New USFS aircraft engineering contract requires C-27 experience

C-27J lands at Qalat, Afghanistan.
C-27J taxis after landing at Qalat, Afghanistan. USAF photo by Master Sgt Jeffery Allen.

The U.S. Forest Service has awarded an aircraft engineering support services contract to Aeronautica. Issued on November 4, the specifications in the solicitation require the contractor to have experience as an engineer with the G222, C27A or C27J. It is also necessary for the contractor to have a Designated Engineering Representative on staff that is fluent in Italian.

The USFS hopes to acquire seven Italian-designed C-27Js from the U.S. Air Force, but the Coast Guard is battling them and wants to get all of the remaining 14, possibly giving the USFS some old Coast Guard C-130s instead. The C-27Js are almost brand new and the USFS wants to use them as air tankers, smokejumper platforms, or for hauling cargo and firefighters.

Since the engineering contract specifically mentions the C-27J, the USFS must have been pretty certain when the solicitation was issued August 2, 2013 that they were going to obtain the aircraft. However the one to five-year contract, with a not-to-exceed amount of $300,000, has provisions that could apply to other planes as well, including:

  • Aircraft certification
  • Aircraft operational loads monitoring
  • Assist in determining contract compliance for other aircraft
  • Small Scale Engineering Projects
  • Integration of retardant delivery systems on large aircraft

It will be interesting to see how the negotiations between the USFS and the Coast Guard turn out.

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5 thoughts on “New USFS aircraft engineering contract requires C-27 experience”

  1. I agree in principle, Jerome

    BUT

    No more differentiating between military and civilian standards…

    If the are going to accept either aircraft…..then they had best get on a FAA approved or military approved maintenance and training program

    If they accept..then they accept the so called Public Use designation in its entirety and accept both military and civilian maintenance and training schedules and PAY for it.

    If they accept both these ships…then no bitching about FAA, military and other requirements.

    You and I both know what it takes to maintain our currency and aircraft…..they will learn in short order about this and the impending shortage of pilots due to the aging and also the FAA and pilot reqs after the Colgan 3407 incident.

    Like some others have said here…..not many Airtanker drivers in the pipeline any more and it’s going to take more than the Fed NAFA “academy” at NAFRI….

    It is going to take the speed and necessity of training only the military, FSI, Simuflite, etc to even come to necessary training standards. NOTHING in the USFS aerial training program meets the standards of others in the business

  2. C27 or C130’s?? Why hesitate…Get the Hercs!
    Have Coulson install the 3500 Gallons Rads Tank and of you go with a great Tanker!
    US made. Parts.
    GOCO: Contractor(s) for maintenance and crews
    Great for IA and EA.
    Now we’re talking…

  3. tg

    Long time. No read from…

    Weren’t we all sort of discussing this summer….even what with Eversole wrote over at AHSAFA….

  4. Coast Guard battling USFS…….May the best man win……personally I don’t see what the USCG sees other than two less engines burning JP4 or JP8.

    Oh and that NTE 300K ………not going to em very far.

    Hopefully Aeronautica spends it all……and then say……wellll USFS…that is just the start….

    Stay tuned….this about to get interesting

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