Aerial Firefighting

About the Job

Aerial firefighting began in the 1950s

Military aircraft, ex-commercial airliners, helicopters and

seaplanes are used

Goal: To drop fire retardant or water on wildfires to aid ground

crews

A typical season lasts 4 - 5 months in the summer

There are 10 companies and 44 USFS contracts

Minimum Requirements
For first officer position in a large air tanker
800 hours of PIC time (100 of these in the
last 12 months)
Commercial Certificate

Instrument and Multi-engine ratings

Crop dusting experience is helpful

http://cgibin.erols.com/afia/airtankpilot.html
Salary
First officer: $35,000 - $45,000 /season

Captain: $45,000 - $75,000 /season

http://womanpilot.com/?p=41
Pros Cons
Decent Salary Not family friendly
Stressful
Season lasts 4 - 5 Demanding
months Unpredictable
Rewarding and Can be dangerous
exciting Season only lasts 4-5
months
Becoming Captian of a
Large Air Tanker
Step 1:
Graduate from Westminster with:
Bachelors Degree
Commercial Certificate
Instrument and multi-engine ratings
Step 2:
Become a Flight Instructor
Multi-engine instructor
Instrument instructor
Try to build at least 1000 hours
Step 3:
Get a job crop-dusting
Valuable experience with
low level flight
AT - 802F aircraft are used
for crop dusting and aerial
firefighing
Gain turbine time http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/part-135/13524-firefighting-pilot.html
Step 4:
Become First Officer of a Large Air Tanker
Train through winter
Assist captain with
Flying the plane
Navigation
Basic Maintenance
Could last between 3 and 10 years
Step 5:
Become Captain and PIC
Works Cited
http://jetcareers.com/aerial-firefighting-faq.html
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/part-135/13524-firefighting-pilot.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_8648657_become-tanker-pilot-fire-fighter.html
http://cgibin.erols.com/afia/airtankpilot.html
http://www.shmoop.com/careers/air-tanker-pilot/qualifications.html
http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/nifc/aviation/seat.Par.45590.File.dat/ISO
G.pdf
http://fireaviation.com/tag/12-questions/