Air Attack Questions

[LTP]

I have some questions regarding Air Attack.
As far as the USFS(and some others) what was the reasoning behind using Aero Commanders, besides that they are reasonably fast and high wing aircraft? How many people do they normally take up? Obviously with an OV-10 there is only room for pilot + 1. Does the ATGS have a seperate radio stack, or how does radio transmissions work as to not interfere with traffic control and normal flight operations chatter?
Thanks
LTP

[NMAirBear]

LTP:

OK I will take the bait. There are different Commanders out there ranging from the old piston poppin' Shrikes to the new Renaissance turbine powered. They are all great air attack platforms for the reasons you stated: Yes...great visibility, high reliability, low cost, etc. The companies that own them, and I tend to pay a lot of attention to this anymore, are very reputable with older and very well seasoned and safe pilots. That is the best reason why I like them.

As far as radios go: Of course the ATGS has his/her entire stack that can be separated completely from the pilot which is not the usual situation. We are both multitaskers if we are a good module. The pilot needs to be an equal member of the firefighting effort if not otherwise totally engaged AND the ATGS needs to be a good copilot. Most of the pilots, the good ones, want it that way. Regarding the stack and all of the other gizmos: if you are over a fire or otherwise airborne you had still better keep your eyes looking out of the windows. Your number one job is air traffic control and that includes you too from wheels up until on the ground having to again put up with some rank airtanker base manager.

Regarding working in busy airspace (and this is not a personal attack, it is lessons learned the hard way which is unfortunatley how we have to learn everything): I worked recently with a trainee in the front seat with me in the back. He insisted on gabbing his brains out on the forest frequency (FM) as we transited a TCA trying to get to the fire as fast as possible. This was in a tower controlled area over a very busy major urban international airport. Between the pilot and I we could not tell the guy enough to just shut the F___ up until we get out of here. We do not want to miscommunicate regarding nearby large commercial aircraft with 200 plus people in them.

In the ATGS biz: You check your ego at the door. You get down to business and there is no room for error. Air attack is not a game. It is a deadly serious business that our wildland firefighting effort depends upon very seriously. I was reminded again today by another ATGS buddy that almost all of our friends are dead. We cried together again. We do this very regularly now.

OK....back to Aero Commanders. I still live to fly, especially out of Commanders.

Tim