USFS To Resume Night Helo Firefighting | Aviation International News

USFS To Resume Night Helo Firefighting

By Mark Huber • Contributor

October 2, 2012

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) will resume contract night helicopter firefighting operations in Southern California next year. The announcement was made recently after the USFS evaluated a study it commissioned that was completed in 2010. That study found that helicopter night operations can mitigate the costs and risks of wildfires by retarding their size.

The USFS began night helicopter firefighting in 1976 using a contracted Bell 212 equipped with night-vision goggles (NVGs). In 1977 a Los Angeles County helicopter and a USFS helicopter collided during night operations on a wildfire, resulting in one death and prompting Los Angeles County to suspend its NVG program at the time. The County resumed night fire operations using NVGs in 2005. The USFS discontinued night helicopter operations in 1983, citing limited use and program cost.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

DTA Pitches Two-seat Hybrid eVTOL

French gyroplane maker brings its JP1 multicopter to NBAA-BACE

DTA's two-seat JP1 hybrid eVTOL flies at dusk during uncrewed flight testing in France.

Aero Friedrichshafen Gives Helicopters More Lift in 2027

Expanded helicopter presence spans executive and general aviation

Bell helicopter on static display in exhibition hall

Aviation Wins with Reversal of Indy Heliport Closure

Plans called for selling the 5.36-acre property to the city of Indianapolis

VAI's Cade Clark and Katia Veraza

Romania Orders 12 SAFE-backed H225M Helicopters

Initial fleet renewal could precede additional 30 domestically assembled units

Two H225Ms in flight

Falcon Executive Cleared for Flights at Dubai Helipark

Facility at Al Maktoum International Airport will complement the group’s FBO

Dubai Helipark

Aero Asset: Twin-engine Helicopter Sales Activity Up

Pricing on heavy twins reached a five-year high in the first half

Sikorsky S-92 in flight

Louisiana Rotor Pathway Advances Rotorcraft Careers

Program started with Utah and North Dakota

Airbus Helicopters H215 Super Puma helicopter

Nepal Relief Efforts Need More Support and Coordination

Local rotorcraft industry leader urges international partners to get involved in crisis

Nepal army helicopter