<\/p>\n
The blinding white light on the nose of a fast-approaching air tanker means salvation is on the way for wildland firefighters feeling the hellish heat on the ground.<\/p>\n
With a capacity for 800 gallons of water, fire retardant or repellent, the sleek Air Tanker 802 is a critical tool for battling forest fires.<\/p>\n
Guided in by firefighters with radios, the pilot drops to 60 feet off the deck, unloads the cargo on its fiery target, then acrobatically swoops away to reload.<\/p>\n
This fire season, the San Juan National Forest, BLM, National Park Service and local counties will have access to the planes \u2013 dubbed SEAT, for \u201csingle-engine air tanker.\u201d Two will be dedicated to Colorado, one stationed in the east and one in the west.<\/p>\n
The Cortez Municipal and La Plata airports are equipped with an Interagency SEAT Reload Base to fill the plane with water or fire-control fluids during a fire.<\/p>\n
The planes, pilots, and support are under contract from Aero Tech, of Clovis, N.M., to the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, a branch of the Colorado Department of Public Safety.<\/p>\n
And while it has a profile of a crop duster, the single prop AT 802 packs a punch because of its maneuverability, high-tech avionics and powerful 1400 horsepower engine that can handle flying in mountainous country. It has a price tag of $1.5 million.<\/p>\n
Firefighters from the BLM, Forest Service, and local districts participated in a training simulation Wednesday at the Cortez Municipal Airport and nearby BLM land.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a great tool to assist guys on the ground, and is excellent for an initial attack on a remote fire that would take a fire engine hours to get to,\u201d said Ryan McCulley, CDPS southwest fire manager. \u201cThis area has the highest fire danger in the state, so we are anticipating needing air support.\u201d<\/p>\n
Air tankers can douse a fire if it is small, but mostly they help to slow larger ones down, giving firefighters time to clear fire lines and save structures. The view from above is a valuable asset as well, said SEAT pilot Parker Lucas.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can communicate which way the fire is running, and what kind of terrain and vegetation there is, structures that are nearby. We\u2019re the eyes in the sky,\u201d Lucas said.<\/p>\n
After crews load the airplane with water, adding 8,000 pounds, it flies to a target on nearby BLM land. It makes multiple drops as fire personnel take turns guiding the pilot in on the radio to hit the ideal spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he misses, tell him he missed,\u201d shouts a trainer identified as Boomer. \u201cThe pilot needs feedback to be more accurate on the drops.\u201d<\/p>\n
Depending on need, the pilot can stretch out a drop 800 feet or more, or can divide a load three times and lay down a triangle of retardant around a fire.<\/p>\n
The practice is important for the firefighters to be familiar with the air tanker protocols and communication. And for pilots as well so they stay sharp.<\/p>\n
Lucas has 14 years of flying experience, five with air tankers, and has advanced degrees in avionics.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an intense situation,\u201d he says of his missions. \u201cWhen the load is dropped at low elevation, pilots have to push the nose down to counteract the upward rebound.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pilots train on a BLM air tanker simulator to get the knack for pushing the stick forward at that moment, a counter-intuitive move when flying at high speeds in mountain terrain 60 feet from the ground.<\/p>\n
The maneuverability of the AT802 means it does not require a lead plane to guide it into a fire drop zone like the larger C-130 tankers require. Recent crashes of the larger tankers triggered a preference for smaller planes.<\/p>\n
Their use is likely in southwest Colorado this year, said Zane Muhonen, assistant engine captain for the San Juan National Forest.<\/p>\n
\u201cLow elevation pi\u00c3\u00b1on-juniper forests got no snow this year so it is very dry,\u201d he said. \u201cThe SEATS do a lot of good because they can get low to the ground and can help stop a fire that is running, but we will always need boots on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is ideal for SEATS to work in pairs, McCulley said, in order to cover more of the fire in a shorter time. BLM has contracted SEATS as well, and they cover multiple Western states, but can be called on by Colorado when needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe could always use more to better serve firefighters and the public. When there are fires we can hopefully keep them small,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n