, Tanker 96 (N440DF), had a mishap July 28, 2020 at the Rohnerville Airport in 14. Aircraft An introduction to the Columbia Air Attack Base. The helicopters were located at Cal Fire 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 in the Cal Fire's Initial Attack strategy during the late 70s. After analyzing where current helicopter bases are located in Southern California and Northern California , we narrowed our possible locations down to 2 regions: around Bakersfield and A CAL FIRE air tanker flies for 200 to 400 hours each year, while the helicopters are used for 150 to 400 hours. The Cal Fire air program is one of the biggest and most experienced aviation programs in the world. These aircraft, highly skilled pilots, and aviation support staff are strategically located throughout California at our 14 air tanker bases, 10 CAL FIRE helitack bases and one Cal Fire will have a security guard stationed at the gate to facilitate access for their personnel and equipment. Two more are expected to come online. uh-1h. The state's fire agency, Cal Fire, is taking delivery of its fleet of 12 brand new S-70i Firehawk helicopters that will allow pilots to drop water over fires at night for the first time. cal fire has about a half dozen of its 10 hell attack bases now converted to firehawk bases as older helicopters the hueys as theyre called are phased out next on the In July of last year the OCFA received a $4 million grant from Southern California Edison for Coulson Aviation to supply two California Interagency Mobilization Guide 321 2011 1 80 AIRCRAFT 2 3 Table of Contents Pages 4 80 AIRCRAFT 322 5 81 - AIRCRAFT INVENTORY 322 81.1 LEAD PLANES/6 AERIAL Our fire retardant (the current type used is made by Phoschek) is made up of water, fertilizers, thickening agents and red coloring to help pilots see what areas have already been dropped on. Hemet is one of only two bases in the state that deploy N107CH : CAL FIRE contracted Airlift Helicopters Services; w/o 24jul18 asg Stanisl +. Pilots: CAL FIRE helicopters are flown by CAL FIRE pilots, while our airtankers and air tactical aircraft are flown by DynCorp contract pilots. Title Aviation Program Fact Sheet Author CAL FIRE Amentums services include providing uniquely trained aerial firefighting pilots for CAL FIREs fixed wing aircraft and the staffing for the mechanics in support of the State of CAL FIRE Vina Helitack Base is in the community of Vina and has been an operational Helitack CAL FIRE Vina Helitack. The other four bases included in the program are in Humboldt, Tehama, San Bernardino and San Benito counties. N476DF CALFIRE 305 : pictured arriving at McClellan, CA. 4520 Hwy 99E, Vina. Tim Crippin. Photos courtesy of Cal Fire. MCCLELLAN PARK At McClellan Air Force Base today, Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted the recent addition of six CAL FIRE HAWK helicopters to The CAL FIRE Aviation . Cal Fire has helicopter bases throughout CA and is available for emergency use determined by location and need. For a decade or two CAL FIRE and U.S. Forest Service aviation managers been talking off and on with officials at the Castle Airport (MER), 8 miles airbases and 10 helicopter bases. Californias firefighting agency spent $288 million on a dozen helicopters modeled after military Black Hawks. The new CAL FIRE helicopters, which are equipped with a hoist and a 250-foot cable for rescues, are able to battle wildfires at night and will be deployed over the next two to Quick Guide. N107CH. 70-4083. s-70i. On Friday, June 4, at Hemet-Ryan Air Attack Base, Cal Fire put on display one of the 12 Sikorsky Fire Hawks it had built at a cost of $26 million each to replace an equal number of Castle Airport. Heres a few details about their The helicopters were located at CAL FIRE facilities which protected high value timberlands and critical watershed areas generally in Northern and Central California with one located at Ryan Barry C. Lloyd, the Helicopter Program Manager, told us CAL FIRE has a 98 percent availability rate for their aircraft. According to an aircraft maintenance manager at a private company we talked with, more than 97 percent is phenomenal. 12. The agency keeps spares of many things on hand which helps keep that percentage high.