Aerial Operations

AERIAL BOMBING OPERATION 2011

The following aircraft will be available to members during the 2011 Fire Season:

(Aircraft will be placed on Standby as Fire Weather dictates)

Shafton

  • 3 X 2000lt Turbo Thrushes.
  • 3 X 1500lt Turbo Thrushes.
  • 1 X 1300lt Air tractor ( August and September ).
  • 4 X Spotters.

Winterton

  • 1 X 2000lt Turbo Thrush.

Weza

  • 1 X 1000lt Huey Helicopter.

Langeni

  • 1 X 1000lt Huey Helicopter.

Ugie

  • 2 X 1000lt Huey Helicopters
  • 1 X Spotter

WHEN TO CALL

  1. Water bombers / helicopters are initial attack equipment, and are extremely effective when used in this role. The main purpose in aerial fire fighting, is to get to the fire as soon as possible and then, to hit hard, with all means at your disposal, in order to get the fire under control in the shortest possible time.
  2. We do recommend therefore, that fire bosses be encouraged to call the bombers / helicopters at a very early stage of the fire, and that they should not wait until the fire gets out of hand before calling for aerial assistance.
  3. It is to be clearly understood that the primary task of the spotter aircraft, is to coordinate the aerial attack at a fire. Apart from its primary task, it can also act as an "eye in the sky", informing the fire boss of the conditions as seen from the air and recommending a practical way of attacking the fire.
  4. A third function that the spotter plane can fulfil is that it can be called upon to patrol an area for the early detection of fires. These patrols can either be called for by any of the participating members, who then will be invoiced for such a flight.
HOW TO CALL
  1. The KZNFPA co-ordinator will be standing by at the Op's Room on the official KZNFPA frequencies for any fire call.
    • FireStop Channel 1 Gilboa Repeater (Northern areas)
    • FireStop Channel 2 Richmond Repeater (Southern areas)
    • FireStop Simplex Ground to Spotter Communications.
  2. If for any reason, the OP's Room cannot be contacted on these frequencies, it can be reached by dialling the following telephone number (033) 3308421. After hours all calls will be re-directed to either Denise Bouwer or Simon Thomas's cellular phones. Simon Thomas can be contacted 24hrs a day on 082-654 4943.
  3. When contact has been established between the OP's Room co-ordinator and the member in need, the relevant Company radio frequency will be selected on one of the other radio sets, thus making the KZNFPA frequencies available again for other fire calls.
  4. The following information will be required on a call:
    • Name & Contact Telephone Numbers
    • Company
    • Membership No. (Private Members)
    • Plantation
    • Position of Fire
    • Number and type of aircraft to be used
    • Fire Boss
    • Radio Channel to be used e.g. FireStop Simplex
  5. After the call-out, the Op's Centre will dispatch the aircraft and arrange for the necessary logistical support. No further action, in this regard, will be expected from the particular landowner.
  6. A spotter aircraft will be dispatched together with the bombers / helicopters and all bombing instructions given by the fire boss, will have to be routed via the spotter.
  7. We would like to bring it to the attention of all our members that, though the spotter pilots, due to a number of years experience in this field, will be able to provide the fire boss with valuable guidance, the responsibility for the decisions taken and the implementation thereof at the fire will remain the responsibility of the fire boss.
  8. From the Association's side, we would strongly recommend – if the fire boss himself is not the "flying type" – that he should identify someone who knows the plantation, to be picked up from a nearby airstrip, who then can act as an observer/fire boss in the aircraft.