2010 PILOT’S HANDBOOK - Alberta · PDF fileOffice Location Area Phone Number Calgary Southern Rockies (403) 297-8800 Edson Foothills (780) 723-8269 Fort McMurray Waterways (780)

2012 Pilot’s Handbook

April 2, 2012

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development / 2012 Pilot’s Handbook

April 2, 2012 2012 Pilot’s Handbook © 2012 Government of Alberta

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TABLE OF CONTENTS QUICK REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 5

2012 EDITS TO THE PILOT’S HANDBOOK .......................................................................................................... 5CONTACT INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................. 6INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 7PRESUPPRESSION PREPAREDNESS SYSTEM (PPS) .......................................................................................... 7WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT PPS ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................ 9

Area ....................................................................................................................................................... 9Provincial Forest Fire Centre (PFFC) .................................................................................................. 10Forestry Program Manager .................................................................................................................. 10

INITIAL ATTACK ........................................................................................................................................... 10Area ..................................................................................................................................................... 10Provincial Forest Fire Centre ............................................................................................................... 11

ESCAPED FIRE ............................................................................................................................................ 11Area ..................................................................................................................................................... 11Provincial Forest Fire Centre (PFFC) .................................................................................................. 11Forestry Program Manager .................................................................................................................. 11Provincial Forest Fire Centre (PFFC) .................................................................................................. 11

CANADIAN INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM ....................................................................................................... 11Organization Terminology .................................................................................................................... 12Incident Command System Organization ............................................................................................ 12Incident Command or Organizational Build-up .................................................................................... 14

OPERATIONS SECTION ORGANIZATION CHART ............................................................................................... 15

AIRCRAFT ..................................................................................................................................... 16HIRING PRIORITY ........................................................................................................................................ 16RELEASING ................................................................................................................................................. 16SUBSTITUTING ............................................................................................................................................ 16FALSE INFORMATION ON WEBAIR .................................................................................................................. 17LOCAL CHARTERS – AREA RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................................. 17PROVINCIAL CHARTERS - PFFC RESPONSIBILITIES ........................................................................................ 17HIRING ....................................................................................................................................................... 17

Area ..................................................................................................................................................... 17Provincial Forest Fire Centre ............................................................................................................... 18

FLIGHT MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................................. 18General Restrictions and Requirements .............................................................................................. 18Pilot’s Duty Day ................................................................................................................................... 18Mandatory Rest Periods ...................................................................................................................... 19Maximum Daily Flight Time ................................................................................................................. 19Flight Hour Limitations ......................................................................................................................... 19Fixed-Wing Airtankers – Initial Attack Fires ......................................................................................... 20Fixed-Wing Airtankers – Support Action Fires ..................................................................................... 20Fixed-Wing Casual Charter and Fixed-Wing Spray Aircraft ................................................................. 20

MINIMUM EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS (BEYOND TRANSPORT CANADA REQUIREMENTS) ..................................... 20Required .............................................................................................................................................. 20Preferred .............................................................................................................................................. 21Tracking Device Requirements for Wildfire Management Operations ................................................. 21Wildfire Operations – Required ............................................................................................................ 22Wildfire Operations – Preferred ........................................................................................................... 22Speciality Operations ........................................................................................................................... 22Required Equipment Fixed-Wing ......................................................................................................... 22

LOW LEVEL OPERATIONS (<500 FEET AGL) .................................................................................................. 22GENERAL ................................................................................................................................................... 22

Rotor Wing ........................................................................................................................................... 23Fixed Wing ........................................................................................................................................... 23

UNSERVICEABLE AIRCRAFT .......................................................................................................................... 23AIRSPACE RESTRICTION / NOTICE TO AIRMAN (NOTAM) ................................................................................ 23AS PER SECTION 601.15 OF CANADIAN AVIATION REGULATION STANDARDS: .................................................... 23FLIGHT CREW ALERT STATUSES ................................................................................................................... 24

Day Base: ............................................................................................................................................ 25Airtankers ............................................................................................................................................ 25

THE PILOT ..................................................................................................................................... 26QUALIFICATIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 26



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FIXED - WING AIRCRAFT .............................................................................................................................. 271. Twin-engine turbine and piston powered fixed wing aircraft (over 5,800 kg): .................................. 272. Twin-engine piston and single-engine turbine (under 5,800 kg): ..................................................... 273. Single-engine piston: ....................................................................................................................... 274. All float equipped aircraft (in addition to (1.), (2.) and (3.) above): ................................................... 27

ROTOR WING AIRCRAFT .............................................................................................................................. 27Pilot Competencies for Helicopter Wildfire Operations ........................................................................ 27

PILOT RESPONSIBILITY ................................................................................................................................ 29BRIEFING PACKAGES ................................................................................................................................... 29BRIEFING OF PASSENGERS BY PILOT ............................................................................................................. 29BRIEFING OF PILOT ...................................................................................................................................... 30

PFFC: .................................................................................................................................................. 30Area Fire Centres: ............................................................................................................................... 30

PASSENGER MANIFEST ................................................................................................................................ 31

ACCOUNTS AND EXPENSES ..................................................................................................... 32PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF AIRCRAFT ADMINISTRATION/ACCOUNTS ..................................................... 32

General ................................................................................................................................................ 32Daily Flight Report (AO-02) ................................................................................................................. 32

SIGNING AUTHORITIES ................................................................................................................................. 32Public Land and Forest Division /Fish and Wildlife Division/Human Resources .................................. 32Wildfire Management ........................................................................................................................... 33

VERIFICATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS ....................................................................................................... 34FLYING TIME AND METRIC CONVERSION TABLES ............................................................................................ 35

Flying Time .......................................................................................................................................... 35Distance Conversions .......................................................................................................................... 35Capacity ............................................................................................................................................... 35Weight ................................................................................................................................................. 36

FLIGHT CREW FOOD AND ACCOMMODATIONS ................................................................................................. 36Accommodations ................................................................................................................................. 36Meals at Bases .................................................................................................................................... 37Transportation ..................................................................................................................................... 37

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ................................................................................................................................. 38

FLIGHT EMERGENCIES ............................................................................................................... 39DEFINITIONS BY TRANSPORT CANADA ........................................................................................................... 39DEFINITIONS AND GUIDELINES ...................................................................................................................... 40

Aircraft Accident .................................................................................................................................. 40Aircraft Incident .................................................................................................................................... 40

AVIATION ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS, HAZARDS, MISSING AIRCRAFT .................................................................... 41Reporting Aviation Near Misses/Hazards, Accidents, Incidents, and cautions .................................... 41

PROCEDURES FOR AVIATION ACCIDENTS / MISSING AIRCRAFT / INCIDENTS ....................................................... 41Accidents and Missing Aircraft ............................................................................................................. 42Missing Aircraft .................................................................................................................................... 43Incident ................................................................................................................................................ 44Near Miss/Hazard Reporting ............................................................................................................... 45

AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT / MISSING AIRCRAFT / INCIDENT REPORTING PROCESS ..................................................... 46SCHEDULE ‘‘A’’ ....................................................................................................................................... 47SCHEDULE ‘‘B’’ ....................................................................................................................................... 47

SAFETY ......................................................................................................................................... 48FLIGHT PLANS AND FLIGHT MONITORING ....................................................................................................... 48

Flight Following and Flight Plans ......................................................................................................... 48Flight Itinerary Without Flight Following Radio Watch ......................................................................... 48Flight Itinerary With Flight Following Radio Watch .............................................................................. 49

COMMUNICATIONS ................................................................................................................................ 50Forest Protection Radio Guide ............................................................................................................ 50Loss of Communications Due to Radio Failure .................................................................................... 50

GUIDE TO SAFE AIR OPERATIONS ON A CAMPAIGN FIRE / INCIDENT .................................................................. 51RADIO FREQUENCY USE (VHF – AM ONLY) .................................................................................................. 51

General ................................................................................................................................................ 51Exceptions ........................................................................................................................................... 52

INCIDENT BRIEFING PACKAGE ....................................................................................................................... 53Contents of Briefing Package .............................................................................................................. 54Air space control plan .......................................................................................................................... 55

TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS ................................................................................................... 56



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Considerations for Shipping Propane Tanks ....................................................................................... 56Considerations for Shipping 365 Litre Propane Tanks ........................................................................ 56

PRECAUTIONS FOR REFUELING OF ROTOR WING ............................................................................................ 57Refuelling Operations .......................................................................................................................... 58

PEPPER SPRAY ........................................................................................................................................... 59ROTOR WING SLING LOADS ......................................................................................................................... 59

Long Line Use (Rotor wing) ................................................................................................................. 60GROUND RUNNING OF ENGINES DURING BUCKETING OF SLING OPERATIONS .................................................... 60NON-GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL ON GOVERNMENT OWNED, CASUAL HIRE OR CONTRACTED AIRCRAFT .............. 60PERSONNEL PERMITTED IN BIRDDOG/AIRTANKER AIRCRAFT ............................................................................ 61FLIGHTS WITH PASSENGERS AND EXTERNAL LOADS ....................................................................................... 61

Rappel Operations ............................................................................................................................... 61Bucket Operations ............................................................................................................................... 62Wildfire Operations .............................................................................................................................. 62Aerial Ignition on Wildfires ................................................................................................................... 62Transporting Wildlife ............................................................................................................................ 62

ENTERING OF LEAVING A HOVERING ROTOR WING IN FLIGHT ........................................................................... 62Emergency Rotor Wing Boarding in a Hover ....................................................................................... 63Hover Exit Conditions and Limitations ................................................................................................. 64Rotor Wing Aircraft Company Compliance and Pilot Qualifications ..................................................... 64

FUR AND GAME FARM OPERATIONS .............................................................................................................. 64SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR WORKING IN THE COLD LAKE AIR WEAPONS RANGE (CLAWR) .......................... 64DAYLIGHT FLYING UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) .................................................................................. 66

Day ...................................................................................................................................................... 66Night: ................................................................................................................................................... 66

OPEN DOOR AERIAL WORK .......................................................................................................................... 66On the Skid or Moving Around Inside the Aircraft ................................................................................ 67Seated and Secured Inside the Aircraft ............................................................................................... 67

APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................ 68ALBERTA THIRD SYSTEM OF SURVEY ............................................................................................................ 68

Subdivision .......................................................................................................................................... 68Section ................................................................................................................................................. 68Quarter Section ................................................................................................................................... 69Township ............................................................................................................................................. 69Road Allowance ................................................................................................................................... 69Township Range .................................................................................................................................. 69Meridian ............................................................................................................................................... 70Correction Lines .................................................................................................................................. 70Fractional Townships and Fractional Sections .................................................................................... 71Finding a Location Based on a Legal Description ................................................................................ 71

FIRE LINE EQUIPMENT WEIGHTS ................................................................................................................... 72ROTOR WING LOAD CALCULATIONS .............................................................................................................. 75

Pilot Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................ 76Government Representative Responsibilities: ..................................................................................... 76

GLOSSARY OF FIRE BOMBING TERMS ............................................................................................................ 77AIRSPACE CHART 1AIRSPACE CHART 2 ......................................................................................................... 84AIRSPACE CHART 2 ..................................................................................................................................... 85AIRSPACE CHART 3 ..................................................................................................................................... 86AIRSPACE CHART 4 ..................................................................................................................................... 87INTRODUCTION OF VFR AIR TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY 123.5 OIL SANDS .......................... 88AREA IN NORTH-EASTERN ALBERTA ................................................................................................... 88OIL SANDS AREA – SPECIAL RADIO PROCEDURES FLYER ................................................................................. 90CONKLIN – KIRBY LK FREQS ........................................................................................................................ 92DRAFT PREFERRED IFR ROUTES .................................................................................................................. 93FOREST PROTECTION RADIO GUIDE FP183 .................................................................................................. 95



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Quick References

2012 Edits to the Pilot’s Handbook 1. Daily Flight Report Signing Authority – updated

2. Pilot’s Duty Day – updated

3. Flight Following and Flight Plans – updated

4. Non-Government Personnel on Government Owned, Casual Hire, or Contracted Aircraft – added

5. Fur and Game Farm Operations - updated



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Contact Information Forestry Area Offices Office Location Area Phone Number Calgary Southern Rockies (403) 297-8800 Edson Foothills (780) 723-8269 Fort McMurray Waterways (780) 743-7125 Grande Prairie Smoky (780) 538-5560 High Level Upper Hay (780) 926-3761 Lac La Biche Lac La Biche (780) 623-5388 Peace River Peace (780) 624-5388 Rocky Mountain House

Clearwater (403) 845-8272

Slave Lake Lesser Slave (780) 849-7400 Whitecourt Woodlands (780) 778-7153 Public Land Area Offices Office Location Area Phone Number Calgary Southern Rockies (403) 297-8800 Edson Foothills (780) 723-8265 Fort McMurray Waterways (780) 743-7120 Grande Prairie Smoky (780) 538-8080 High Level Upper Hay (780) 926-5400 Lac La Biche Lac La Biche (780) 623-5240 Manning Peace (780) 836-2881 Rocky Mountain House


Slave Lake Lesser Slave (780) 849-7400 Whitecourt Woodlands (780) 778-7153 Fish and Wildlife Area Offices Office Location Area Phone Number Calgary Southern Rockies (403) 297-6423 Edson Foothills (780) 723-8244 Fort McMurray Waterways (780) 743-7200 Grande Prairie Smoky (780) 538-5265 High Level Upper Hay (780) 926-2238 Lac La Biche Lac La Biche (780) 623-5247 Lethbridge Lethbridge District (403) 381-5281 Peace River Peace (780) 623-6405 Rocky Mountain House


Slave Lake Lesser Slave (780) 849-7110 Whitecourt Woodlands (780) 778-7119



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Introduction The purpose of this handbook is to give companies and pilots working for the department an insight into how Sustainable Resource Development conducts business. Basic information on policies, procedures, and incident command system are provided in this handbook. Wildfire Management, within the department of Sustainable Resource Development (SRD), is responsible for wildfire service, operations, prevention, wildfire information and community programs for approximately 52.9% of the province [349,726 square kilometres]. To help with safeguarding our forests, Alberta has a designated legislated Forest Protection Area where the Department of Sustainable Resource Development, Wildfire Management, is responsible for wildfire suppression and has been divided into ten (10) Areas (each with their own fire centre) as listed below:

Clearwater (Rocky Mtn House) Smoky (Grande Prairie) Foothills (Edson) Southern Rockies (Calgary) La Biche (Lac La Biche) Upper Hay (High Level) Lesser Slave (Slave Lake) Waterways (Fort McMurray) Peace (Peace River) Woodlands (Whitecourt)

A Forestry Program Manager coordinates and monitors all forest protection activities within the Area. The key strategy used to protect the land and forest resources is the safe, rapid and aggressive initial attack of all fires in the province. Therefore it is important that the aircraft’s pilot is well trained, competent and has an aircraft in good condition, well maintained, and available for daily standby as required. In addition to wildfire operations, aircraft are also used in conjunction with other resource management projects. The primary decision-making group for all Alberta’s overall forest protection effort is the Provincial Fire Management Working Group consisting of personnel from the Provincial Forest Fire Centre (PFFC) and representatives from the Areas. Overall, PFFC oversees policies and conducts audits on wildfire programs.

Presuppression Preparedness System (PPS) The PPS system consists of two distinct parts as follows: The first part is a deployment procedure for allocation of the committed initial attack resources based on values at risk, priorities, local fire risk, fuel types and analysis of inter – forest coverage. The second part is a procedure to determine the area man-up levels and subsequent resource commitments based on the fire severity rating. In general terms, the PPS system works as follows:



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As the fire severity increases, additional suppression resources are committed and strategically placed to reduce travel time to a potential fire start. As the fire severity decreases, suppression resource levels are reduced and response times are relaxed in recognition of the lower potential for fire control problems. Man-up Up Criteria Man-up is the allocation of initial attack resources strategically within the area for new fires. The objective of preparedness planning is to contain fire spread by 1000 hours the following day (SRD Business Plan 2009-20012 Goal three). The Spatial Fire Management System (SFMS) is used to determine the time lapse that will occur before a fire reaches its threshold size. The time lapse equates to the required attack time. Wildfire Management staff can quantitatively evaluate the deployment of fire control resources that are required to meet the alert status or get-away times for each area within the forest. Day Basing should be in place by 1100hrs during normal risk conditions. When there is potential for holdover fires or high risk is anticipated for the morning, day-basing and loaded patrols will commence earlier than normal. When there is no potential for ignition in the morning, day basing can be delayed past 1100hrs by must be in place by 1300hrs. The area Duty Officer specifically sets rotor wing stand-to and standby times. Day basing of crews and rotor wing on 5, 10 or 30 minute etc. getaway times are required to areas to ensure resources are positioned strategically in the province. The locations can vary from primary fire bases with complete facilities to remote locations with no infrastructure. Generally, crews and rotor wings return to an established camp for to overnight. When rotor wing are working long hours on fires or projects they may be exchanged for rotor wing on man-up. This should allow pilots a rest period and the engineer time to do maintenance on the machine. Line of Authority for Aircraft on Incidents The roles and responsibilities for each level regarding aircraft utilization are as follows:



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Area Duty Officer

Incident Commander

PFFC Duty Officer

• Supervisor of firefighting resources on the fire• Frontline supervisor of firefighting resources

• Deployment of assigned resources to fire(s) based on Area Fire Center priorities and availability• Responsible for resource allocation / deployment• Area Fire Center priority setting and resource allocation – audit / approve suppression strategies planned and implemented

• Set provincial priorities for deployment of porvincial resources (airtankers, rap attack/Medium rotor wing)• Monitor supproession efforts on a provincial scale – coordinate interagency / interprovincial suppression requirements

Wildfire Management PPS Roles and Responsibilities

Area Ensure all wildfire resources and facilities within the Area are in a state of fire

readiness Recruit, train and ensure staff meet fitness standards Facilities such as airtanker bases, fire bases and remote airstrips are

functional Maintain an up-to-date resource list Pre-arrange contracts and enter into FIRES system Information management and data entry, finance, human resource,

equipment contracts, supply and services, Fire Permits Keep major Stakeholders informed and involved of fire danger and fire

situation Providing equipment and other resources Recommend fire bans and forest closures Develop and implement PPS plan Include initial attack and support resources Set Firefighting Crew’s alert status Indicate A/T alert status and ATBs available Positioning of resources Ensure IA resources are deployed as per PPS plan Communicate PPS plan and Alert Status to all resources Aircraft Management Charter local aircraft for Wildfire Management and other Divisions within the

Department Provide A/C radio communications Information management and data entry Weather, smoke reports, fires, fire permits, resource association Provide fire behaviour predictions Communicate Safety Alerts



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Provincial Forest Fire Centre (PFFC) Set provincial priorities Approve Area PPS plans Resource acquisition Medium, Heavy, out of area rotor wing, airtankers, specialty aircraft, MARS

personnel Fire weather forecasting Implement fire bans and forest closures Development and implement new technology Policy development Long term rotor wing and airtanker contracts Audit and enforce provincial standards Sets airtanker alerts in consultation with Area Duty Officers

Forestry Program Manager Budget distribution and monitoring Integration of wildfire in Landscape planning Coordination of fire bans and forest closures Coordinates regional input into policy Coordinates Area fire operations audits Coordinates Fire Information Officer (FIO) Monitors personnel deployments and residual levels in the fire program Monitors Human Resource Policy Monitors compliance with Financial Policies

Initial Attack

Area State of readiness ensuring that Fire Assessor on call at HFI 4, 5, and 6 to

conduct WAS, fire assessments, and set Area priorities Dispatch of Initial Attack Resources This includes Wildland Firefighting Crews, airtankers, and heavy equipment

within the Area Priority setting within the Area for IA resource deployment Information management of wildfire status Resource Association as dispatched to fires Data entry as data is generated, near real time Request fire assessment Coordinate back-filling of strategic resources Resource acquisition Ensure sufficient resources are available to support current fires and provide

initial attack on new starts Brief stakeholders



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Provincial Forest Fire Centre Provincial priority setting Monitoring provincial status Back-filling of strategic resources Dispatch airtankers outside and between Areas and adjacent agencies Audit and enforce provincial standards

Escaped Fire

Area Responsible for escaped fire management WAS preparation and submission Support the acquisition of resources Coordinate incoming resources Coordinate briefings of incoming resources Provide logistical support, supply and services Monitor strategy, tactics and policy Set Area priorities Communications with stakeholders

Provincial Forest Fire Centre (PFFC) Set Provincial priorities Approval of WAS Provide expertise to Areas Provide resources from outside the Area Audit and enforce provincial standards Detection Deliver detection program Communicate within Areas Receive all detection messages Enter detection messages

Forestry Program Manager Coordinate an audit process

Provincial Forest Fire Centre (PFFC) Manage 310-Fire Program Audit detection standards

Canadian Incident Command System The Alberta Wildfire Management Incident Command Organization is based on the Canadian Incident Command System [ICS] and is used to manage all wildfire emergencies and prescribed fire events. The ICS organizational structure is specifically designed to meet the complexity and demands of single or multiple emergencies or complex planned events. The Incident Command System is the combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures and communications operating within a common organizational structure



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with responsibility for the management of assigned resources to effectively accomplish stated objectives pertaining to an incident i.e. wildfire.

Organization Terminology As defined in the Incident Command System – Canadian version, at each level in the ICS organization, individuals with primary responsibility positions have distinctive titles. Incident Command Organization Structure Chart

Incident

Operations Section Planning Section Logistics Section

Finance/Administration

Section

Branch Branch

Division

Strike Team

Task Force

Branch Branch

Single Resources

Commander

Chief

Director

Supervisor

Leader

Leader

Leader

Incident Command System Organization Five (5) basic sections are used in forming the Basic Incident: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics and Finance. On smaller Incidents all positions may not be activated and persons may be assigned the duties and responsibilities held by other positions.



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Command The Incident Commander is responsible for the following: Evaluating the known circumstances Anticipating future developments Developing the action strategy and priorities Executing this strategy in the most satisfactory and effective manner possible

Tasks are not delineated for the Command since only one (1) individual is recognized as being the Incident Commander on a fire. If the fire increases in size and complexity a more highly qualified Incident Commander may be assigned. To avoid having efforts duplicated or overlapped, tasks are separated according to the framework for each function. Units will be activated if required.

Operations The Operations Section is responsible for all direct firefighting operations, and ensures the fire is put out and stays out. Duties include the following: Fireline construction Aerial and ground ignition for backfire and burn out Detection and control of spot fires Application of water and/or retardant from the ground or air Managing all suppression equipment Implementing, executing and directing the operational incident action plan which

has been approved by the Incident Commander Supervision of all suppression personnel Mop-up, patrol and final fireline inspection

NOTE: Within the Operations Section, two (2) additional levels of organization can be used as necessary. These are Divisions and Branches. A Division is established to divide the fire geographically. If the number of Divisions exceeds the recommended Span of Control, Branches may be established. Air Operations is activated at the Branch level to meet complex needs for the use of aircraft in both tactical and logistical operations.

Planning The Planning Section is responsible for the following: Collecting, evaluating and disseminating information pertinent to the fire Developing a detailed action plan for final approval by the Incident Commander Time Unit functions Documenting the suppression effort

The Planning Section is broken into four (4) major Units: Resource Unit Situation Unit



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Documentation Unit Technical Specialists

Logistics The Logistics Section is responsible for the following: Providing for a ‘one-window’ approach for all support and services requests Obtaining and maintaining essential personnel, facilities, equipment and supplies Developing a Logistics organizational structure for approval by the Incident

Commander Assisting in the development, approval and implementation of the Incident

Demobilization plan The Logistics Section is divided into two (2) branches and six (6) units: Support Branch Supply Unit Facilities Unit Ground Support Unit Service Branch Food Unit Medical Unit Communications Unit

Finance / Administration The Finance / Administration section is responsible for the following: Maintaining accurate and complete records of all fiscal expenditures accrued on

the fire Monitoring costs and provides accounting, procurement and cost analysis

Incident Command or Organizational Build-up The organizational build up consists of four manpower levels based on the size of the fire:

Type 1 = 150 plus personnel Type 2 = 26 to 150 personnel Type 3 = 9 to 25 personnel Type 4 = 1 to 8 personnel

While the entire Incident Organization is designed to give maximum flexibility so as to meet all potential fire situations, there are build-up procedures that should be adhered to. These are outlined in the following points: If the number of basic personnel exceeds the maximum in any stage of the fire, the next higher manpower level must be considered to meet man-up requirements. When deployed during any stage of build-up, if it becomes necessary to deploy that stage in smaller, separate crews, then the applicable overhead should accompany those smaller, separate crews.



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If a double shift becomes necessary on a particular fire, the stipulation in number one above should be adhered to. In other words, the number of basic personnel employed on a fire, regardless of whether it is a single-shift or double-shift, dictates what manpower level should apply.

Operations Section Organization Chart Incident

Commander

Operations Section Chief

Air Operations Branch Director

Branch Director

Air Support Group Supervisor

Air Tactical Group Supervisor

Helicopter Coordinator

Division Supervisor

Heavy Equipment Group Supervisor

Helibase Manager

Fixed Wing Base Manager

Division Supervisor

Division Supervisor

Branch Director

Division Supervisor

Division Supervisor

Division Supervisor

Task Force

Strike Team

Task Force

Task Force

Strike Team

Wildfire Crew

Wildfire Crew

Wildfire Crew



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Aircraft Wildfire Management shall ensure safety audits are conducted by the Aviation.

Hiring Priority For light and intermediate rotor wing the priority shall be:

1. Long term contract aircraft of the capability that is required 2. Closest positioned aircraft of the required type

WEBAIR Canada shall be used to determine aircraft location. All “IT” questions regarding WEBAIR shall be directed to CIFFC at 204-784-2030. The Areas may request a specific type or class of rotor wing to best meet specific needs of a project, or financial considerations. For medium and heavy rotor wing the priority shall be:

1. Long term contract aircraft 2. Closest positioned aircraft

The actual point of hire for aircraft positioned outside Alberta will be negotiated at time of hire. In most cases the point of hire shall be the first Alberta airport or community the rotor wing passes upon entering Alberta.

Releasing The intent of this procedure is to meet the needs of the operation while finding an equitable balance for operators. When releasing rotor wing from man-up or fires, each is considered an individual project, for example: PPS is one project, *WF-060 is one project, *WF-090 is one project. Areas should not be replacing helicopters from one project to another. Within each project, rotor wing are released as follows:

1. Aircraft requesting to be released for other work or limited time commitment, 2. Casually hired aircraft based on least suitability for the work required, 3. Long term contract aircraft.

The Areas shall advise PFFC via email prior to releasing any medium or heavy rotor wing.

Substituting A company may substitute a rotor wing of the same type or classification provided: The office hiring the aircraft is advised and agrees to the replacement, The aircraft being substituted is not already on hire with the Branch, The aircraft is registered with Transport Canada confirming that company is the

owner of the aircraft, and The aircraft is shown in WebAir to be at the same location as the intended hire.



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False Information on WebAir If a company falsely claims information (such as, but not limited to, pilot competency, aircraft position, etc) on WebAir, the hiring Wildfire Operations Officer (or designate) or the Provincial Aircraft Coordinator will address concerns with the company and advise the Manager of Aviation and Geomatics (or designate). If it is found that the company is intentionally providing false information on WebAir, reprimands to the company such as a verbal warning, a letter or warning, suspension of hire or termination of all or some of their contracts may result. Letters of warning, suspensions or contract terminations will be sent from the Manager of Aviaiton and Geomatics.

Local Charters – Area Responsibilities The following shall be confirmed with each local base operator on an annual basis rather than prior to each casual charter:

• Review minimum pilot qualifications (information can be collected on the Pilot Qualification Information Sheet) to ensure all pilots available for hire meet Wildfire Management requirements,

• Review the Pilot Competencies for Helicopter Wildfire Operations to ensure pilots are only hired to their competent level

• Review pilot responsibilities and expectations list and ensure list is made available to all operators, and

• Review minimum equipment list for rotor wing engaged in wildfire operations and ensure list is available to local operators

Provincial Charters - PFFC Responsibilities The following shall be confirmed with operators prior to each casual charter:

• Review minimum pilot qualifications (information can be collected on the Pilot Qualification Information Sheet) with operator to ensure charter pilot(s) meet Wildfire Management requirements,

• Review pilot responsibilities and expectations list, • Review minimum equipment list for rotor wing engaged in wildfire operations, • Ensure company has provided recent work history for pilot to determine any duty

limitations, and • Establish how flight watch will be managed until aircraft arrives at its initial

destination. Prior to the casual charter of any fixed-wing aircraft for movement of personnel, the option of a scheduled commercial flight for all or a portion of the move shall be investigated. If a commercial carrier is available it should be used, as there may be a considerable cost savings to Wildfire Management.

Hiring

Area Shall hire on a casual basis those companies operating a charter business in the Area provided:

• The company has a casual aircraft contract with the Department, and



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• Wildfire Management has conducted safety audits by the Aviation Safety Officer prior to an operator to an operator being hired, and a periodically thereafter. The audits must be satisfactory to WM.

Provincial Forest Fire Centre Shall hire upon request from the Area(s) or Edmonton those:

• Companies with casual aircraft contract with Wildfire Management, • Wildfire Management has conducted safety audits by the Aviation Safety Officer

prior to an operator to an operator being hired, and periodically thereafter. The audits must be satisfactory to WM.

• Aircraft owned or contracted to another agency via the MARS, CANUS or NWC Agreements, and

• Out-of-province operators who have a contract with Wildfire Management

Flight Management

General Restrictions and Requirements The following restrictions/requirements apply to all flights (except regular “Airline Scheduled” flights (air Canada, WestJet, etc)

• No fixed wing or rotor wing reconnaissance flights in temperatures below -30 oC. • No one shall operate an aircraft, or direct an aircraft to be operated, in an unsafe

manner. • Any person on doctor prescribed medication will ensure they have sufficient

medication on their person for 3 days. • Based on the nature of the activity, environment and assessed risks, individuals

shall be attired to spend a minimum of 24 hours in the “bush”. • A briefing will be held between the aircrew and passenger(s) describing the

nature of the flight and expectations of the aircrew to ensure that the mission and expectations are clearly understood.

• The minimum Transport Canada survival equipment onboard the aircraft..

Pilot’s Duty Day A pilot’s duty day is restricted by the Canadian Air Regulations. This duty period is (14) fourteen hours in any 24 consecutive hours. A pilot’s duty day starts when a pilot: • Reports for a flight, • Reports for standby that has a reporting time of one hour or less, • Performs any duty required by the company, or • Performs any duty designated by the Minister of Transport. A pilot’s duty day ends when: • The engine is turned off at the end of the final flight, • Any required paperwork is completed, • Any pilot performed maintenance is completed, • At the end of a predetermined standby period, whichever is later.

Note: Travel, food, and hygiene are not included in the duty day.



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Mandatory Rest Periods All pilots must have, excluding meal breaks, a minimum of eight (8) hours of prone rest between the end of one (1) duty period and the start of the next. Before starting the next duty day, the pilot must be given sufficient time to allow for 8 hours of prone rest, travel to and from the workplace, meal breaks and personal hygiene.

Maximum Daily Flight Time To ensure safety, the Department has established a maximum of ten (10) hours any pilot may fly within their duty period. This requirement was implemented to reduce fatigue and ensure every pilot has the required nutrition and personal breaks each day. The Department may add additional restrictions for ongoing operations to reduce pilot fatigue and ensure an increased level of safety during operations.

Flight Hour Limitations Wildfire Management’s standard maximum daily flying times are as follows:

Rotor wing – Suppression and Presuppression Assignments • Ten hours maximum for the first three (3) days of continuous activity, and • Eight (8) hours maximum for every consecutive day thereafter. • The Area Duty Officer, Incident Commander or the Air Operations Branch

Director may allow a pilot who has been flying to start the first of his ten-hour days providing:

o Pilot has been on continuous ‘light duty’ such as man-up, day basing, or flying patrols, and

o In the previous three (3) days pilot has flown less than four (4) hours per day.

To reset to a ten-hour day the pilot must not fly for a 24-hour period.

Rotor wing – General Duty Assignment Pilots involved in moving crews from airport to airport or for out-of-province basing, may fly a maximum of 10 hours per day. To reduce fatigue, the Air Operations Branch Director, Area Duty Officer or their designate must monitor pilot flying times and when required ask a company to rotate flight crew or change aircraft assignments. To ensure the maximum numbers of aircraft are available during peak workloads, daily aircraft availability should be scheduled against hours of work limitations. Where practical, scheduling should also provide for rotor wing aircraft maintenance to be performed during daylight hours.

Rotor wing – Infrared Scanning Aircraft assigned to infrared scanning operations will work within the normal 14 hr. duty day period only.



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Fixed-Wing Airtankers – Initial Attack Fires All airtanker types can fly a maximum of ten (10) hours, per day, per airtanker (wheels roll to wheels stop) on initial attack fires, based on the pilot’s duty day.

Fixed-Wing Airtankers – Support Action Fires All airtanker types can fly a maximum of ten (10) hours, per airtanker (wheels

roll to wheels stop), for the first day of support action. All airtanker types can fly a maximum of eight (8) hours, per day, per airtanker

(wheels roll to wheels stop), while on support action, based on the pilot’s duty day.

If a flight crew has been actively flying on initial attack immediately prior to

being assigned to support action, the Air Attack Officer and Group Captain shall be consulted to determine if the maximums noted should be reduced due to cumulative fatigue.

If anticipated action is expected to exceed duty limitations, additional pilots,

engineers and an Air Attack Officer shall be requested to double-crew the aircraft. This normally applies to, but is not limited to, the CL-215s, when on support action.

Fixed-Wing Casual Charter and Fixed-Wing Spray Aircraft All other types of fixed-wing casual charter and fixed-wing spray aircraft can fly a maximum of ten (10) hours, per day (wheels roll to wheels stop), based on the pilot’s duty day.

Minimum Equipment Requirements (beyond Transport Canada Requirements)

Required • Transport Canada approved, VHF-AM transceiver, operating in the 118.0 – 139.0

MHz frequency range, with 25 MHz spacing • Transport Canada approved VHF-FM transceiver (equivalent to the Technosonic

TFM138B) capable of operating on 138.0 – 174.0 MHz transmit-and-receive, with a selectable audible tone option, and capable of narrow banding, on a channel to channel basis,

• NOTE: VHF FM – Operate radios on LO 1 watt to avoid tripping repeaters outside of operating area. If required operate on HI 10 watt for transmissions.

• All radios must be useable by the pilot with a “push to talk” button on the cyclic. • Intercom communications with a minimum of one headset per seat for light and

intermediate rotor wing, a minimum of one headset for each front seat and a minimum of four headsets for the rear seats in medium rotor wing. All headsets are to be “David Clark” equivalent in quality,

• Hobbs meter (except heavy helicopters) triggered by switches installed on the collective column and aircraft transmission oil pressure that is activated when aircraft is in flight or during full power ground hovers. Hour meter calibrated to



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show readings in hours and tenths of hours. When specialty or out of province rotor wing without Hobbs meters are hired, a method of determining accurate flight time, such as audited pilot log books or helibase manager records, must be used for billing. Aircraft with an unserviceable Hobbs meter will require review and recording of the Pilot log book for validation of all flight hours. Alternative devices to the standard hobbs meter will be permitted as long as they provide an audit function that will record individual flight airtime and a cumulative tally of airtime for the rotor wing

• Required / Mandatory transponders with mode C [transmits altitude], for all aircraft,

• Self-cocking, automatic locking cargo hook with both manual and electrical release,

• Convex mirror for pilot to observe sling loads, • Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, preferably with degree decimal minute

(DMD) as the standard display, • Required for all helicopters to have GPS units mounted in a central position

between the pilot and copilot station. GPS units are mounted and in a position that does not impede the passenger view from the co-pilot seat.

• Note: Fixed mounted GPS units in place on pilot side can be accepted. • Loose / un-mounted GPS are not allowed on SRD flights. • Sleeping bag cot / foam mattress and tent[s] for each flight crew member, • Portable fuel pump, and • Shoulder harness for all seats, except heavy rotor wing equipped with “airline

style” seats. • Near real time tracking device that is capable of providing position, speed and

heading in a standard format “AFF” (automated flight following) at a minimum of every 02 minutes as described in this document.

Preferred • High skid gear with bear paws, • Pulsating landing lights (increase visibility), • Noise cancelling headsets, and • Painted striped rotor blades.

Tracking Device Requirements for Wildfire Management Operations Tracking systems are mandatory for all Rotor Wing and Fixed Wing in 2011. The satellite system must meet the USAFF XML data specification, described at https://www.aff.gov/contractspecs.asp and either push the data to a WM server or allow WM services to pull the data from its data server. • Must be AFF [automatic flight following] compliant. • Must be connected to the aircraft power source. • Installed in such a manner that the GPS and Satellite antennas have maximum

vertical exposure to ensure connectivity with the satellites. • Installation is approved via an Engineering Order [EO], Limited Supplemental Type

Approval [LSTA], or a Supplemental Type Certificate [STC].

https://www.aff.gov/contractspecs.asp�



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• Secure in such a manner that in the event of a firm landing it will not become dislodged and pose a risk to cabin crew.

NOTE: Provide Wildfire Management [Provincial Forest Fire Center, Edmonton] with the ESN # [electronic serial number] for entry into the tracking system.

Wildfire Operations – Required • Rotor wing (except for the R22 and R44) must come with an approved water

bucket for that rotor wing type. For rotor wing with a 150 gallon or greater capacity bucket, the bucket is to be foam equipped and include a long line.

• Minimum of two (2) cargo nets and two lanyards and • Medium and heavy rotor wing must come with at least one (1) long line with

remote hook and be equipped with properly installed cabin equipment for the helicopter type, such as doors, windows and dual controls.

Wildfire Operations – Preferred All rotor wing with a bucket capacity of greater than 150 gallons, be equipped with a foam injection system for the bucket.

Speciality Operations Any speciality operations such as long lining, fish stocking or wildlife netting, may require other equipment, which will be identified at the time of hire.

Required Equipment Fixed-Wing Specialized equipment or configuration that is required must be specified at the time of hire. Equipment includes but is not limited to

• VHF FM radios • headsets, • cargo configuration • Internal communications systems.

Fixed wing aircraft hired for reconnaissance type flights will have a SRD provided automated flight following (AFF) compliant tracking device in use while airborne.

Low Level Operations (<500 feet AGL) The following are operating procedures for activities which do not have a specific set of procedures similar to those developed for Fire Bombing, Rappel, Aerial Ignition and Hover Exit.

General The company, pilot and aircraft will be qualified by Transport Canada for 702 Aerial Work. Flight crew are to be fully engaged in “flying the aircraft” and not be distracted by other work being done. Wherever possible, SRD staff should operate radios on SRD assigned frequencies, including telemetry receivers. The pilot can monitor these radios if the cockpit workload permits. Except were specifically permitted in Canadian Air Regulations sections 602.12 – 602.16, no flights over the built up area of a community shall be conducted at altitudes below 1000 feet AGL. A Hazard and Risk Assessment is to be done for the specific task undertaken requiring low level operations including the need for the flight and alternate means of accomplishing the task identified.

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/SOP%20Manual/Appendices/aerial%20work.doc�

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/SOP%20Manual/Appendices/aerial%20work.doc�

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/SOP%20Manual/Appendices/Low%20Fly%20appendix.doc�

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/SOP%20Manual/Appendices/Low%20Fly%20appendix.doc�



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Rotor Wing The flight profile should remain at an altitude of at least 300 feet above ground level (AGL) and remain in the safe operating areas of the “Height / Velocity” (HV) chart specific to the rotor wing in use. If the mission requires the flight profile to go below 300 feet AGL or into the “unsafe” portion of the Height Velocity (HV) curve, the exposure time is to be minimized and:

• Only essential crew are allowed on the aircraft. • If working over open water, the pilot must brief SRD personnel on the specific

emergency procedures to follow, including ditching procedures and egress from the aircraft.

• A SRD Hazard and Risk analysis shall be completed to identify any extra safety equipment and/or training required by SRD staff or contractors (eg. flight helmets and flotation devices, water egress training, etc.).

• Winds must be less than 75 km/hr or wind gusts less than 30 km/hr. • A power check must be done prior to entering the Height Velocity curve. There

shall be sufficient torque to maintain the aircraft in a hover for 5 minutes without exceeding the manufacturer’s temperature or torque limits and have full tail rotor authority.

Fixed Wing With the exception of a wings level pass, the flight profile shall remain at an altitude of at least 300 feet AGL. The maximum angle of bank while operating below 500 feet AGL shall be 30 degrees. Other than take offs and landings, at no time shall the flight profile go below the adjacent tree canopy. In level flight, the indicated forward airspeed must not drop below 1.3 times the configured stall speed. If the aircraft will be in a turn, the airspeed must be maintained at 1.5 times the stall speed or higher.

Unserviceable Aircraft When reporting unserviceable aircraft these procedures must be followed: • Advise the Area immediately of unserviceable casual charter aircraft, • Begin completion of Unserviceable Aircraft Report and submit it to Area DO, • Ensure the Alert Period is completed to allow for accurate adjustment(s) to any daily

standby penalty charges, and • Advise the Area when aircraft is serviceable again (complete that section of the

report and submit it to the Area Duty Officer).

Airspace Restriction / Notice to Airman (NOTAM)

As per Section 601.15 of Canadian Aviation Regulation Standards:

No person shall operate an aircraft (a) over a forest fire area, or any area located within five nautical miles of a forest fire area, at an altitude less than 3,000 feet above ground level; or (b) in any air space described in a NOTAM issued pursuant to Section 601.16.

This is an automatic airspace flight restriction for any forest fire. NO advisory to pilots is given; it is expected that all pilots are aware of this requirement.

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/SOP%20Manual/Appendices/essential%20crew.doc�

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/SOP%20Manual/Appendices/working%20over%20open%20water.doc�



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Personnel must be aware of this restriction as it applies to ALL aircraft not working on the fire at the request of appropriate fire control agency. Any aircraft found within the restricted area must be reported to Transport Canada for possible investigation and sanctions. As per section 601.16 of CARS, WM can request further airspace restrictions. An advisory NOTAM - an informal NOTAM that is requested via a local NAV

Canada office to be given as an advisory to local pilots. No amendment to the normal restricted airspace is given.

A NOTAM - a formal Notice to Airman that may only be issued by Transport Canada. These NOTAM’s may include additional area outside the automatic restricted area and/or additional airspace above the fire.

Flight Crew Alert Statuses Flight crew alert statuses are each set for following day by the Area Duty Officer after the afternoon weather forecast. The criteria to determine these times are:

• Location of aircraft, • Current fire hazard, • Risk potential, and • Type of aircraft.

The Area Duty Officer is responsible for setting and passing the alert status for all suppression and presuppression resources. The alert status for presuppression rotor wing aircraft is:

• Five (5) minutes (minimum departure time for the A-Star and Medium type rotor wing),

• Ten (10) minutes, • Thirty (30) minutes, • Sixty (60) minutes, and



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• Project Status (PS).

Day Base: Aircraft [rotor wing and airtankers] is moved to an alternate base for the day. This is usually done after 1100 hours for anticipated fire action or support. Normally the aircraft will return to their home base unless prevented by fire action or weather conditions.

Airtankers Airtanker aircraft alerts status will be set by the Provincial Aircraft Coordinator in consultation with the Area Duty Officer as follows:

Red: Personnel must be on base for the specified standby period and aircraft and air crew must be ready for immediate dispatch. Birddog aircraft must be wheels roll within 5 minutes of dispatch.

Yellow: Personnel must be available to depart within 30 minutes of dispatch notification. Birddog aircraft must be wheels roll within 30 minutes of dispatch.

Blue: Personnel must be available to depart within one-point-one (1.1) hours of dispatch notification. Birddog aircraft must be wheels roll within 1.1 hours of dispatch. If the group was advised of a Blue alert status: at least twelve (12) hours in advance of the start of the alert, and the air tanker group does not fly, and the alert is not increased,

the day will be considered a “Day Free from Duty”. Time free from duty is required under Transport Canada – CARS. Three (3) periods of 24 consecutive hours free from duty within 30 consecutive days and 13 days free from duty within 90 consecutive days are required. This is applied on a moving calendar basis (from present calendar day, back 30 days previous (June 12 to May 14 = 30 days)). During this thirty-day period, three (3) days must be “free from duty”. The days shall be scheduled at least twelve (12) hours in advance and the flight crew must be advised and are not expected to be assigned to flight duty. Wildfire Management ‘Blue Alert’ Clarification Flight crews will only be called upon for a change in their upgrade status, example fire, export or increased alert assignment. Should a flight crew be contacted, they must be available to meet the status change within one-point-one (1.1) hours of being contacted. Status changes will only occur under unforeseen operational circumstances. The Provincial Forest Fire Centre (PFFC) will track the required Days Free From Duty for airtanker groups and ensure CARS regulations are met.



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Green Day: The airtanker group is off duty and can be away from the base.

Must be scheduled at least 12 hours in advance and flight crews advised. Airtanker group shall be off duty for designated period. Green Days ‘DO’ count toward the total “Days Free from Duty”. Designation is restricted to periods of general rain and low hazard throughout the

province. Green Days are an exception, rather than a rule, and will be considered only

when hazards are very low and no threat of immediate weather changes or other needs exist.

Green Days are used to help improve group morale. By giving flight crews the opportunity to be away from standby status without the need for immediate recall, they can experience a total break from fire operations. The decision to grant Green Days rests with the Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officer. A thorough review of the potential fire danger, including anticipated needs, both provincially and nationally, and consultation with all parties concerned is needed before Green Days can be considered. Green Days would be rotated to ensure one (1) particular group does not remain in a low hazard area over a long period, while other groups continue to work long duty days on standby. Example of assigning a green day to an airtanker group:

July 6 1600 hrs. Green Day status declared, as per Preparedness Planning System. 2000 hrs Stand down for the day.

July 7 Off (Green Day) July 8 1000 hrs. Stand to as declared on standby times issued on July 6,

1600 hrs. Total time away: 38 hours

When weather conditions permit, Green Days can be extended to two (2) full days.

THE PILOT

Qualifications When an aircraft is hired on casual charter, the pilot must be qualified to carry out the duties for which the aircraft is chartered. Field personnel who may be requested to charter aircraft to operate under the jurisdiction of the Forest Protection Area are to use the following minimum pilot standards:



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Fixed - Wing Aircraft

1. Twin-engine turbine and piston powered fixed wing aircraft (over 5,800 kg): 2,000 hours total flying time, fixed wing aircraft 500 hours multi-engine time, fixed wing aircraft 500 hours pilot-in-command, fixed wing aircraft Current Transport Canada Commercial Pilot Licence Current Pilot Competency Check (PCC)

2. Twin-engine piston and single-engine turbine (under 5,800 kg): 1,200 hours total flying time in a fixed wing aircraft 100 hours multi-engine (multi-engine aircraft) or 100 hours single-engine turbine fixed wing aircraft 200 hours pilot-in-command in a fixed wing aircraft Current Transport Canada Commercial Pilot Licence Current Pilot Competency Check Ride (PCC) Proficient in operating out of short length, grass and gravel strips, and At least six (6) months operational experience

Note: The reference to single-engine turbine is made to take into account such aircraft as the Cessna Caravan, Pilatus PC-12, the Turbo Beaver, and single-engine Turbo Beaver.

3. Single-engine piston: 600 hours total flying time 200 hours pilot-in-command Current Transport Canada Commercial Pilot Licence Proficient in operating out of short length, grass and gravel strips.

4. All float equipped aircraft (in addition to (1.), (2.) and (3.) above): Float endorsement 150 hours on floats as pilot-in-command. Float operations on isolated lakes, and At least six (6) months operational experience.

Rotor Wing Aircraft Effective April 1st 2011, the specific hour requirements for a pilot will not be required on call when needed (casually hired) rotor wing. This year the Helicopter Association of Canada has endorsed the Pilot Competencies for Helicopter Wildfire Operations which Sustainable Resource Development is endorsing.

Pilot Competencies for Helicopter Wildfire Operations Effective April 1st

Wildfire Operations

, 2011 all pilots will need to meet the following competencies to work for Sustainable Resource Development in the specified operation:

A pilot is competent in:



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General Wildfire Operations Knowledge Mountain Flying (When operating in Southern Grande Prairie, Edson, Rocky Mountain

House, and Calgary areas) External Load – Short Line (horizontal reference) or Long Line (vertical reference) Water Bucketing / Tanking Hover Exit Confined Area Operations Low Visibility Flight

Wildfire Support (exemption for limited competencies, limited to recon, IR aircraft, mission type) A pilot is competent in: General Wildfire Operations Knowledge Mountain Flying (When operating in Southern Grande Prairie, Edson, Rocky Mountain

House, and Calgary areas) External Load – Short Line (horizontal reference) or Long Line (vertical reference) Confined Area Operations Low Visibility Flight

Rappel Operations A pilot is competent in: General Wildfire Operations Knowledge Mountain Flying (When operating in Southern Grande Prairie, Edson, Rocky Mountain

House, and Calgary areas) External Load – Short Line (horizontal reference) or Long Line (vertical reference), Water Bucketing / Tanking Class D External Loads Hover Exit Confined Area Operations Low Visibility Flight In addition the pilot MUST successfully complete the SRD rappel operations course and

evaluation.

Helitorch Operations A pilot is competent in: General Wildfire Operations Knowledge Mountain Flying (When operating in Southern Grande Prairie, Edson, Rocky Mountain

House, and Calgary areas) External Load – Short Line (horizontal reference) or Long Line (vertical reference) Water Bucketing / Tanking Aerial Ignition Device (AID) and Drip Torching Confined Area Operations Low Visibility Flight

Natural Resource Management, Reconnaissance and Surveys A pilot is competent in: Mountain Flying (When operating in Southern Grande Prairie, Edson, Rocky Mountain

House, and Calgary areas) Hover Exit Confined Landing Assessment Low Visibility Endorsement



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Other competencies as required to complete the mission (such as external load when moving captured animals that are tranpsorted outside the aircraft).

Pilot Responsibility Pilots are legally responsible for the safety of passengers and cargo on board the aircraft and have the final say on loading of the aircraft, whether a flight proceeds or is terminated. Pilots must:

• File flight plans as required in CARS, • Report all hazards, incidents and accidents to the designated manager as per

established times as outlined in the Flight Emergency Section of this handbook • Determine the suitability of weather conditions for a flight, • Determine if and where landings can be made safely, • Ensure maintenance is carried out with minimum impact to department

operations, • Monitor assigned radio frequencies while in flight, • Check and report position every 30 minutes or as otherwise planned, • Complete and submit all paperwork at the completion of each work day, • Report unserviceable aircraft immediately to the AREA, • Relay immediately any deviations from a flight plan or passenger manifest

immediately to the flight watch station, • Ensure all flight and load calculations have been completed as per the

requirements of CARS, and • Supervise all refuelling to ensure the procedures are followed, including the

established amount, type and quality of fuel used.

Briefing Packages A proper briefing package is a key component and shall be used to help ensure a safe and effective operation. The Area or Incident Command Team is responsible for preparing briefing packages. The briefing package must be distributed to all personnel directly involved with the operation, including rotor wing pilots on fire, airtanker bases and Air Attack Officers.

Briefing of Passengers by Pilot Pre-flight briefing of passengers and pre-operation briefings of crews is required as part of safe and efficient aircraft operations. It is in the best interest of pilots to ensure that all passengers are briefed before boarding or loading an aircraft. The standard for safety is: The safety briefing shall consist of an oral briefing provided by a flight crewmember or by audio or audio-visual means and include the following information as applicable to the aircraft, aircraft configuration, equipment and operation.

i) Prior to boarding, procedures for embarking and disembarking when engines are running and rotors are running;

ii) When and how carry-on baggage and cargo is to be loaded, secured and unloaded

iii) Fastening, unfastening and use of safety belts and safety harnesses, specifying when they must be fastened.



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iv) The proper positioning of seats for take off and landing v) The location of normal and emergency exits, how they are marked and how

they operate vi) The requirement to obey flight crew instructions vii) The location, access to and use of emergency equipment, including the

emergency location transmitter, fire extinguisher, life preservers, life rafts, survival equipment and first aid kit

viii) Aircraft evacuation procedures, water ditching procedures, procedures if the aircraft is configured with external fixtures and where applicable to wide bodied rotor wing. The method of egress in the event of a roll over accident by use of the under seat frame of the traverse cabin seats as ladder for egress.

Where no additional persons have embarked for subsequent take-off on the same day, the take-off briefing may be omitted provided a crewmember has certified that all carry-on baggage and cargo is properly stowed, safety belts and harnesses are properly fastened and seats properly positioned. The safety briefing need not be provided if the pilot-in-command has ensured that the person has completed a currently valid training program covering the safety briefing requirements for the aircraft. In addition to the proceeding CARS requirements the following points are to be addressed where applicable:

• How to open and close doors and external compartments • How to stow light equipment and loose articles in the area around the aircraft

before take-off • Throwing items around rotor wings or moving aircraft will not be tolerated • Appropriate eye, ear and hand protection gear, during operations • Brief ground crew on safety procedures around aircraft • How to protect the nose windows • Smoking restrictions

Briefing of Pilot

PFFC: The Provincial Dispatcher at PFFC will brief the company at the time the aircraft is hired by PFFC. Points to be covered include:

• terms and conditions of hire as per company tariff • minimum standards for hiring, pilot hours, working limits extra flight gear required

Area Fire Centres: The Area Duty Officer will brief the company representative or pilot when the aircraft is hired or arrives at the Fire Centre. This briefing may take place at an office or a firebase. Points to be covered are as follows:

• Terms and conditions of hire. • Instructions on completing daily flight report. • Use of Wildfire Management radios, including frequencies to be used and

procedures. • Use of maps and explanation of Alberta Third System of Survey used by WM.



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• Location of fuel caches and fuel dumps within the region, and how to record the amount taken.

• Monitoring WM radio frequencies, reporting time of departures (TD’s), time of arrivals (TA's), total flying time (TFT's), and down for night times (DFN) at the end of each day.

• Work assignment, projects, and man-up on fire reporting structure. • Floodlight kits are available if required for night servicing (i.e., lights, power plant,

and compressor).

Passenger Manifest A written passenger manifest including the names of all passengers on board the aircraft is required for every flight conducted by the Department. The appropriate departmental official, not on the aircraft, must retain the manifest until the flight is completed. The person closing any flight plan should be in possession of the manifest.



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ACCOUNTS AND EXPENSES

Preparation and Submission of Aircraft Administration/Accounts

General Invoices for flights conducted by SRD must be directed to Aircraft Accounts at the Provincial Forest Fire Centre. Aircraft Accounts provides Accounts Payable with verification of project and coding for all departmental aircraft. Payments are not authorized by DPO or Master Card. The Daily Flight Report (AO-02) signed by the designated authority of the Department will be the basis for payment made. Company flight reports may be used instead of a SRD AO-02 if pre-approved by the Provincial Forest Fire Centre - Air Operations. The green copy of the flight report is left at the Area office and the company retains the white and yellow copies. The Company must submit the original copy of flight ticket with the invoice for payment.

Daily Flight Report (AO-02) Flight tickets are the basis of payment and the audit trail document. The following information must be on the flight ticket.

• Date, • Break down of individual flight details, • departure and arrival point and times, • associated program, activity, expenditure, organization, and project codes, • Details on any related charges to the flight such as company supplied fuel, crew

expenses or vehicle rental for the aircrew, and • Signature, printed name

Signing Authorities

, position and contact number for the person verifying the flight and payment.

Public Land and Forest Division /Fish and Wildlife Division/Human Resources A divisional representative must sign all flight reports. All invoices will be forwarded to the respective division for expenditure officer signature before payment is released.



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Wildfire Management Only the following personnel are authorized to sign the Daily Flight Report (AO-02) Permanent Wildfire Rangers, Technologists and Operations Officers, Permanent Forest Officers, Foresters, Fish &Wildlife Technicians and Biologists, Agrologists, Land Management Officers, Management, Employees not included in this list, with written authorization from the Forestry

Program Manager or a Director. A copy of this authorization must be sent to the Manager, Aviation Unit in PFFC,

Type 1H and Type 1R Crew Leader and Sub-Leader, Task Force and Strike Team Leader,

Contract Air Attack Officers, Contract Air Support Group Supervisor and Air Operations Branch Director

Airtanker Base Personnel, Wage Forest Officers, Wildfire Rangers and Manup Supervisors Communication Technicians, Permanent Hinton Training Centre employees, and Out-of-Province and out-of-service Incident Management Team members, with

written authorization from the Forestry Program Manager. The person signing the Daily Flight Report (AO-02) should be a person who was on-board the flight, or coordinating the flight, and can verify the details of the flight. Employees who are authorized to sign flight reports should be aware of aircraft policies and SOPs, coding procedures, and finance policies and SOPs as they are accountable for the flight times and costs on any flight report they sign. Aircraft accounts will be paid in accordance with the Alberta Government Rate Schedule. 1. A separate invoice must be submitted for each aircraft registration. Invoices must be

submitted to the Provincial Forest Fire Centre (PFFC), Aircraft Accounts in a timely fashion. A suggested guideline is that invoices should be submitted to PFFC on the 15th and 30th of each month.

NOTE: Direct Purchase Orders or any other form of purchase order cannot be used for hiring or payment of aircraft accounts.

2. The Department is not responsible for any claims not covered by a valid tariff. 3. When using Wildfire Management allocated funds, an authorized authority must sign

the company flight report/ticket. 4. When assisting Wildfire Management, Canadian Forces aircraft are subject to

military procedures in emergency situations. The Canadian Forces will bill Wildfire Management for services rendered so it is imperative that military staff receive instructions on how to properly fill out and submit Flight Reports.

5. When a vendor supplies fuel and/or oil, the number of litres must be shown on the company and Departmental flight report/ticket. If not reflected, payment for these charges will not be honoured.

6. The AO-02 flight report cannot be changed after authorized Department personnel have certified it. If changes are required, a company representative and a representative from the hiring agency must initial the changes.

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/Forms/Daily%20Flight%20Report.pdf�

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/Forms/Daily%20Flight%20Report.pdf�



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7. Company flight reports/tickets submitted without Government authorization will be returned to the company.

Appropriate, original documentation to support claims for flight crew expenses or other miscellaneous claims must accompany the original copy of the flight report and be mailed to:

Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Wildfire Management – Aircraft Accounts Provincial Forest Fire Centre 9th Floor, 9920 - 108 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2M4

To ensure departmental standards are maintained province wide, each agency must comply with procedural guidelines regarding aircraft hiring and invoicing policies.

Verification and Approval Process



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Flying Time and Metric Conversion Tables

Flying Time When determining the duration of a flight, fractions of an hour are rounded to the nearest multiple of six minutes and expressed as decimals of an hour.

0 - 2 min = 0.0 21 - 26 min = 0.4 45 - 50 min = 0.8

3 - 8 min = 0.1 27 - 32 min = 0.5 51 - 56 min = 0.9

9 - 14 min = 0.2 33 - 38 min = 0.6 57 - 60 min = 1.0

15 - 20 min = 0.3 39 - 44 min = 0.7

Distance Conversions Imperial

Metric

Metric

Imperial

1 inch

2.540 cm

1 cm

0.3937 inch

1 foot

0.3048 m

1 m

3.281 feet

1 yard

0.9144 m

1 m

1.094 yards

1 rod

5.129 m

1 m

0.20 rod

1 mile

1.609 km

1 km

0.6214 mile

Capacity

Imperial Metric US Metric

1 pint 0.568 litre 1 pint (US) 0.473 litre

1 quart 1.137 litre 1 quart (US) 0.946 litre

1 gallon 4.546 litre 1 gallon (US) 3.785 litre

1 fl. oz. 28.41 ml 1 barrel oil 158.99 litre

1 litre 1.76 pints 1 cup 8 fl. oz. 227 ml

1 litre 0.220 gallon

1 litre 0.88 quart



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Weight

Imperial Metric Metric Imperial 1 ounce (avoir) 28.350 gm 1 gm 0.035 ounce

(avoir)

1 pound (avoir) 453.592 gm 1 kg 2.205 lbs (avoir)

1 ton (short)(2000 lbs) 0.907 tonne 1 tonne

1.102 ton (short)

1 tonne = 1000 kilograms

Flight Crew Food and Accommodations Board and accommodation for all aircraft crew can be claimed when the aircraft starts and finishes its day at away from its point of hire. If the aircraft starts and finishes it day from the point of hire the aircrew(s) and supporting engineering staff are NOT eligible for any subsistence claim. The aircraft company must submit original receipts when claiming any accommodation expenses, in excess of limits or for duplicate rooms.

Accommodations Canadian Air Regulations defines suitable accommodation as: "a single-occupancy bedroom that is subject to a minimal level of noise, is well ventilated and has facilities to control the levels of temperature and light or, where such a bedroom is not available, an accommodation that is suitable for the site and season, is subject to a minimal level of noise and provides adequate comfort and protection from the elements" If flight crews are required to reside in tents or similar conditions, Wildfire Management will attempt to give flight crews an overnight break once every five (5) days at the nearest hotel or similar accommodations. When scheduling overnight breaks a shortened duty day may be needed on the day of departure and/or the day of return. Heavy fire activity or poor flying weather may extend this time at the fire camp to a maximum of 10 days. Flight crews must have a similar break every five (5) days thereafter. The Incident Commander, Air Operations Branch Director, Air Tactical Group Supervisor or the Area Duty Officer is responsible for implementation of the breaks. NOTE: That Pilot [s] should be prepared to over night in tents on the fire during emergency and remote operations. Company is to supply tent and cot/ foam mattress. For short term only i.e. 1 to 3 night but can anticipate the 5-night policy on large incidents. Not expected to set up in poor conditions [i.e. muskeg swamp] – need dry / quite / cool but not cold conditions. The Incident Commander, Air Operations Branch Director or his/her designate, shall monitor fatigue of the flight crew and adjust accommodations when necessary. ‘On Base’ and Flying Considerations



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When the alert status of an airtanker group indicates the group will be ‘on base’ during a meal period, the airtanker group members will make provisions to supply their own food while on base. When airtanker groups flying through the meal period, end up at another base as a result of fire action, or are called to base without time to acquire a meal (this may include an early ‘stand to’ before stores are open or getting ‘off base’ at night after stores are closed), the following will apply: A hot ‘sit down’ meal at the Airtanker Base or local Wildfire Management kitchen

can be provided at the request of the flight crew, If a flight crew member partakes in this meal, (breakfast, lunch or dinner), the

meal cannot be claimed on their expense account (AO-02) and Where Wildfire Management provides a light lunch meal ‘on-the-fly’ to keep the

aircraft airborne, the meal can be claimed by the flight crewmember on their expense account.

If a crewmember eats any meal from a WM kitchen, they are expected to “sign” for meal and they may not claim for that meal on their expense account.

Meals that are ordered for ‘on-the-fly’ operations should take into consideration the workload of the flight crew.

Meals at Bases Flight crews are expected to: Use closest kitchen facility maintained by Wildfire Management for the purpose

of feeding seasonal firefighters, such as fire camps, secondary or primary camps, or contract kitchens,

When more convenient and feasible, eat near their place of accommodation, if different from above location; for example, when staying at a hotel in town they may take breakfast there rather than drive out to a base, however, the flight crew may not claim the meal on their expense claim, and

Eat pre-packed lunches from any source but primarily Wildfire Management contracted kitchens.

Wildfire Management will attempt to maintain the following minimum standards for all flight crews during the initial stages of mobilization of a campaign fire camp: Day One: Food will be made available; however, delivery times will be intermittent.

Flight crews should be prepared with enough rations for the first burning period.

Day Two: Initial set-up of Wildfire Management camp, or equivalent, will provide food services.

Day Three: Scheduled meals will be available based on flight crew schedule.

Transportation Wildfire Management will not be providing pilots and engineers with Government or Government leased vehicles when hired for contract or charter. Rental vehicles (mid size car for pilots and regular pickup for engineers only) may be obtained from local Rental Vehicle Companies for transportation. Ensure all original receipts accompany submitted invoices in order to avoid delay in payment. In cases where Company vehicles are used for transportation, the current Government of Alberta Subsistence and



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Travel Rates and Allowances apply. The above does not apply to home base Rotor-Wing or Aircraft Company vehicles. Taxis may be used for transportation with the charges with the charges claimed on an expense account. Receipts are required if over $ 10.00. An internal taxi service may be provided in some cases during large campaign fires to transport pilots and engineers.

Drugs and Alcohol The use and possession of non-prescription drugs and/or alcohol are not permitted at any wildfire, work site, or project site. Reporting for work unfit for duty due to an abuse of non-prescription drugs and/or alcohol will not be tolerated. Possession, use or use of these substances will result in disciplinary action.



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FLIGHT EMERGENCIES

Definitions by Transport Canada As stated in the “Aeronautical Information Manual, by Transport Canada; effective 0901Z October 22, 2009 to 0901Z April 8, 2010 “aviation occurrence” means

(a) any accident or incident associated with the operation of aircraft; and (b) any situation or condition that the Board has reasonable grounds to believe could, if left unattended, induce an accident or incident described in para. (a).

“reportable aviation accident” means an accident resulting directly from the operation of an aircraft, where:

(a) a person sustains a serious injury or is killed as a result of (i) being on board the aircraft, (ii) coming into contact with any part of the aircraft or its contents, or (iii) being directly exposed to the jet blast or rotor downwash of the aircraft; (b) the aircraft sustains damage or failure that adversely affects the structural strength, performance or flight characteristics of the aircraft and that requires major repair or replacement of any affected component part; or (c) the aircraft is missing or inaccessible.

“reportable aviation incident” means an incident resulting directly from the operation of an airplane having a maximum certificated takeoff weight greater than 5 700 kg, or from the operation of a rotorcraft having a maximum certificated takeoff weight greater than 2 250 kg, where

(a) an engine fails or is shut down as a pre-cautionary measure; (b) a transmission gearbox malfunction occurs; (c) smoke or fire occurs; (d) difficulties in controlling the aircraft are encountered owing to any aircraft system malfunction, weather phenomena, wake turbulence, uncontrolled vibrations or operations outside the flight envelope; (e) the aircraft fails to remain within the intended landing or takeoff area, lands with all or part of the landing gear retracted or drags a wing tip, an engine pod or any other part of the aircraft; (f) any crew member whose duties are directly related to the safe operation of the aircraft is unable to perform the crew member’s duties as a result of a physical incapacitation that poses a threat to the safety of any person, property or the environment; (g) depressurization occurs that necessitates an emergency descent; (h) a fuel shortage occurs that necessitates a diversion or requires approach and landing priority at the destination of the aircraft; (i) the aircraft is refuelled with the incorrect type of fuel or contaminated fuel; (j) a collision, a risk of collision or a loss of separation occurs; (k) a crew member declares an emergency or indicates any degree of emergency that requires priority handling by an air traffic control unit or the standing by of emergency



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response services; (l) a slung load is released unintentionally or as a precautionary or emergency measure from the aircraft; or (m) any dangerous goods are released in or from the aircraft.

Definitions and Guidelines The following definitions are general guidelines for determining which type of occurrence may have taken place. If uncertainty still exists as to whether the event requires reporting, contact the Area or Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officer for further clarification.

Aircraft Accident A reportable aircraft accident is one (1) resulting from the operation of an aircraft where: A person sustains a serious injury or is killed as a result of: Being on board the aircraft, Coming into contact with any part of the aircraft or its contents, or Being directly exposed to the jet blast or rotor down wash of the aircraft. The aircraft sustains damage or failure that adversely affects the structural strength,

performance or flight characteristics of the aircraft, and requires major repair or replacement of any affected component; or

The aircraft is missing or inaccessible. In case of any of the above, report the occurrence immediately, following the procedures outlined in Schedules “A”.

Aircraft Incident An incident is an occurrence (other than an accident or hazard) that is associated with the operation of an aircraft, which affects or could affect the safety of operations (see Transport Canada definition above for further information). Some examples of incidents are: An engine fails or is shut down as a precautionary measure. A transmission gearbox malfunction. Smoke or fire occurs. Difficulties in controlling the aircraft in flight are encountered owing to any aircraft

system malfunction, weather phenomena (down drafts, wind sheer, lightning strikes, etc.), wake turbulence, uncontrolled vibrations or operations outside the flight envelope.

The aircraft fails to remain within the intended landing or take-off Area, lands with all or part of the landing gear retracted, drags a wing tip, engine pod or any other part of the aircraft.

Any flight crew member whose duties are directly related to the safe operation of the aircraft is unable to perform his duties as a result of a physical incapacitated that poses a threat to the safety of any person, property or the environment.

Depressurisation occurs that necessitates an emergency descent. A fuel shortage occurs that necessitates a diversion or requires approach and

landing priority at the destination of the aircraft. The aircraft is refuelled with the incorrect type of fuel or contaminated fuel. A collision, risk of collision or loss of separation occurs.



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A flight crewmember declares an emergency or indicates any degree of emergency that requires priority handling by an air traffic control crew or standing by of emergency response services.

A sling load is released unintentionally or as a precautionary or emergency measure from the aircraft.

Any dangerous good are released unintentionally or as a precautionary or emergency measure from the aircraft, e.g., aborting fire retardant and/or the dropping of fire retardant at a location other than a fire or practice location.

Violation of pilot flight/duty day limitations. Flying aircraft outside of daylight flight restrictions. Rotor blade strikes

Aviation Accidents, Incidents, Hazards, Missing Aircraft In the event of an occurrence with a Department hired aircraft, the procedures in the WM Emergency Incident Response Procedures must be followed. This guide details procedures on: Reporting contacts and timelines that must be followed, Whether an investigation is required and who conducts it if it is, Paperwork requirements and timelines that must be followed, and Process for follow-up after and accident or incident.

Reporting Aviation Near Misses/Hazards, Accidents, Incidents, and cautions All aviation near misses/hazards, accidents, incidents, and cautions are to be submitted on the Aviation Occurrence Report (FP1). All instructions are included in the form online and can be filled out either electronically or by hand. The FP1 should be completed within 24hrs of the occurrence and submitted to the Area DO. This is not meant to be a punitive process for reporting near misses/hazards, accidents, incidents and cautions but if someone is found at fault the appropriate actions, mitigations, and potentially punitive actions will be carried out.

Procedures for Aviation Accidents / Missing Aircraft / Incidents Where an aircraft is involved in an accident, no person shall displace, move or interfere with the aircraft or its contents without first obtaining permission from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The exception to this rule is the need to move/displace the aircraft or its contents to extricate a person, to prevent destruction by fire or other cause, or to avoid endangering other persons or property. Subject to the above, no person shall interfere with or otherwise disturb an aircraft accident site. Where an aircraft must be displaced or moved, the person supervising the move will photograph, draw a diagram(s) and make notes on the condition of the aircraft and its

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/Draft%20Policy%20and%20SOP%20Manual/SRD%20Air%20Ops%20Appendices/Emergency%20Response%20Procedures%20Manual.doc�



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contents, and on the accident site before anything is disturbed, providing the situation is not life-threatening. In accordance with the Transportation Safety Board Regulations, the pilot-in-command, operator, owner and, in the case of a near-miss, any Air Traffic Controller with knowledge of the incident shall report it to the appropriate office(s) (as outlined above), giving the date and place of the incident and other details as set forth in Schedule “B”, and an FP1 shall be completed Safety is mandatory in air operations and is the first priority in planning and conducting all air operations. Where any Department Staff member observes unsafe actions or is in doubt as to pilot/aircraft proficiency, or if staff are aware of possible problems with the pilot’s health, the flight shall be cancelled and the Area and PFFC Duty Officers advised immediately. The Provincial Forest Fire Centre contracts a Safety Officer to check aircraft operations as required. Where necessary, this same individual will conduct field investigations into aircraft accidents, incidents or hazards, excluding the aircraft or flight crew investigations, which are the responsibility of the Transportation Safety Board. A report on Wildfire Management procedures before and leading up to the accident or incident will be compiled.

Accidents and Missing Aircraft When any aircraft operating under the jurisdiction of the Department is involved in an accident the Forestry Program Manager, Area Manager, Wildfire and Air Operations Officer, Wildfire Technologist, Area Duty Officer or, in their absence, any officer, must report immediately to: Area, and to the Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officer, The local RCMP, The local Area Office. Regional Occupational Health and Safety if fatality has occurred (see Appendix

‘‘A’’ – Department Occupational Health and Safety Regional Phone Listing), and The aircraft company if the aircraft was chartered locally.

The date and place of the accident and other detailed information as set forth in Schedule “A” must be given, and an FP1 shall also be completed. It should be noted on these initial messages if there is a need to send the Wildfire Management contract aviation safety officer to the site to investigate the accident.

NOTE: In the case of an accident, a verbal report must be passed on to both the Area and the Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officer within 15 minutes of the occurrence and followed up with a hardcopy within one (1) hour. A written status report must be forwarded to the Area and Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officer within two (2) hours of the event. The status report is to include what has been done and what is still to be done to complete the formal report(s).

The Provincial Forest Fire Centre will contact the following:



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Transportation Safety Board (if known accident or if aircraft is missing), Department of National Defence Search and Rescue Program (if aircraft is

missing), Wildfire Service Director/ Director of Wildfire Operations Director of Communications, Human Resources Branch if an injury has occurred, Air Safety Officer, and Aircraft Accident Team (if required).

The Provincial Forest Fire Centre will also co-ordinate flight/transportation for all investigation personnel, as required. The Wildfire Operations Director or Executive Director of Wildfire Management (or his designate) will contact the Assistant Deputy Minister. If the Assistant Deputy Minister or his designate cannot be located, the Director will ensure that the Deputy Minister is contacted. Regional Occupational Health and Safety will contact the Provincial Occupational Health and Safety, who in turn will contact the Department of Labour Occupational Health and Safety, if applicable. The Area Office will contact the Regional Director if an injury has occurred. In all cases, it is the responsibility of the Forestry Program Manager to establish the “one (1) window” media contact with the Director of Communications. The involved Division will commence the notification process from the accident scene to the Area Manager (see Appendix “B” flow chart).

Missing Aircraft Where an aircraft operating under the jurisdiction of the Department is missing on a flight, the designated staff member responsible for closing the flight itinerary, Area Duty Officer must ensure the following people are notified immediately: Forestry Program Manager Wildfire Operations Officer Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officer

All available details as set forth in Schedule “A” will be provided. NOTE: When an aircraft is reported missing, it is considered to have been involved in a reportable accident. An aircraft flying under the jurisdiction of the Department shall be considered missing when: The calculated flying time from the last reported position to the next reporting

point is greater than 30 minutes; or The estimated time of arrival is greater than 30 minutes; or On project work where there has been no communication from the aircraft for

greater than 30 minutes; or



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On local project work where the pilot has indicated an extended period of silence due to poor communications transmission (e.g., on the ground, waiting for personnel), and the indicated period is greater than 30 minutes.

As soon as it becomes obvious an aircraft is missing, attempts should be made to communicate with it on all frequencies in current use within the Area of operation and, all contacts and attempts shall be recorded fully in the dispatch log, and the Duty Officer should be notified immediately. At the same time, data should be gathered for transmission to the Area Fire Centre, and the Provincial Forest Fire Centre, as set forth in Schedule “A”, if necessary. In the event an aircraft is determined to be missing, the office providing the flight radio monitoring shall ensure the following are notified: Area and Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officers, An air traffic control crew, a flight service station, community aerodrome radio

station or, A rescue co-ordination centre, Aircraft Company owning the missing aircraft.

Along with above, and providing sufficient daylight remains, an aircraft, complete with flight crew and observers, should be readied for immediate departure upon approval to conduct a “track crawl” and radio search pending arrival of a Canadian Armed Forces Search and Rescue Aircraft. Any Department staff, who could, in any way be involved in a search and rescue operation should have access to a copy of the Government of Alberta Support Plan for Search and Rescue Operations, and be briefed to ensure proper initiation and execution of such an operation. Telephone numbers of specified contact people for missing aircraft incidents will be updated quarterly by Provincial Forest Fire Centre Air Operations and distributed to all persons who could potentially be involved on a provincial basis.

Incident Where a situation involves any aircraft operating under the jurisdiction of the Department in an incident, the Forestry Program Manager, Wildfire Operations Officer, Wildfire Technologist, Duty Officer or, in their absence, any officer must report immediately to: Area and the Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officer.

The Provincial Forest Fire Centre will contact the following: Transportation Safety Board, if required, and Air Safety Officer.

NOTE: The Transportation Safety Board defines a reportable incident as an incident resulting directly from the operation of an airplane having a maximum take-off weight greater than 5,700 kg (12,540 lbs.), or from the operation of a rotorcraft having a maximum take-off weight greater than 2,250 kg (4,950 lbs.).



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The date and place of the incident and other detailed information as set forth in Schedule “B” must be given and an FP1 shall be completed. It should be noted on these initial messages if there is a need to send the Wildfire Management contract Aviation Safety Officer to the site to investigate the incident.

NOTE: In the case of an incident, a verbal message must be passed on to both the Area and to the Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officer within 60 minutes of the occurrence and followed up with a hardcopy within two (2) hours. A written status report must be forwarded to the Area, Provincial Forest Fire Centre Duty Officer within four- (4) hours of the event. The status report is to include what has been done and what is still to be done to complete the formal report(s).

Near Miss/Hazard Reporting A completed Aviation Occurrence Report (FP1) shall be turned in to the supervisor, the Incident Commander or Area Duty Officer. The Area office will fax a copy of the report to the Provincial Forest Fire Centre - Air Operations Individuals may file a hazard report anonymously, but if they provide their name, they will get a response back answering their concern(s). This report is not a quick fix for all problems, nor is it a replacement for reporting accidents. It is a tool to start communication and a way to be heard.



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Aircraft Accident / Missing Aircraft / Incident Reporting Process

Provincial Forest Fire Centre

Wildfire Protection AreaFire Manager

Accident/Incident

LocalCompany

Wildfire Protection Area

OfficeRegional Director

RegionalOH&S

PHQOH&S

RCMPDept. of Labour

HumanResources

Searchand

Rescue

DirectorForest

ProtectionCommunications Investigation

TeamAir Safety

OfficerAircraft

Company

TransportSafetyBoard

AssistantDeputy Minister

Deputy Minister



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SCHEDULE ‘‘A’’ The following provides details that are to be reported on aircraft accidents, as required by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada: NOTE: Complete Wildfire Management Aviation Occurrence Report (FP1). Type, model, nationality and registration of aircraft. Names of the owner, operator and hirer, if any, of the aircraft. Name of pilot-in-command. Date and time of the accident. Last departure point and the intended destination point of the aircraft. Position of the aircraft, with reference to some easily defined point, and the

latitude and longitude. Number of crewmembers on board and number killed or seriously injured. Number of passengers aboard and number killed or seriously injured. Description of the aircraft and the extent of its damage. Detailed description of any dangerous goods aboard the aircraft. Name and address of person making the report.

SCHEDULE ‘‘B’’ The following provides details that are to be reported on aircraft incidents, as required by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada: NOTE: Complete Wildfire Management Aviation Occurrence Report (FP1)[located at the end of this section]. Type, model, nationality and registration of aircraft. Names of the owner, operator and hirer, if any, of the aircraft. Name of pilot-in-command. Date and time of the accident. Last departure point and the intended destination point of the aircraft. Location of the incident with reference to some easily defined point, and the

latitude and longitude. Number of crewmembers on board and number injured. Number of passengers on board and number injured. Description of the incident and the extent of damage, if any, to the aircraft. Detailed description of any dangerous goods aboard the aircraft. Name and address of person making the report.



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Safety

Flight Plans and Flight Monitoring A written passenger manifest including the names of all passengers on board the aircraft is required for every flight conducted by the Department. The appropriate departmental official, not on the aircraft, must retain the manifest until the flight is completed. The person closing any flight plan should be in possession of the manifest.

Flight Following and Flight Plans All aircraft flying for the Department and non-department flights carrying Department employees on related business (oil, gas and timber inspections where company provides aircraft) must file a Flight Plan or Flight Itinerary as follows: A “Flight Itinerary With Flight Following Radio Watch”, or A “Flight Itinerary Without Flight Following Radio Watch”, or Nav Canada - a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan. Any flight designated as IFR must file an IFR flight plan with Nav Canada. When flying within a Forestry Program Area, the appropriate fire centre radio room will be open, it is the required method for flight following for flights within or between Areas. Exceptions are permitted for aircraft NOT equipped with a VHF – FM radio and for high altitude IR scanning flights. Alterations in the planned mission or itinerary must be immediately conveyed to the Flight Watch station / person. The above does not apply to regular “Airline Scheduled” flights (Air Canada, WestJet etc.) All aircraft operating under the jurisdiction of the Department under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) must file a flight plan with NAV Canada. Refer to Canadian Air Regulations. Within the Forest Protection Area of the Province, Wildfire Management can provide flight following for all services within the Department. Arrangements for payment of radio operator over time will have to be addressed by the user Service outside normal hours of operation.

Flight Itinerary Without Flight Following Radio Watch This type of flight watch is not encouraged. It is to be used only when a staffed radio room is not available or the aircraft is not equipped to communicate with the radio room. • The person initiating the flight must designate a person to be responsible for their

flight itinerary and closing the flight plan. This includes providing them with: departure time, flight path, planned stops, a manifest of all passengers and return time.

• The designated person must remain available until the flight is closed.



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• Upon completion of the flight, the flight initiator must contact the designated person to close the flight plan.

• The designated person must be aware of the missing aircraft procedures within the Emergency Incident Response Procedures and implement them if the estimated arrival time is exceeded by 30 minutes. The local Wildfire Management Duty Officer can assist with this.

A person receiving information for a flight itinerary, including passenger manifest, must forward the information to the appropriate person in the department/division for which the flight originates and to the appropriate person of the department/division responsible for closing the flight itinerary (as set out in schedule A & B following this subsection). Pilots must be advised of the name and means of contacting the person responsible for closing the flight itinerary. This person must remain available until the flight is closed. The pilot in command shall, upon completion of the flight, contact the person responsible for closing the flight plan within 30 minutes of the intended arrival time of the aircraft. When individuals responsible for closing the flight plan believe the aircraft is missing, and has not closed the flight itinerary within 30 minutes of its planned arrival time, they must initiate the procedure for a Missing Aircraft as detailed in the Emergency Incident Response Procedures.

Flight Itinerary With Flight Following Radio Watch • Information passed to radio watch stations shall include estimated arrival and

departure times, flight path, planned stops and a complete passenger manifest. • Originating and check-in stations must keep all other stations advised of changes

to the passenger manifest or estimated arrival times. • The originating office must provide the pilot with the call sign or contact person and

the method of contact for station en route. • The pilot in command shall check in at 30 minute intervals to the appropriate radio

station, unless alternate check-in intervals have been arranged in advance. If the itinerary changes between 30 minute check-ins, the pilot must advise the appropriate radio station as soon as possible.

• Employees who are providing radio watch must be aware of the missing aircraft procedures within the Emergency Incident Response Procedures and implement them if the expected check-in time or estimated arrival time is exceeded by 30 minutes.

• Radio stations providing coverage for a flight must remain open until the flight is officially handed off to the next station en route.

• Any person providing radio watch for an aircraft shall initiate radio contact with the aircraft; o If the estimated arrival time has been exceeded by 30 minutes, or o When the aircraft has not checked in at the prescribed 30 minute interval, or o When longer check-in periods have been arranged and the check-in time is

exceeded by, 50%, or 30 minutes which ever is shorter, or o Any time any aircraft makes any type of distress call.







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• A person receiving information regarding a flight must forward the information to the radio room which the flight originated from or which is responsible for closing the flight itinerary, whichever is appropriate.

Wildfire Management will provide radio watch services to all department flights within the Areas of the province. If a fire centre radio room must remain open after hours for another programs flight, that program must arrange to cover any overtime incurred. All written station logs shall be retained for a period of at least 2 years and must be made available upon request. A person receiving information for a flight itinerary, including passenger manifest, must forward the information to the appropriate person in the department/division for which the flight originates and to the appropriate person of the department or division responsible for closing the flight itinerary.

COMMUNICATIONS

Forest Protection Radio Guide A pocket size of the Forest Protection Radio Guide (FP183) is available upon request at Area offices. This guide is also included at the end of this manual. This Radio Guide lists all Area frequencies, stations, channels and VHF / FM and VHF/AM frequency allocations. It can be found in the appendices of this guide book. FM Radio Power Settings: Operate VHF FM radios on LO [1 watt] transmit power. This is required to minimize opening repeaters. If HI [10 watt] required, reselect radio transmit power to LO power after use.

Loss of Communications Due to Radio Failure If any aircraft loses the ability to communicate with a designated radio station via air-to-air or air-to-ground due to a failure of the on-board radio, the aircraft is considered unserviceable and shall be removed from service until the radios are operational. ‘‘Radio communication’’ means an air-to-air (Unicom) and air-to-ground capability. Failure to ensure this capability can result in dangerous situations in combined air operations over fires. Any near-miss occurrence brought about by communication failures or a lack of adequate communications is to be treated as an incident, and reporting procedures as outlined in the Near Miss/Hazard Report are to be implemented immediately. Pilots of rotor wing aircraft hired on casual charter for use on fires or project work must be briefed thoroughly on Wildfire Management policies and procedures pertaining to radio communications prior to commencement of the flight. Particular emphasis should be placed on airspace control and monitoring procedures.



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Guide to Safe Air Operations on a Campaign Fire / Incident Air space control (All Fires) The Air Operations Branch Director /Air Tactical Group Supervisor /Air Attack Officer is responsible for air space control over and in the immediate vicinity of wildfires in the initial attack and support action role. This individual will assign a theatre of operations by time, sector, division, route or holding Area, to each aircraft or group of aircraft. In the absence of the Air Operations Branch Director /Air Tactical Group Supervisor /Air Attack Officer, this responsibility will be assumed by the Operations Section Chief, or in his absence, the Incident Commander. All incoming aircraft must receive clearance from the person controlling airspace when five (5) minutes back of the fire perimeter, or as amended by issuance of a NOTAM, which will also advise the assigned theatre of operations.

Radio Frequency Use (VHF – AM Only)

General Personnel must communicate in clear and concise terms; therefore dedicated radio frequencies shall be used to carry out wildfire operations. If any aircraft loses its ability to communicate with a designated radio station via air to air or air to ground due to a failure of the on-board radio, the aircraft is considered unserviceable and shall be removed from service until the radios are operational. All aircraft working in and around a fire must monitor the radio frequency or frequencies assigned to them at all time. All incoming aircraft must receive clearance from the person controlling air space before when 5 minutes back of the fire perimeter.



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The airspace control frequencies are as follows: 129.800 MHZ (Primary) 128.950 MHZ (Secondary) 131.850 MHZ ( Alternate ) 130.175 MHZ (Alternate - North of latitude 53 degrees low level ) 130.750 MHZ (Alternate - North of latitude 52 degrees low level )

The use of the airspace control frequencies is restricted to aircraft flight coordination / movement only. All other communications (i.e. to discuss tactics, logistics, etc) are to be done on the assigned VHF FM frequency (Fire Net and / or Fire Line frequencies).

Exceptions An exception are those towns or cities that have controlled or semi-controlled air space (Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Peace River, Fort McMurray, Whitecourt and High Level). Air operations carried out in proximity to these Areas must have prior approval from the local controller. The air space control or air advisory frequency for a fire or base camp in the immediate vicinity of an airstrip published in the Canadian Flight Supplement will be the published Mandatory Frequency (MF) for that airstrip. When arranging for additional initial attack or support action aircraft resources, the Duty Officer must recognize the impact of additional resources on air space control over the incident and plan for it accordingly (e.g., if two airtanker groups are on a fire, one Air Attack Officer assumes the Air Tactical Group Supervisor). The person responsible for airspace control should understand the role of all aircraft on the fire and make every effort to facilitate their requirements (e.g., rotor wing delivering firefighters, press coverage, etc). Some key points to consider in facilitating safe air operations on a wildfire incident are: Standard Air Space Control The Air Operations Branch Director, Air Tactical Group Supervisor or Air Attack Officer is responsible for air space control over and in the immediate vicinity of wildfires. This individual will assign a theatre of operations by time, branch, division, route or holding Area, to each aircraft or group of aircraft. In the absence of the Air Operations Branch Director, Air Tactical Group Supervisor and Air Attack Officer, this responsibility will be assumed by the Operations Section Chief, or in his absence, the Incident Commander. When activated, the Air Operations Branch Director controls and sets priorities on air space control. When arranging for additional initial attack or support action aircraft resources, Area Duty Officers must recognize the impact of additional resources on air space control over individual fires and plan for it accordingly.



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To avoid radio confusion when two (2) airtanker groups are on a fire: one Air Attack Officer will assume the Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) role.

The ATGS will be identified as “Air Attack” and either the Wildfire number or a geographical identifier. For example: LWF 31 Air Attack or Round Hill Air Attack. This resource will not use their birddog aircraft identification number / call sign.

the operational birddog will use their birddog call sign (i.e. Birddog 2). Safety takes priority over all other aspects of the fire operation, both in the air and on the ground. The Air Operations Branch Director, Air Attack Officer, Air Tactical Group Supervisor, Operations Section Chief or Incident Commander has the authority to stop any air attack operation where there is a serious safety concern. All aircraft will call for clearance instructions, on the assigned air space frequency, from a minimum of 5 minutes back. An aircraft will discontinue its inbound track and enter into a safe holding pattern above the designated flight corridor elevation if it has not received clearance instructions by the time it has reached 2 minutes back, or from a distance predetermined by the Air Attack Officer or Incident Commander. An aircraft shall not proceed until it receives clearance instructions. Where rotor wing and/or fixed-wings are on the ground within controlled air space zone, they must contact the designated air space controller (Air Operations Branch Director/Air Attack Officer/ Air Tactical Group Supervisor) on air advisory frequency for clearance instructions into or out of zone before they lift off or move. Once an aircraft lands at a camp, has completed a specific assignment in a designated location, or is leaving the fire Area, it must contact the Air Operations Branch Director, Air Attack Officer, or Air Tactical Group Supervisor and inform: They are at a specific camp or heli-spot, They have completed their assignment and want clearance to another location,

or They are leaving the fire and will call from 2 minutes away as a final clearance.

To increase traffic separation safety on support action fires, the aircraft’s Global Positioning System unit’s offset capability shall be used. For example, if the route is offset to the right one (1) or two (2) miles, and other pilots do the same, lateral separation from the opposite direction traffic will be from two (2) to four (4) miles, which is still within a normal “airway” width.

Incident Briefing Package A proper briefing package is a key component and should be used to help ensure a safe and effective operation. The briefing package must have a map that is easy to understand, and any changes to the operational plan at the incident must be included in the briefing package and sent out to all parties on a daily basis. The Area or Incident Command Team is responsible for preparing briefing packages. The briefing package must be distributed to all personnel directly involved with the operation, including rotor-wing pilots on fire, airtanker bases and Air Attack Officers.



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The briefing package must have input from the Incident Commander and/or Incident Command Team, and the Air Attack Officer/Air Tactical Group Supervisor. This can be done either through a face-to-face meeting or a conference call. Once the plan and briefing package have been agreed to, they must be distributed to all the people involved in carrying out the operation. These include: all pilots on the incident; the Area offices to brief incoming rotor wing aircraft, airtanker groups, and any

transport fixed-wing going to the incident; all surrounding airtanker bases from which resources may be sent to the incident Air Attack Officer/Air Tactical Group Supervisors to brief all local airtanker groups

prior to actual operations and solicit any pilot concerns.

In addition, the Area dispatcher and Incident Command Team must brief all fixed-wing and rotor wing crews prior to them working on the incident. This must be done daily to keep personnel advised of any changes.

Contents of Briefing Package Objectives of the day for: airtanker group(s) helitanker(s) camp and crew moves burnout operations

Map of the fire showing: “N” arrow showing magnetic north all sectors, branches and/or divisions a grid system allowing all users to identify common points of reference all facility locations with an identifier all helispot locations with an identifier portable retardant mixing/loading site(s) Areas of special concern; i.e., structure protection, streams, lakes, etc., to avoid

dropping retardant and/or foam on or nearby lakes for skimmers to pick up water bucket spots skimming circuit flight corridors

Rotor wing/fixed-wing resources, listing: type call sign or number assignment

Assigned radio frequencies: Incident Command Post and call sign list of applicable Incident Command Personnel radio call signs air to ground radio frequencies air to air (tactical) and air advisory (aircraft movement) frequencies designated

for the location which the operation may take place air attack (airtanker/helitanker) bombing frequency(s)



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Air space control plan The Air Space Control Plan should include (but is not limited to): NOTAM information (ie:radius in nautical miles around and the ceiling in feet

above the incident) Flight corridor(s) and assigned flight altitudes for various types; e.g., service and

recon assignments, back/fire burnout operations, rotor wing bucket dip sites, scanning ops, etc.

current updated altimeter setting air space control zone altitude assignments for: tactical birddog aircraft Air Tactical Group Supervisor airtankers rotor-wings other aircraft

airtanker/helitanker flight corridors and rendezvous points to and from airtanker base(s)/skimmer water sites and/or portable retardant pits, as listed in the following details: rendezvous points altitude map reference and or GPS coordinate geographic name Bearing and altitude inbound. Bearing and altitude outbound. skimming circuit name of pick-up/skimming lake latitude and longitude of skimming location map reference Altitude in circuit

Any specific flight details for movement to and from incident and within the boundaries of a large complex incident : Facility name (ie. ICP [Incident Command Post]) geographic reference map reference latitude and longitude location of the facility Bearing and altitude inbound Bearing and altitude outbound to and from base camp to nearest airport for rotor wing and other aircraft • Bearing and altitude inbound to base camp • Bearing and altitude outbound from base camp

To increase traffic separation safety on support action fires, the aircraft’s Global Positioning System unit’s offset capability shall be used. For example, if the route is offset to the right one (1) or two (2) miles, and other pilots do the same, lateral separation from the opposite direction traffic will be from two (2) to four (4) miles, which is still within a normal “airway” width. Special authority is required for entry into DND Air Weapons Range, Cold Lake. This must be arranged and coordinated through the Lac La Biche duty officer. The duty



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officer will inform the pilot of the approved penetration point and any restrictions to be observed.

Transportation of Dangerous Goods All staff must adhere to the current Canadian Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act and Regulations. If the pilot-in-command does not load or directly supervise the loading of the dangerous goods, the person who loads and secures the dangerous goods will give the pilot-in-command a written list of the following information for each of the dangerous goods:

• Shipping name; • UN number and class; • Gross mass. • In the case of explosives, the net explosives quantity.

All pilots and/or flight crew accepting dangerous goods aboard their aircraft must have dangerous goods training and carry a valid certification card on their person. Certification for transporting dangerous goods by air is valid for two (2) years. For casual contract tenders companies must provide letters from TC:

• indicating they have an approved TDG training program • Indicating an approved chapter on TDG in the company’s operations manual.

Considerations for Shipping Propane Tanks One hundred pound bottles of propane or smaller can be shipped by rotor wing or fixed-wing if the above requirements are met.

Considerations for Shipping 365 Litre Propane Tanks The pilot must have a current Transportation of Dangerous Goods Certificate on his person. Before hooking up and moving any propane tanks, full or empty, the following checks must be performed:

• Inform the pilot of the dangerous goods to be carried, in writing on proper shipping documentation,

• Ensure the pilot has received a copy of the Permit for Equivalent Level of Safety, • Check for correct attachment of the cradle and harness to the tank, • Check for defects such as stripped or cracked bolts, frayed or bent wires on the

cables, and bent or cracked load ring, and Check for damaged valves and gauges and that the tank has a protective collar or cap.

NOTE: All shipping documents must be kept on record for a minimum of 2 years. All training records must be kept on file for 2 years following the certificate's expiration date.



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Precautions for Refueling of Rotor Wing Smoking is prohibited in and around aircraft or within 50 feet (15 metres) of the aircraft, at all times. No person operating an aircraft shall permit it to be refuelled if passengers are on board, embarking or disembarking. Unless a third person is present to act as a visual link between the pilot and refueller during hot refuelling operations, rotor wing with a filler neck for the fuel tank located on the opposite side from the pilot must be shut down and the pilot must exit the machine to supervise the refuelling. Hot refuelling aircraft on Wildfire Management projects will be allowed only if:

• There are no passengers on board, embarking or disembarking, • The pilot’s seat must be occupied by a person who is competent in controlling the

aircraft, and • Refuelling is carried out by a trained company engineer and/or a person who is

trained and certified in refuelling aircraft as per the CAN/CSA Standard for Storage, Handling and Dispensing Fuels at Aerodromes.

Refuelling aircraft can be carried out from:

• Commercial outlets, • Wildfire Management underground tanks, • Wildfire Management bowsers, • Contract portable fuelling systems/bowsers for field operations, or • Wildfire Management drums (purchased fuel).

Although Wildfire Management makes every attempt to keep fuel clean and current, pilots should always check the fuel to make sure it is the appropriate type for the aircraft and is free from foreign material. Wildfire Management personnel who refuel rotor wing aircraft must be properly trained and certified in refuelling aircraft as per course outline found in the CAN/CSA Standard for Storage, Handling and Dispensing Fuels at Aerodromes. People doing aircraft fuelling must take a refresher-training course annually to maintain their certification. Wildfire Management personnel have no authority to refill drums from bulk aviation fuel sources. Due to the liabilities involved, Wildfire Management will not do this for any operations. All personnel involved with aircraft refuelling operations will exercise all possible precautions to prevent the inhalation or swallowing of aviation fuel, as it is toxic and potentially fatal. Pilots can refuse to accept fuel from unsealed or improperly sealed drums and damaged drums.



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Pilots using fuel from their own source must indicate this on the flight report. Wildfire Management will reimburse fuel charges incurred, providing supporting documentation is attached (legitimate invoices). It is necessary to bleed off or dissipate static electrical charges before they build up enough potential to create static sparks. Bonding and grounding can do this. Further information on bonding and grounding can be found in the Air Operations Standard Operating Procedure in the Aviation Fuel and Oil section. Fuel spills are often the result of improper or careless operation of fuelling equipment and poor maintenance of the mechanical fuelling equipment. To prevent fuel spillage, caution is required on the part of every person responsible for fuelling equipment. Note: As per the current Alberta Fire Code, when the loss of a flammable liquid or combustible liquid occurs from a spill or leak, the operator shall ensure that:

• Appropriate action is taken as required to recover escaped liquid, prevent it from escaping the site where possible, and to remove or treat the contaminated soil.

• The fire department and the authority having jurisdiction are notified if the quantity of liquid spilled or leaked;

• Exceeds 50 litres in aggregate, or • Is sufficient to cause sheen on nearby surface water.

Refuelling Operations All personnel responsible for transporting aviation fuels and refuelling aircraft must realize the safety of the aircraft and personnel depends on the responsible individual’s ability to deliver the correct type and grade of uncontaminated fuel to the aircraft. The possibility of human error must be avoided by providing adequate fuelling facilities, safe operating procedures, and adequately trained personnel using the latest equipment. The following procedures must be followed during refuelling operations:

• Smoking on any airport ramp is prohibited during refuelling operations. • Open flames on aircraft fuel servicing ramps, aprons or any other fuelling

operation site where aircraft fuelling is being carried out by or on behalf of Wildfire Management, or within 50 feet (15 meters) of any portable or field fuelling operation and fuelling equipment is prohibited.

• During refuelling operations, the proper type and size of fire extinguishers must be available for use close to the operation.

• Wildfire Management personnel may refuel rotor wing aircraft only if they are properly trained and certified as per course outline found in the CAN/CSA Standard for Storage, Handling and Dispensing Fuels at Aerodromes.

• The aircraft engines must either be shut down or the approved hot refuelling procedures followed.

• The pilot-in-command must ensure the aircraft has the appropriate fuel and the required amount for the planned flight.

• Operating personnel are to follow the guidelines listed below: • Never leave any fuel nozzle unattended. • Never tie or wedge the nozzle trigger in an open position. • Full attention is to be devoted to the refuelling operation. • Check the amount of fuel in the tank frequently to prevent overfilling.



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• Either hand or power-operated pumps shall be used when aircraft are refuelled from drums, and pouring or gravity flow is not permitted.

• Avoid kinks and short loops in the fuelling hose. • As soon as leakage or spillage from the fuel-servicing equipment is noted, stop

the flow of fuel immediately. • Fuelling operations shall be suspended where there are lightning flashes in the

immediate vicinity of the fuelling operation site. If a fuel spill occurs, initiate and follow emergency procedures. If at an airport, alert the appropriate authority.

Pepper Spray Pepper spray will not be routinely supplied to fire crews. The Area Manager shall determine the level of stocking and usage for their staff. Prior to actual issuance, staff members must take a Bear Awareness Program, which covers safe use, packing, and transportation of pepper spray. Pepper spray (aerosol containers) is classified as dangerous goods under the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and must be placed in an airtight sealed container with proper labelling and placed in cargo compartment of an aircraft. Personnel must make pilots aware of the presence of the pepper spray. Conversely, pepper spray is not allowed in the passenger compartment. Pepper spray repellent is an irritant that affects breathing and vision, and can have serious consequences when carried openly. Pepper spray is classified as Prohibitive Use under the Canadian Criminal Code; therefore any discharge for personal protection or by accidental means will require completion of PAO 750 accident/incident report. Staff should be familiar with the appropriate Material Safety Data Sheets before handling and packing the product for shipping. Rubber gloves, safety glasses or goggles with splashguards or side shields are strongly recommended when handling the product. When loading individual cans of pepper spray into shipping canisters, the top should be orientated away from the individual in case of accidental discharge during unloading. It is recommended that any person carrying pepper spray also carry a portable eye wash station in case of accidental discharge. Any pilot has the right to refuse to transport pepper spray.

Rotor Wing Sling Loads Personal gear and small or lightweight items that may be blown from or fall through sling webbing shall not be transported in a sling. Sling loads shall not to be lifted from or onto a vehicle.



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Items of high value (garden tractors, quads) can be carried in a sling, if no other “in cabin” transport is available and rotor wing is of an adequate size and capacity to safely carry item.

Long Line Use (Rotor wing) Long line operations are very unique and can be very cost effective. They can also provide an extra measure of safety to an operation. When conducting long line operations consider the following:

• In most helicopters it is mandatory that the operation be conducted from the left front seat. This requires the installation of dual controls and a door that is equipped with critical engine gauges.

• The conversion of a rotor wing in or out of long lining configuration takes time. Please consult with the pilot and aircraft engineer for exact times.

• Once the dual controls have been installed, it is at the pilot’s discretion to allow passengers to occupy the front seats. ONLY qualified personnel are permitted in the front seats. This may limit the quick and alternate use of the aircraft

Ground Running of Engines During Bucketing of Sling Operations Another person must be present to act as loadmaster for the pilot, or the pilot must shut down the rotor wing before he exits the machine to do the hook up/release himself, when the following situations occur:

• The hook up and release takes place at a site where there are people present who are not involved in the operation,

• There are other helicopters using the same site for landings and departures at the same time, and

• The operation occurs near Wildfire Management facilities, both permanent and temporary (line and fire base camps).

• Aircraft on Wildfire Management projects will only be allowed to carry out load hook up and release operations with the engine running and the pilot’s seat unoccupied when none of the above noted situations occur.

Airtanker and Bucket Operations at Power Line Locations Caution must be exercised when using airtankers and/or rotor wing with buckets to drop water and/or retardant on the power line right-of-way. The retardant used is an extremely good conductor and is highly corrosive. The following shall be followed when conducting water and/or retardant drops:

• Request the hydro company de-energize the lines if possible, • If the lines can not be de-energized, drop the water and/or retardant parallel to

the power lines, and • If you must, as a last resort drop water and/or retardant across the right of way,

do so at mid-span and do not hit the towers or insulators

Non-Government Personnel on Government Owned, Casual Hire or Contracted Aircraft



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Non-government personnel may be a passenger on government owned, casual hire or contracted aircraft under the following conditions:

1. Contractors (including potential contractors for contract viewing) or persons doing work in conjunction with the Department (ex: timber personnel viewing fire salvage, land use planning, etc.).

o Approval must be obtained from the program Manager authorized to make those decisions.

o The person or company must have their own Workers Compensation Board (WCB) coverage (if required by the terms of their contract).

o All other regular procedures (manifesting and flight following) shall be followed.

2. School contest winners, ride along programs, volunteers.

These individuals unlikely have their own WCB coverage and are not covered by the department WCB account. Aircraft are not to be hired specifically for these situations; such events should be scheduled around routine work activities. The following is to apply:

o Be approved by the program Manager, o Require the standard SRD Waiver to be completed prior to the flight, o The flight shall be limited to 15 minutes or less (contest winners), o A Department employee is to accompany the person, preferably in

uniform. The employee shall assist the pilot in loading and unloading the passenger(s).

Personnel Permitted in Birddog/Airtanker Aircraft Only pre-identified individuals, who have submitted a statement of interest (in written form) to the Air Attack Program Training Officer shall be considered for a “ride along” in the bird dog. Once pre-approved by the Airtanker Program, an Individual will contact the Training Officer to set up a specific time/date for the ride along. Approval must be obtained from the local Duty Officer, the Manager of Aviation and Geomatics or his designate, and airtanker company designate prior to any flight. With prior authorization from the airtanker company representative and the PFFC Duty Officer, an Air Attack Officer is permitted as a passenger in an airtanker to assess new aircraft technologies and pilot performance.

Flights with Passengers and External Loads External loads (sling or other) are governed by the Canadian Air Regulations. Carrying passengers is permitted only under the following five (5) scenarios.

Rappel Operations The leader (spotter) is permitted on board the aircraft to deploy the emergency retrieval system and to coordinate bucket operations. Once the forward spread of the fire has been stopped and there is a very low risk in which the emergency retrieval system would be deployed, the spotter is then deployed to the fire.



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Bucket Operations For initial attack or sustained action, Incident Command personnel on board medium rotor wing aircraft may be permitted only during bucket operations. The pilot and company must be certified to conduct this operation as per CARS section 702.16 and the CARS Standard 722.20(2). When SRD staff are onboard an aircraft during bucket operations, they are required to wear a personal flotation device.

Wildfire Operations Air operators may carry persons other than the flight crew if:

• The operator is authorized to do so in their Air Operation Certificate, • The person has received a safety briefing by the pilot as per the CARS

Standard 722.23, and • The person being carried is involved in wildfire suppression activities.

Aerial Ignition on Wildfires Aerial ignition operations shall be conducted with an intermediate category rotor wing or larger (only the Eurocopter EC 120 in the light category) if the Aerial Ignition Specialist is onboard. If the Aerial Ignition Specialist is not onboard, the minimum rotor wing size for this operation shall be a Bell 206BIII or equivalent. Operations shall be conducted in accordance with the Ignition Manual. The AS 350B3, Bell 206 L4, Bell 407 and EC130 rotor wing have been approved for use if operations include both an Aerial Ignition Specialist and trainee. The AS 350B2 is conditionally approved if no alternate is available and the fuel load is reduced. Local conditions and the environment around the fire must be considered to assess the suitability of any aircraft while conducting this operation. If out-of-province personnel are filling the role as the Aerial Ignition Specialist then an additional aircraft may be required for this operation. A number of jurisdictions will not permit their staff to fly in the heli-torch equipped rotor wing.

Transporting Wildlife Department staff is considered essential crew if they are required to monitor the condition of an animal during flight.

Entering of Leaving a Hovering Rotor Wing in Flight Exiting and boarding from a rotor wing in a hover can be accomplished safely providing the personnel are trained in the manoeuvre. The movement of personnel and equipment must be pre-planned and practised. Personnel must have an appreciation of why these moves are made and what the results and effects of movement on a hovering rotor wing aircraft. The PFFC Manager of Aviation and Geomatics is the approving authority for the Hover Exit Program.



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The Wildfire Operations Officer will assign training co-ordinator(s) to ensure the training is carried out as per the training manual, that all trained personnel have proof of training, and that their proficiency training is carried out and documented. Hover exit training will be part of the regular training for all type 1-wildland-firefighting crews. The Area Wildfire Operations Officer must approve other forestry personnel who require training. Only a certified instructor can carry out basic hover-exit training. All certified hover exit personnel must maintain certification as outlined in the Hover Exit/Freeboard Training Guide. Transport Canada (Canadian Aviation Regulations Part VII, Sections 702.19, 702.21, and Part VI, Sections 602.15, 602.17 and 602.25) (Sec. 722.19 Commercial Air Service Standards) allows rotor wing aircraft companies to apply for authorization to exit/board persons from rotor wing while in flight. The CIFFC Manual defines a hover as: A hover is a state in which the helicopter is under power and the pilot must

manipulate the flight controls to maintain a stable attitude. This could be free of, or in partial contact with a grounded surface.

For the purpose of Wildfire Management operations, a hover exit is only permitted if it allows the person performing the hover exit to have contact with both the ground and the rotor wing.

Emergency Rotor Wing Boarding in a Hover The reloading of personnel and equipment into a hovering Rotor wing is considered to be an exception rather than a standard practice. There is a requirement to train Wildfire Management personnel for this manoeuvre not only for the expediency of the firefighting operation but for swamp and deep snow pick-ups. Hover loading of personnel and equipment may be authorized providing:

• Personnel have been trained in the manoeuvre. • The pilot and crew leader agree on the sequence of events. • The site is acceptable to the pilot. • The equipment must be bundled/packaged in an acceptable manner and capable

of hand-to-hand transfer if it is to occupy cabin space. • The rotor wing must be capable of exiting the pick-up area with an out-of-ground

effect power reserve with the anticipated load. The pick-up site will be prepared to provide rotor clearances for the rotor wing and sure footing for the personnel. Personnel and pre-packed equipment will be pre-sited before rotor wing arrival and equipment is to be secured. Reloading sequences are the reverse order of exit. Emphasis will be on the smooth initial transfer of weight on the skid. Smooth crew movement control is vital as the



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weight of the aircraft increases. Crew leader (first in) will establish pilot/crew contact as soon as possible after boarding and will control the reloading by use of hand signals.

Hover Exit Conditions and Limitations • Conducted only by trained personnel. • Conducted only where the trained personnel can transfer their weight from the

rotor wing to the ground smoothly and gradually, rather than jump or drop to the ground.

• Hover exit to be conducted with an acceptable power and fuel reserve required maintaining hover out-of ground effect at the set-out/pick-up site.

• Must have “hot” (hands free) intercom capability between pilot and crew leader. • Must have doors, which either can be removed prior to exit or safely opened in

flight. • Skids and exiting area must be unobstructed. • Sliding/folding doors and removable doorposts must be secured.

Rotor Wing Aircraft Company Compliance and Pilot Qualifications The rotor wing aircraft offering this service to Wildfire Management will:

• Produce an approved amendment to their Air Operations Manual. • Provide pilot briefings and approve personnel exiting/boarding. • Provide pilot training in accordance with Sec. 722.76 Commercial Air Service

Standards, and to an acceptable Wildfire Management standard. • Ensure that the rotor wing is capable of being operated within the centre-of-

gravity limits for the most extreme case in the hover exit/enter manoeuvre. • Ensure the rotor wing is capable of a safe out-of-ground effect power reserve at

the set-out/pick-up site, with on-board or anticipated loads. • Company must be on a Wildfire Management approved list. • Pilot must provide proof of Transport Canada certification upon request. • The pilot must demonstrate the ability to carry out personnel and equipment

moves to Wildfire Management satisfaction.

Fur and Game Farm Operations Aviation noise caused by rotor wing and fixed-wing aircraft flying at low altitudes can cause serious economic losses to the farming industry. Pilots working for Forestry Division shall avoid over-flying these farms below 2000 feet above ground level (AGL), and where possible, no closer than one (1) mile horizontal. Any aircraft operating under the jurisdiction of Forestry Division must be made aware of area restrictions and legal land locations of Fur Farms and Game Farms. These locations shall be identified on maps in all Area operations rooms and airtanker bases. Locations shall be provided to incoming casual chartered aircraft as part of the briefing package and to all incoming contract airtanker groups and/or rotor wing.

Safety Considerations for Working in the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range (CLAWR) The Cold Lake Air Weapons Range (CLAWR) poses some unique hazards. This Area is not hunted and has had numerous "problem" bears released over the years. You can expect a higher frequency of bear encounters here.



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There might be large amounts of small, fast aircraft (jets) creating air traffic problems. It is an active weapons range which might have:

• Unexploded ordnance (bombs and rockets), • Practice bombs that may contain acid marking charges - used to generate smoke

to see where the practice round landed, • Lasers - CLAWR often has pilots using lasers mounted to the aircraft for

targeting with laser-guided munitions. These lasers are powerful enough to cause blindness, or

• Radar emitters - used to simulate enemy tracking or targeting radars. These give off large levels of radiation in the immediate Area of the emitter.

Contact the Lac La Biche Management Area Office before entry. If possible, a CLAWR grid map should be obtained. The Lac La Biche Duty Officer will contact range control for access permission. Under no circumstances are aircraft to proceed into the range without clearance. Upon clearance by the duty officer, the pilot will contact the tower at Cold Lake. The Lac La Biche radio room will supply a current frequency. At the north end of the range, contact may be difficult. It may be necessary to climb up several thousand feet to establish contact. If you are unable to contact the tower, contact the Lac La Biche Radio Room and they will notify the tower by phone. Do not proceed into the CLAWR until you have confirmed that Cold Lake Tower has been notified.

FIRE GRID FIRE GRID Quadrants & CorridorsQuadrants & Corridors

N55

W108W109W110W111

W108W109W110W111

A1

C2B2A2

H1G1F1E1D1C1B1

G2F2E2D2 H2

A3 H3G3F3E3D3C3B3

A4 F4E4D4C4B4 H4G4

N5520

N5440

110 30 109 30 108 30 W107107 30

107 30 W107108 30109 30110 30111 30

111 30

I1

I2

I3

I4

N5540

N5420

111 15 110 45 110 15 109 15 108 15 107 15107 45108 45109 45

111 15 110 45 110 15 109 15 108 15 107 15107 45108 45109 45

55 30

54 30

54 50

55 10

W112

W112

112 30

112 30

111 45112 15

111 45112 15

Z1Y1

Z2Y2

Z3Y3

Z4Y4

N55

N5520

N5440

N5540

N5420

55 30

54 30

54 50

55 10



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Daylight Flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) When aircraft are working for Wildfire Management, they will operate under daylight VFR unless the pilot is qualified and current on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) procedures and the type of aircraft in use. Fish and Wildlife Division may, for the purpose of some of their enforcement operations, fly in a fixed-wing aircraft under night VFR conditions if the pilot is qualified and current on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). The air carrier must be approved by Transport Canada to operate the multi-engine aircraft under IFR and night VFR conditions. The following rules and definitions CARs 101.01 will apply: Day: The period of time beginning one half hour before sunrise and ending one half-hour after sunset and in respect of any place where the sun does not rise or set daily, the period during which the centre of the sun’s disc is less than six degrees below the horizon. Night: The period beginning one half hour after sunset and ending one half hour before sunrise and, in respect of any place where the sun does not rise or set daily, the period during which the centre of the sun’s disc is more than six degrees below the horizon. NOTE: Subject to satisfactory visibility and atmospheric conditions set forth in Part VI of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, aircraft flying under VFR on projects for Wildfire Management may fly between the hours one half hour before sunrise and one half hour after sunset. Outside this time, the aircraft must be on the ground. Sunrise and sunset times for any area in Alberta can be obtained by contacting the nearest Area Dispatcher or Nav Canada Flight Service Station. In the interest of flight safety (e.g., duty days), Wildfire Management will not use morning and evening twilight calculations for any operations.

Open Door Aerial Work Open door aerial work is any work that is conducted by staff of the Department when the aircraft is no longer in contact with the ground and a door on the aircraft is not secured. Open door aerial work should only be conducted when no other reasonable options exist. Activities included in the open door aerial work include (but are not limited to) animal capture, cargo deployment, infrared scanning, etc. Operations such as Rappel, Aerial Ignition and Hover Exit that have specific operating procedures are exempt from this. If open door work needs to be conducted the exposure should be minimized by only having the door open or off when required.



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On the Skid or Moving Around Inside the Aircraft If the open door aerial work to be conducted requires the passenger to be free of the lap and shoulder restraints of the helicopter, then the passenger must be provided a fall harness and restraint device. The harness and restraint device are to be provided by the helicopter company. The company must ensure the device is maintained and utilized in accordance to Transport Canada approvals.

Seated and Secured Inside the Aircraft For activities that do not require the passengers to undo their seat belts, but where there is a risk of accidental release of the lapbelt, SRD will provide the approved fall restraint system. This system is a secondary restraint device in the event the quick release seatbelt becomes unfastened. The seatbelt must be worn properly at all times. The device must be attached to aircraft structure as recommended by the aircraft’s aircrew. Visual inspections shall be conducted on the harness the day of the use, prior to being utilized, and recorded on the harness equipment inspection log. If any component of the system fails the inspection, the system cannot be used. The completed inspection log is to be kept with the fall restraint device and all the lanyards during use and when stored.



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APPENDICES

Alberta Third System of Survey Maps produced and used by Wildfire Management emphasise the Township Grid System as the major reference system. Compared with the Latitude-Longitude System, which denotes a point at the intersection of two lines, the Township Grid System denotes an area of known size located in a certain position.

Subdivision The smallest regular unit of land in Alberta is a Legal Subdivision (abbreviated LS or LSD). This unit is square, being one-quarter mile (0.4 km) in length and width, containing 40 ac. (16.2 ha, 1 acre = 43,560 sq. ft. or 4,047 m2).

Section Sixteen Legal Subdivisions make up 1 Section (abbreviated SEC), the key unit of the Township Grid System. It is a square measuring 1-mile at each side and containing approximately 640 ac. (259 ha).



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Quarter Section Four Legal Subdivisions form 1 quarter Section. These are identified as NE¼, NW¼, SE¼, SW¼.

Township A Township is a square with 6 mi. sides, and contains 36 sections (abbreviated Twp). The numbering starts in the SE corner of the Township. The area of a Township is that of 36 sq. mi. (57.9 km2) plus the width and length of the road allowances.

A Township strip runs in an east-west direction. Starting at the United States border, parallel strips 6 miles wide are numbered consecutively from the south to the north. Strip #1 borders the United States, while strip #126 borders the Northwest Territories. Each strip constitutes a series of Township squares.

Road Allowance A standard Government Road Allowance, 66 ft. (20 m) in width, is left between Sections. Section boundaries that are not Road Allowances are called “Blind Lines”. Road Allowances are provided after each mile in an east-west direction; i.e., five north-south road allowances within the Township in a north-south direction, with three Blind Lines forming the remaining Section boundaries.

Township Range Each Township is identified by two numbers, which indicate its position geographically. These are Township number and Range number. The Range (abbreviated Rge.) numbering starts immediately west of a Meridian, and increases in 6 miles Blocks (one township) as it goes west. Thus, the Township marked



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with an * in the diagram below is numbered Township 3, Range 2 West of the Fourth Meridian or in short form, Twp. 3, Rge. 2, W4M.

Meridian The line from the North Pole to the South Pole by the shortest route is called a Meridian. These lines are used as basic starting points for distances measured east and west. In Canada, these meridians have been arbitrarily numbered from 1 to 6. The first (“principle”) Meridian is located just west of Winnipeg; the second is on the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border; the third is in Saskatchewan; the fourth on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border; the fifth runs through Stony Plain, Alberta, and the sixth through a point just east of the townsite of Jasper. Ranges are always referred to as being west of one of these Meridians and the Range numbering resumes with “1" west of each Meridian.

Correction Lines Townships are always slightly tapered towards the north because the earth is round. Around Edmonton, this tapering means that the south of the Township is about 65 ft. wider than the northern boundary. Sections at the northern boundary of a Township are about 10 ft. narrower than those at the southern boundary of the same Township. To prevent this convergence from becoming too great, a break is made every four Townships. This break is called a Correction Line and is not, as may be supposed, the result of the surveyor’s error. Note that the jog at the Correction Line becomes greater the further west you move from the Meridian. Just east of the next Meridian to the west, this jog is greater than 1 mi.



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Fractional Townships and Fractional Sections At the Meridian, all Townships are cut off to the straight, geographic north-south line and a fresh start is made. This results in fractional Townships and fractional Sections.

Finding a Location Based on a Legal Description When a legal description is received over the radio, the reverse procedure for transmitting is followed to find it on the map:

1. Find the Meridian. 2. Find the Township at the intersection of the Range column and the Township

strip. 3. Find the Section with the Township template. 4. Find the quarter Section or Legal Subdivision.

For example, suppose you are told to proceed to LSD 8 of Section 10, Twp. 24, Rge. 8 W5M. First, you would locate the fifth Meridian. The location you want will be west of this Meridian. Next locate the Range by using the Range numbers that are usually located horizontally along the top and bottom of the map. Then locate the Township (Township numbers are usually located vertically along the sides of the map). Finally, locate the Section number, then the Legal Subdivision.



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Fire Line Equipment Weights Lbs. Kgs. AXE, single bit, standard fireline 5.0 2.3 BAG, Backpack, water, (empty) c/w handspray pump 7.0 3.2

Batteries (144 per box) 8.33 3.8 Batteries (576 per box) 34.0 15.4 BLADDER Water, slingable, 60 gallon 10.0 4.5 Water, slingable, 110 gallon 12.0 5.5 Water, slingable, 300 gallon 35.0 15.9 BOTTLE Propane, 20 pound, full 45.0 20.5 Propane, 40 pound, full 90.0 40.9 Propane, 100 pound, full 180.0 81.8 Propane,camp stove model empty-full wts. 1.05 – 2.0 0.48 - 0.91 Coveralls Nomex, Yellow 2.55 CAN Gas, plastic, 5 gallon, full 46.0 20.9 Gas, plastic, 5 gallon, empty 2.0 0.9 Gas/Oil, plastic, Combination, 21/2 gallon full 23.4 10.6

Gas/Oil, plastic, Combination, 21/2 gallon empty 2.7 1.2

CHAINSAWS Three different bars sizes 16",18" and 20"(slight weight variation)

16” 18.0 8.2 18” 18.25 8.28 20” 18.36 8.33 Chainsaw Oil 4 liter jug 8.0 3.6 Chainsaw pack 3.0 1.4 DRINK BOTTLES Gatorade / Powerade- 710ml bottle 1.5 0.68 12 pack 18.0 8.2 24 pack 36.0 16.3 WATER 1 Liter bottle 2.26 1.1 Case of 12 27.2 12.3 500 ml Bottle 1.2 0.54 12 pack 14.4 6.5



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24 pack 28.8 13.1 5 gallon bottle / full 50.0 22.7

FIRE FOAM CONCENTRATE Pail, 5 gallon, full 46.0 20.9 Drum, 45 gallon, full 480.0 218.2 Fuel and Barrel Jet A Jet B AV GAS Diesel Unleaded Full Propane Pig Empty Drum Empty Propane Pig

423.0 410.0 381.0 558.0 384.0 850.0 50.0 275.0

192.3 186.4 173.2 254.0 175.0 386.4 23.0 125.0

FUSEE’S single fusee 0.52 0.23 Case of 72 42.0 19.1 HAT, safety hard 1.0 0.5 HEATER Airtight, 18 inch c/w 6 section stove pipe 26.5 12.1 Airtight, 24 inch c/w 6 section stove pipe 26.5 12.1 NOTE: use same weight for both stove sizes

AERIAL IGNITION Helitorch, LFS made c/w kit 170.0 77.3 Aerial Ignition Device (Ping Pong Machine) c/w kit 95.0 43.2

HOSE Fire, 5/8" (dry) per 50 feet 1.2 0.5 Fire, 1" (dry) per 100 feet 9.0 4.1 Fire, 1 1/2" (dry) per 100 feet * 13.5 to 16.25 6.1 to 7.4 Suction, 1 1/2" Draftex 4.0 1.8 Suction, 2", Draftex 5.0 2.3 Suction, 2", Rubber 15.0 6.8 Bagged Hose 4/bag c/w hose bag and carton 61.0 27.7

* HOSE Dry/Wet 13.5 to 16.25 Lbs variation due to the type of lining inside the hose. Note: Add approx 2 lbs / roll to be added for wet hose



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KIT First Aid, Personal, ‘P’ 0.4 0.18 First Aid, Type 2 2.33 1.1 First Aid, Type 3 4.25 1.9 Camp Maintenance 10.0 4.5 Chainsaw w/o saw 25.0 11.4 Crash, Rescue 24.0 Comms, unit c/w 4 radios 14.0 6.4 Dozer Boss 25.0 11.3 Pump, BB4, w/o pump 37.0 16.8 Pump, Floto, w/o pump 28.0 12.7 Pump, Mark III, w/o pump 54.0 24.5 Pump, Mini-Mark/Shindawa, w/o pump 29.0 13.2 Sprinkler System 80.0 36.3 Sprinkler Mini 35.0 15.9 Water truck 6.5 2.9 Crew Fireline equipment 65.0 29.5 MACHETE 1.9 0.9 MRE's - Box 36.0 16.3 PAIL, canvas water 1.0 0.5 POLYTHENE PLASTIC Clear, 4 mil, 100 foot roll 22.0 10.0 POWER PLANT 300 watt 50.0 22.7 500 watt 57.0 25.9 1 KW 215.0 97.7 3.5 KW 200.0 90.9 PULASKI 5.5 2.5 PUMP AND ENGINE BB4 180.0 81.8 Floto 42.0 19.1 Mark III 64.0 29.1 Mini-Mark/Shindawa 10.0 4.5 Pump, Mini-Striker 21.0 9.5 PUMP, fuel, barrel, hand, rotary 18.0 8.2 RADIO, TK270 with batteries 1.12 0.51 RAKE, firefighting 4.0 1.8



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SAW, Brushcutter 27.0 12.2

SHOVEL, bantam firefighting, long handle 4.5 2.0 SHOWER Portable, single 110.0 50.0 Portable, double c/w tent and wood boxes 455.0 206.8 STOVE, cook, 4 burner propane w/o bottle 75.0 34.1

TANK, c/w pad where required Water, self-supporting, 500 gallon 32.0 14.5 Water, self-supporting, 1,000 gallon 48.0 21.8 Water, self-supporting, 1,500 gallon 77.0 35.0 Water, self-supporting, 2,500 gallon 125.0 56.8 Water, self-supporting, 4,000 gallon 110.0 50.0 Water, self-supporting, 5,000 gallon 160.0 72.7 Water, self-supporting, 12,000 gallon 200.0 90.9 TENT Canvas, 12' x 14' 70.0 31.8 Modular, army c/w boxes 770.0 350.0 Pumpkin, 18' - c/w green boxes 745.0 338.6 - c/ red boxes 545.0 247.7 Nylon, Overhead 10.72 4.9 Nylon,Firefighter 7.0 3.2 Ranger, 18' x 30' 404.0 183.6 TORCH, TORCH, drip, brushburning 5.0 2.3 Panama Torch, full 35.0 15.9 Panama Torch, empty 11.2 5.1 Fedco torch, full 56.0 25.4 Fedco torch, empty 15.4 7.0

NOTE: All equipment was weighed on a certified scale

Rotor Wing Load Calculations The purpose of carrying out rotor-wing aircraft load calculations is to ensure that the aircraft is capable of carrying a specified load to an identified elevation at a given density altitude. The load calculation must be completed daily for all rotor-wing flights prior to the start of operations. For repetitive flights, one calculation is valid between like points of similar elevation as long as weather conditions do not change, and loads do not exceed that which was authorized by the calculation for the initial flight.



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Responsibility for completion of load calculations is as follows:

Pilot Responsibilities The pilot is responsible for completing the load calculation correctly using proper performance chart information as per the Company’s Operation Manual, Canadian Aviation regulations (CARS) and the Commercial Air Service Standards. The pilot is responsible for computing the allowable payload. The pilot shall check, or be informed of, any subsequent passenger/cargo manifested weights completed under the initial load calculation to ensure allowable payloads are not exceeded.

Government Representative Responsibilities: The SRD representative responsible for a flight (eg. Crew leader, Loadmaster, Biologist, Forest/ Fish and Wildlife Officer, etc.), is responsible for providing the pilot with a complete SRD passenger / cargo (including external sling net loads) manifest including accurate weights, and advising the pilot of all dangerous goods being carried. For flights departing from a permanent facility, (examples Office, Warehouse, Hanger, Airtanker Base, Lookout or Primary Fire Base) passengers and cargo will be weighed, on a scale, at the beginning of the day or first flight of the day. Subsequent flights will have weights adjusted for changes resulting in an increased payload such as wet hose, additional cargo, or additional or switching of passenger numbers, etc. The passenger manifest and total SRD payload on board the aircraft is to be conveyed to the originating radio room or person responsible for initiating flight following. In addition a Passenger / Cargo Manifest / Weights (FP249) form, with all weights recorded must be retained at the facility for a period of at least 60 days. For flights originating from remote location (example, MPB crews, surveyors, Crew pick up on Type 3 and 4 fires, from the “line” on Type 1 and 2 incidents) passengers will provide to the pilot their most recent “seat” weight that was measured on a weigh scale. Cargo maybe estimated using weights from the pilots handbook of actual weights recorded on the equipment. The passenger manifest and total SRD payload on board the aircraft is to be conveyed to the radio room or person providing flight following For flights on Type 1 and 2 incidents, departing from a helibase or helispot associated with base camp or a line camp, all passengers and cargo will be weighed on a scale and information provided to the pilot on FP249. The passenger manifest and total SRD payload on board the aircraft is to be conveyed to the radio room for the incident. In addition a Passenger / Cargo Manifest / Weights (FP249) form, with all weights recorded must be retained at the helibase or line camp and provided to the Documentation unit within 24 hours.

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/Forms/Air%20Ops/Passenger_Cargo%20Manifest_Weights.doc�

https://srdinternal.gov.ab.ca/SiteDirectory/forestry/forestprotection/Forms/Air%20Ops/Passenger_Cargo%20Manifest_Weights.doc�



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Glossary of Fire Bombing Terms Abort A planned release of retardant in order to achieve an aircraft’s gross landing weight. It is recommended that a Birddog accompany the tanker to the abort zone to facilitate the drop. Administration Flight A planned flight by the Birddog aircraft for non-suppression purposes and must be approved through PFFC and local Area. After Action Review Is a debriefing following a mission / incident, the AAR may be informal or formal but should involve everyone connected to the event. The AAR should focus on continual improvement, not on assigning blame. Aircraft Accident A reportable aircraft accident is one resulting from the operation of an aircraft where:

• a person sustains a serious injury or is killed as a result of being on-board, coming into contact with any part of the aircraft or its contents, or being directly exposed to the jet blast or rotor downwash of the aircraft.

• the aircraft sustains damage or failure that adversely affects the structural strength, performance or flight characteristics of the aircraft, and requires major repair or replacement of any affected component.

• the aircraft is missing or inaccessible. Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) This is the Birddog Pilot and Air Attack Officer who assume a high elevation orbit from where they control aircraft entering the fire zone and in the case of an Airtanker assigning an elevation to enter the stack. The purpose of the ATGS is to relieve the low level tactical birddog of having to manage high volumes of traffic in-bound and out-bound from a fire. The ATGS will assume the call sign Air Attack Fire ### and communicate this to all aircraft in the proximity and to the Area Duty Officer. All aircraft must contact Air Attack Fire ### for entry and exit instructions on the air advisory frequency. Base Change This is a full relocation of the tanker group to a different airport. They are expected to check out of the hotels and load all spares and cargo within two (2) hours. Upon arriving at the new location the group can unload and make arrangements for practices, vehicles, accommodation and meals depending of fire hazard and group status. Bombing Terminology Grease the Canopy - Technique where by a load (usually water or light foam) is used to pre-soak a dense canopy. Next load of heavier foam will then penetrate the canopy better to reach fuels / fire on the ground. Half On / Half Off - An Airtanker drop made parallel to a given reference (fires edge) where one side of the load falls on the burning fuel and the other half falls on the adjacent unburned fuel. Parallel Right/Left - Same bearing but position aircraft a specified distance right or left of previous drop. This can be a tag on but parallel right or left. Roll-ups - A retardant drop placed in front of a visible reference point, such as another retardant load, a structure, a water body, etc. The intent is have the load end as it reaches the given reference point. Care must be made as to load type and delivery. Salvo - Place entire load on designated target. Salvo is a common term for tankers with a fixed door system such as a CL-215 or 12door DC-6. A 4 door salvo with mean a four door drop all at once.



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Tag On and Extend - To drop retardant in such a way that the load slightly overlaps and then lengthens a previous drop. A 25% overlap for conventional drops or 30 to 40 feet (for constant flow tanks) is desired. Side Stepping - When bomb runs cannot be made by running down a slope using short drops dropped 90 degrees to the slope can build a line. Care should be taken as slope can introduce a different ground elevation off each wing of the aircraft. i.e. a pilot in an L-188 who drops across the slope (pilot on downhill side) may not be aware of rising terrain under the uphill wing. Called Shot - A drop technique whereby the birddog triggers the Airtanker drop by voice command, saying “3, 2, 1, now”. Canadian Air Regulations Standards (CARS) http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/Regserv/Affairs/cars/PART7/menu.htm Transport Canada regulations and standards for civil and commercial aviation Passenger / Cargo Weight Manifest FP249 Passenger Manifests and Cargo Weights – Who is on board and what is the total SRD weight on board. (A copy of this form is to be left with the Airtanker Base Supervisor prior to departure).As of 2008 all aircraft working for Sustainable Resource Development must report passenger and cargo weight on board the aircraft on a mission to mission basis. In the case of birddogs a separate manifest sheet must also be filled out and left at the tanker base. The passenger and cargo weight is to include flight kits, overnight bags and the passenger. Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) Crew (or Cockpit) Resource Management, can be defined as a management system which makes optimum use of all available resources - equipment, procedures and people - to promote safety and enhance the efficiency of flight operations. Cold Lake Air Weapons Range The Cold Lake Air Weapons Range is a Department of National Defence (DND) control area for the purpose of allowing military aircraft a practice / training area in the boreal forest. All aircraft are restricted from entering the zone without permission from the Cold Lake Forces Base. All aircraft must request permission to enter the range by contacting the Lac La Biche Duty Officer. If access is allowed, both a corridor and maximum elevation will be assigned. A map of the CLWR is provided in the map books and a digital map is available through PFFC. Upon clearance by the duty officer, the pilot will contact the tower at Cold Lake. Coverage Levels A number representing the number of gallons of retardant mixture dropped, or prescribed, to cover fuels in a 100 sq. ft. area. Day Base A temporary moving of a tanker group to another tanker base due to fire hazard coverage levels or to support on-going fire operations. The group is expected to be operational while enroute to the base therefore no spares or engineers are necessary as the group will be returning to their original base that evening. Drop Assessment The air attack officer will access each drop from an Airtanker for its accuracy and effectiveness. Drops will be rated as a bull’s eye, short, long, left or right. Short and long drops are rated as a fraction of the entire load. i.e. ¼ load short. Left and right drops are assessed using the wingspan of the aircraft as a reference i.e. the load was ½ wingspans left. Other factors that can be assessed include drop height, speed, coverage, foam and drift. Dummy Run



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A simulated bombing run made on a target by the Birddog to indicate both the target and run to the Airtanker. Duty Day A pilot’s duty day is restricted by the Canadian Air Regulations. This duty period is (14) fourteen hours in any 24 consecutive hours. A pilot’s duty day starts when a pilot:

• Reports for a flight, • Reports for standby that has a reporting time of one hour or less, • Performs any duty required by the company, or • Performs any duty designated by the Minister of Transport.

A pilot’s duty day ends when: • The engine is turned off at the end of the final flight, or • At the end of a predetermined standby period, whichever is later.

FBP Controlled Airspace As per the Canadian Air Regulation Standards no person may operate an aircraft over a forest fire area, or area that is located five (5) nautical miles around the fire perimeter and at an altitude of less than 3000 feet above ground level (AGL). If additional space is required, due to increased aircraft activity, a request must be made through the area office to have a Notice to all Airmen (NOTAM) issued by transport Canada for the fire area. Fire Bombing Circuit

Fire Foam (Phos-Chek WD881C and Fire-Trol 104) Are wildland Class A firefighting liquid concentrates, consisting of a surfactant, corrosion inhibitor and stabilizers. Firenet A radio system that is a province wide VHF-FM repeater network designed to meet the unique needs of Wildfire Management’s, prevention, detection and suppression operations. It will also be used on a limited basis by other Divisions within SRD and Parks. Flight Crew The flight crew includes both the pilot in command and first officer in two pilot aircraft. For birddogs the flight crew consists of both birddog pilot and the air attack officer.



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Flight Report A0-02 To ensure accurate information is collected at the time of the flight, all activity has to be recorded daily for each aircraft in use or under contract. The Daily Flight Report (AO-02) has been created and used for this purpose. An AO-02 Daily Flight report will be filled out for each aircraft under contract whether or not any flight has taken place during the day. When flight hours occur, a report will be completed and will contain information about: Purpose of the flight, Take off and Landing by Location, Hours flown, Appropriate coding, Fuel consumption, and Crew expenses. Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) Wildfire Management, Air Tanker Program, owns and contracts a variety of Thermal Imagers commonly known as the FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) scanner. Types of FLIR Systems on Alberta Birddog aircraft are;

• Safire Series is installed on the Cessna Grand Caravans. • The FLIR Mk II is installed on the Turbo Commander TC 690. • The FLIR series 8000 mounted on a Cessna Grand Caravan

Hydrometer An instrument designed to measure specific gravity. The procedure involves filtering a sample, measuring temperature; placing the hydrometer in the solution; and the reading is cross checked in the specification tables. Acceptable refractrometer readings (specific gravity) for a mixed sample are;

• Fire-Trol® 931 is 1.078 kg/litre • Phos-Chek® LV-R is 1.071 kg/litre • Phos-Check® 95a is 1.069 kg/litre

Incident Commander Is the individual responsible to organize, assign, and supervise fire suppression activities on any given incident. When assigned to an initial attack fire, the Air Attack Officer reports to the Incident Commander. The AAO will function as the Incident Commander until such time as Wildfire Management Ground Personnel are on scene and have formally assumed command. Initial Fire Assessment Form (FP41) Standard operating procedures state, that the first resource on scene is responsible to complete and pass the initial fire assessment. If the Birddog is the first resource on scene, this now becomes the Air Attack Officers responsibility. Use the FP41 Initial Fire Assessment Form when passing information to the AREA Dispatcher. Upon completion of the mission this COMPLETED form MUST be faxed or physically presented to the Area office. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) Regulations and procedures for flying aircraft by referring only to the aircraft instrument panel for navigation. Even if nothing can be seen outside the cockpit windows, an IFR-rated pilot can fly while looking only at the instrument panel. An IFR-rated pilot can also be authorized to fly through clouds, using Air Traffic Control procedures designed to maintain separation from other aircraft. Lead-in A technique whereby the Airtanker follows the Birddog on a final run.



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Lone Wolfing Lone wolfing refers to a tanker conducting drops not under the immediate supervision of a Birddog. Lone wolfing of Airtankers is prohibited. All fire bombing must be done under the direct supervision of a Birddog. The only exception is an Airtanker dropping a load over an approved abort zone and in this case the Airtanker must maintain 500 feet above ground level. Long Term Retardant Phos-Chek® LC95a - A liquid fertilizer grade ammonium polyphosphate (11-37-0), combined with guar gum, color package and a corrosion inhibitor. The mixing ratio of water to LC95a liquid concentrate is Alberta is 5.5:1This is the current retardant in use for the Province of Alberta, and is supplied by ICL Performance Products Limited. Fire-Trol® LC931 - A liquid fertilizer grade ammonium polyphosphate (10-34-0) combined with attapulgite clay, color package and a corrosion inhibitor. The mixing ratio of water to 931 liquid concentrate in Alberta is 4.75:1. LC931 was in use across the province for the last number of years; however this product is being phased out as current stocks are depleted. Mandatory Rest Period A Minimum Rest Period is a period of time in which the pilot is free from all duty, is not interrupted by the company, and is provided an opportunity to obtain not less than eight hours of prone rest, time for meals and personal hygiene, and time to travel to and from the rest facility. Time spent completing any duties required by the company following flight duty time is not to be considered part of the minimum rest period. Notice to All Airmen (NOTAM) An official notice that describes airspace where no person shall operate aircraft, issued pursuant to the Canadian Air Regulations Standard (CARS). Operational Birddog Working or low level birddog, sometimes referred to as the Tactical Birddog. Operational birddog CONTROLS the base of the stack which initiates movement in the stack Provincial Aircraft Coordinator (PAC) An individual based in the operations room at PFFC, and is responsible for the coordination of safe efficient use of Provincial Aviation assets All seeing and all wise coordinator in Edmonton who advises the Provincial Duty Officer and always phones an AAO in a working bird dog when they are on a final bomb run with multiple groups and r/w’s in orbit. Quick Strike From time to time Airtanker groups may be dispatched into neighbouring jurisdictions to assist in wildfire suppression. The approval for such missions will come through the Provincial Forest Fire Center. It is necessary for all information from these operations get forwarded to the Provincial Aircraft Coordinator before the AAO leaves the Airtanker base for the night. Information required is as follows;

• All drop reports • After Action Review Reports • Aircraft flight times (AO-02) • Alberta Retardant volume dropped • Alberta Fuel volume used

The information sent into PFFC will then be forwarded on to the jurisdiction by the PAC officer in a timely fashion, and also passed on to finance for creation of the invoice.



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Refractrometer An instrument used to measure the specific gravity. A drop-sized sample of the retardant mixed solution is placed on the instrument and a reading is obtained by simply looking into the viewing piece. This reading must fall within a specified range as defined by retardant specific salt content tables, to ensure the retardant is mixed within the required specifications. Reportable Miss Transportation Safety Board defines a reportable incident as an incident resulting directly from the operation of an airplane or a rotorcraft. A verbal message must be passed to both the Area and to the PFFC Duty Officer within 60 minutes of the occurrence and followed up by a hardcopy within two (2) hours. A written status report must be forwarded to the PFFC Duty Officer within four (4) hours of the event. Resource Tracking System It is mandatory for all Birddog, Airtanker, and Rotor wing aircraft, working for SRD, to be equipped with satellite based resource tracking modems. This allows Provincial Forest Fire Center Air Operations and the Area offices to track all aviation resources. In the future the installation of these modems will apply to crews and other resources working for SRD. The system continually updates this information and each aircraft is individually displayed on a monitor. Speed heading and GPS location are the principal outputs. The system allows for the inclusion of information with regard to the status of the mission, and any additional information required, keeping SRD staff up to date as possible. Ride-a-longs For training purposes, individuals may be allowed in the aircraft during practices and/or missions. Only in-service staff (i.e. HAC/RAP members, and permanent staff interested in the Air Attack Program) will be considered for ride-a-longs. Approval for the ride along will be from the Area Manager and the Provincial Aircraft Coordinator. The Air Attack Officer must also ensure the aircrafts company representatives, has been notified of the ride along. With authorization from the Airtanker Company’s representative and Provincial Aircraft Coordinator, an Air Attack Officer is permitted as a passenger in an Airtanker to assess new aircraft technology and pilot performance. Silent Stack Upon visually observing the Airtanker immediately below them descend to a lower position in the stack, the pilot may commence his descent to next lower stack position. This will continue until all Airtankers in the stack have taken up their new stack position. Visual reference to the Airtanker immediately below your present position must be maintained. Stack An established holding pattern over a fire for Airtankers, awaiting drop instructions. Spacing will be at 500 ft intervals. The operational birddog controls the stack movements. If the ATGS role has been activated they will assign an entry altitude for incoming tankers. Stack Check A radio call which will initiate a process requesting all Airtankers in an incident’s operational stack to report their tail number, current position and altitude. Any one in the stack which includes the Birddog team, Airtanker pilots, or ATGS team may call for a stack check, and will be mandatory if visual reference of an aircraft directly below the current altitude is lost. Target Elevation Is the intended elevation, feet above sea level, at which an Airtanker is to release their load. Target elevation is equal to the ground elevation of the target, in feet above sea level, plus the intended drop height above ground. This elevation is provided to the Airtanker, by the Birddog as part of their run description.



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TCAS / TCAD The Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (or TCAS) or Traffic Collision Avoidance Device (or TCAD) is an aircraft collision avoidance system designed to reduce the incidence of mid-air collisions between aircraft. It monitors the airspace around an aircraft for other aircraft equipped with a corresponding active transponder, independent of air traffic control, and warns pilots of the presence of other transponder-equipped aircraft which may present a threat of mid-air collision (MAC). Thirty Minute Check-in Mandatory position and status updates will made from an aircraft to the area’s dispatch centre every 30 minutes. The Birddog team will be responsible for passing along information related to their assigned Airtankers Unserviceable Aircraft Report In the event that an aircraft becomes unserviceable during an alert period, the aircraft un-serviceability must be reported to the Area Duty Officer immediately. The Air Attack Officer/Airtanker Base Supervisor will ensure the un-serviceability report (FP 26) is filled out and forwarded to the Area office, and to the PAC officer at PFFC. This will also include an estimated time to serviceability, after consultation with the maintenance staff. The completion of the un-serviceability report must be completed when the aircraft is serviceable, and signed by a representative of the air crew. The form must then be forwarded onto the area office and PFFC. VHF-AM Air Advisory Wildfire Management has been assigned a number of VHF-AM frequencies from Industry Canada. The allocation of these frequencies is managed by the communication section of Forest Operations. The air attack program has been given exclusive use of a number of these which have been assigned to the 9 air tanker groups. Five (5) frequencies have been allocated to be used for air to air advisory. The following are the radio frequencies to be used for air advisory:

• 129.800 MHZ (Primary) • 128.950 MHZ (Secondary) • 131.850 MHZ (Alternate) • 130.750 MHZ (Alternate), North of 52° only • 130.175 MHZ (Alternate), North of 53°only

Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Are a set of aviation regulations with which a pilot may operate an aircraft, in a specific airspace, with meteorological conditions better than Basic VFR Weather Minimums. For example, weather conditions sufficient to allow the pilot, by visual reference to the environment outside the cockpit, to control the aircraft's attitude, navigate, and maintain safe separation from obstacles such as terrain, buildings, and other aircraft. Wail Siren Siren signalling the ground crews, that Airtanker Operations in the area have been completed. Yelp Siren Siren signalling the ground crews of an intended and/or imminent drop from an Airtanker. All ground crews must immediately move clear of the drop zone.

REFERENCES Canadian Air Regulations Standard Sections 601.15, 601.16, Transport Canada Fire Bombing Procedures Manual, Sustainable Resource Development Wildfire Management Standard Operating Procedures, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development



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Airspace chart 1



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Airspace Chart 2



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Airspace Chart 3



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Airspace Chart 4



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INTRODUCTION OF VFR AIR TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY 123.5 OIL SANDS

AREA IN NORTH-EASTERN ALBERTA NAV CANADA recently completed an aeronautical study of the communication requirements in the Oil Sands area of north-eastern Alberta. The study recommended the creation of an air traffic advisory area and the introduction on a new frequency. The new Oil Sands air traffic advisory frequency 123.5 MHz is for the use of all pilots, prior to entering and while operating below 12,500 ft ASL while within the area joining a 20 NM radius centred on the Fort Mackay/Horizon, Fort Mackay/Firebag and Fort McMurray/Mildred Lake aerodromes. Pilots should broadcast their intentions and monitor the Oil Sands air traffic advisory frequency. Although this frequency is monitored by the Oil Sands aerodrome operators for their situational awareness, this frequency is intended for pilot-to-pilot communications. Pilots are reminded to follow the Aerodrome Traffic Frequency (ATF) procedures described in RAC 4.5.5 of the A.I.M. Canada. The UNICOM frequencies at the aerodromes within the air traffic advisory frequency will remain in effect. It is recommended that pilots complete any necessary UNICOM communications prior to entering the Oil Sands ATF Area on arrival, and prior to ground manoeuvring for departure. 123.3 – Albian UNICOM: All pilots arriving at, or departing from the Fort Mackay/Albian aerodrome should contact Albian UNICOM for company messages and weather information. 122.8 – Firebag UNICOM: All pilots arriving at, or departing from the Fort Mackay/Firebag aerodrome should contact Firebag UNICOM for company messages and weather information. 122.7 – Horizon UNICOM: All pilots arriving at, or departing from the Fort Mackay/Horizon aerodrome should contact Horizon UNICOM for company messages and weather information. 123.2 – Mildred Lake UNICOM: All pilots arriving at, or departing from the Fort McMurray/Mildred Lake aerodrome should contact Mildred Lake UNICOM for company messages and weather information. 123.2 – Muskeg Tower UNICOM: All pilots arriving at, or departing from the Muskeg Tower aerodrome should contact Muskeg Tower UNICOM for company messages. Flight information service – en route (FISE) will continue to be provided by the Edmonton flight information centre via the Fort McMurray RCO - 123.55 MHz. All IFR pilots within controlled airspace should use the Fort McMurray PAL 135.7 MHz for ATC communications. These changes will take effect 02 July 2009 at 09:01 Coordinated Time Universal (UTC) with amendments to the appropriate publications.



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For further information please contact: Brian Stockall Manager, Level of Service & Aeronautical Studies – West NAV CANADA Edmonton ACC PO Box 9867 Edmonton International Airport Edmonton, AB T5J 2T2 Tel: (780) 890-3024 Fax: (780) 890-4341 Email: [email protected]



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Oil Sands Area – Special radio procedures flyer



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Conklin – Kirby LK Freqs



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Draft preferred IFR Routes



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2010 PILOT’S HANDBOOK - Alberta · PDF fileOffice Location Area Phone Number Calgary Southern Rockies (403) 297-8800 Edson Foothills (780) 723-8269 Fort McMurray Waterways (780)