How Aerial Firefighter Pilots Are Trained | What It Takes

Aerial firefighters go through intense training before they're ready to fight active wildfires from the sky. Government agencies like the US Forest Service and state governments contract Bridger Aerospace to provide the planes and pilots used to battle blazes that threaten property and human life. We spent three days with Bridger's training team in Mesa, Arizona, where a new class of pilots and technicians trained for the 2021 fire season in the company's signature firefighting aircraft known as the Super Scooper. This $30 million "flying boat" scoops up 1,400 gallons of water before deploying it on an area affected by a wildfire.

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How Aerial Firefighter Pilots Are Trained | What It Takes

[gormauslander]

The engineers really liked that 30 number.
"Make it weigh 30, 000lbs. Make it 30' tall. Make it $30M."
"Sir, the wingspan can't be 30' "
"Multiply it by 3"

[douglasgault]

I saw these guys in action when I volunteered as a firefighter in a huge fire. We were down in a tight canyon. These guys would fly in at a right angle to the canyon. As they came over the ridge they would drop and hug the terrain while banking into a hard left. While dropping their load on target everytime. One of the best Arial acts I've ever seen. Better than close air support in Nam. These guys were great!

[ethenallen]

It's a little mind blowing trying to imagine being the first person to write the procedures for something like this.

[scorpionpilot]

This is the type of videos I subbed for.

[need]

That's what every CEO should be like, doing stuff that everyone does.

[dropbearknives]

In Australia, during the big forests fires a few years ago now, we had the fire helicopters, hired from California I think it was. Those teams were a welcome sight, going to and from the various hot spots.
When ever we heard them I'd call my kids out to admire their design and wave at the flight crews.
A hearty thx to All fire fighters on the ground and in the air. 👍

[jameslowe]

Respect to these guys, my dads in the army and he has had to jump out of planes and stuff like that, but never over fire

[jayk.]

As an Air Attack my hat is off to the Scooper pilots and crews. I'm talking ro the Hotshots on the ground, who are deep in the shit, and they're telling me where they need water. I then communicate with the Scooper pilot, give them a clearance and target description and they have to come up with a pilotage solution to get water on target. Sometimes terrain, viz, bad air, DA etc preclude a fixed wing drop but these guys never cease to amaze me. Cheers.

[PBHProductions]

Imagine being a fish just chilling in the ocean and then a plane picks you up.

[sailorgregor]

the pilots are amazing. I was working for the Forest Service in N. Idaho in the summers '70-73, and I saw first hand a tree-top level B-17 (out of Missoula) drop nearly right on top of us. Awesome experience. These purpose built planes are well-realized and that they use 737 up to a DC10 and fly them all essentially in 'ground attack' surely has to involve the most situationally aware piloting skills. My hat is off to all of them.

[nedeniaholm]

God bless them. My fiance who was copilot died in crash in 1989.

[sammylacks]

I would like to add, here in NC the terrain allows for bulldozers pulling a plow to dig a trench that can alone stop the fire. Only on bad fires that coincide with dry weather, winds and heavy fuel woodlands are aerial drops used. They like to use a natural firebreak if available, such as a road, then use fireplow on fire side or both if time permits then do a reinforcement drop from the air. Fire has its ups and downs with fuel, wind even humidity. You try to hit it hard when its down. Its been years since I have been underneath a plane that looks to big and to close to the treetops roaring over.
The members of the NCFS always spoke with respect about the firefighters out West and Cali in particular. They are I was told the best.

[XcylLencioco]

Yes I’ve been waiting for this coz its my dream to be a pilot and i want to be a aerial fire fighter

[kacie]

Been watching these guys fly and scoop from my house the past 2 weeks! They’re amazing.

[tsnaudex]

literally cannot think of a job more cool.

[nonameuno]

I've seen this plane on my nearby lake taking on water in gnarly white cap conditions getting water to fight a lightning strike fire. So freaking windy and these guys were still doing it. It was amazing to watch.

[WilsonLove.]

For some reason this video is so satisfying

[susanschofield]

This is the most flying fun you can have without killing anybody, but actually saving people!

[lilshrtt]

When h hear this narrators voice, yk the vid is gna be good

[emeraldzebra]

I remember being on a Spanish beach years ago where a 4 prop engine aircraft doing this in the bay. The next day we went out on a jeep safari right through where the fire had been and it was amazing just how much it had saved.

But nothing cooler, than sitting on the beach, having these take back off under full smack right over your head! Epic sound!!!