Tag: SEATs

APPLY NOW: Canadian women in aviation scholarship

Author Kelly AnderssonPosted on Categories Fixed wingTags , , , , Leave a comment on APPLY NOW: Canadian women in aviation scholarship
Applications are open for the Xenia Morales Women in Aviation Scholarship. The 2023 scholarship winner,  Katie Clybourne, was pursuing a Bachelor of Science in aviation with minors in both geography and environmental science at Mount Allison University and Moncton Flight College.

Forest Protection Limited SEATs
Forest Protection Limited SEATs

The sponsor of this scholarship, New Brunswick’s Forest Protection Limited, wrote last fall that Katie was juggling three jobs during the school year while maintaining an impressive 4.0 GPA. In a class of 69 students, she  was among the first to complete her flying hours and became the first woman to obtain her Private Pilot License (PPL) in 2023. She also was pursuing her night rating and Commercial Pilot License (CPL) at Moncton Flight College.

Forest Protection LimitedThe Xenia Morales Women in Aviation Scholarship is awarded annually to women in aviation — as either an aircraft maintenance engineer or an agriculture pilot — and helps deserving women who are committed to protecting natural resources while pursuing an aviation career.

            • Estimated value: $5,000
            • Available scholarships: One per year
            • Scholarship year: 2024
            • Application deadline: June 28, 2024

Xenia Morales Scholarship -- Forest Protection Limited

 

Submit your essay titled “Xenia Morales – Women in Aviation Scholarship” to in**@fo*********************.com  — deadline is 28 June 2024.
PILOT APPLICANT:

The scholarship will help fund the costs of completing a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) or agricultural pilot training. Preference will be given to those enrolled in agricultural pilot training or with a clear career plan to work in a 702 environment.

AME APPRENTICE APPLICANT:

The scholarship will help with the costs of completing approved training at a Transport Canada Approved Training Organization (ATO).

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit a 500-1000 word essay including:

        • A personal statement describing how this opportunity would help advance your professional goals.
        • Pilot applicants must include a statement about interest in 702 operations.
        • Financial need or other barriers you face or have overcome.
        • Involvement in the aviation community.
        • Other personal accomplishments.

Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents and preference is given to New Brunswick residents. The successful applicant must provide proof of good academic standing or proof of enrollment in her program of study. The scholarship will be paid directly to the training institution.

Established in 2021, the scholarship provides financial assistance to women pursuing an aviation career. It promotes gender equality in the aviation industry and supports women committed to protecting natural resources with an aviation career.

Forest Protection Air Tractor AT-802s are the world’s largest single-engine airtankers, and are customized with specialized equipment, computers and software. The dual-use aircraft are equipped for both aerial firefighting and agricultural aerial treatment missions. Forest Protection Limited staffs 11 reload bases throughout New Brunswick, equipped with fire retardant, foam, and water, allowing for fast turnaround on suppression flights.

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Dauntless expands fleet of SEAT scoopers

Author Kelly AnderssonPosted on Categories Fixed wing, UncategorizedTags , , , Leave a comment on Dauntless expands fleet of SEAT scoopers

Dauntless Air has announced a fleet expansion amid increasing demand for its single-engine water-scooping aircraft. The company’s added five more Fire Bosses to its fleet of water-scooping SEATs. In the U.S. a record number of new Fire Boss solicitations were issued during this past off-season.

“The Fire Boss is a game-changer in wildfire suppression,” said Brett L’Esperance, CEO of Dauntless Air.

Dauntless Air Fire Boss photo - CREDIT Brian Gailey
Dauntless Air Fire Boss photo © Brian Gailey

As far back as 2012, the RAND Corporation recommended an increased focus on scoopers in the U.S. aerial firefighting strategy — amid numerous other airtanker studies. “It’s been a long time coming, but it’s clear that single-engine scooper initial attack is gaining ground around the world,” added L’Esperance.

As climate change and other factors exacerbate the frequency and intensity of wildfires, more states and federal agencies are considering increased focus on scoopers.

A total of 29 OAS-compliant Fire Bosses now operate across 24 exclusive-use and 10 CWN contracts, up from 15 EU and 7 CWN contracts from last year. Dauntless Air holds most of these contracts, many of which were issued by states that have never before offered a SEAT scooper contract.

Internationally, fire agencies have now ordered dozens of Fire Bosses to add to their firefighting fleets. Officials in Greece have ordered a record-setting 31 Fire Bosses in the last two years, and Turkey and Slovenia secured manufacturer contracts — for 15 and four aircraft, respectively.

David Dow’s Fire Boss photos were featured by General Aviation News; photos he captured of pilots conducting training flights at Heber Springs Municipal Airport (KHBZ) in Arkansas; they were operating out of Greers Ferry Lake just north of Little Rock.

 

Air Tractor news

Author Kelly AnderssonPosted on Categories Fixed wingTags ,

Air Tractor, Inc. has joined the United Aerial Firefighting Association (UAFA), an organization dedicated to advocating for aerial firefighting safety and standardization on the local, state, and federal levels. New Jersey had some help from an Air Tractor last week on its fires, and Slovenia is purchasing four new Air Tractor SEATs for firefighting after an awful season in 2022.

Air Tractor joined the UAFA as an Affiliate Member, according to an Aerial Fire Magazine story. The organization categorizes companies that support the aerial firefighting industry, including original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), insurance companies, and other associated for-profit entities.The UAFA was established in 2022 to foster and promote safety and standardization in the aerial firefighting community through education, advocacy, and collaboration.

Air Tractor
Air Tractor photo

New Jersey fires:
Last week, according to ABC7 in New York, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service employed both helicopters and an Air Tractor fighting fires in the Pine Barrens. They have a little video news clip at that link with some Air Tractor shots and an interview with one of the pilots on the fire. The Air Tractor helped knock down the fires burning in West Milford and the Lakehurst area.

Pilot Dan Phillips of Coastal Air Strike said they sometimes fly the aircraft just 60 feet above burning treetops to drop water on fires. “The biggest challenge is putting this water around where the firefighters want it,” Phillips said.

Joining the UAFA:
Air Tractor President Jim Hirsch said wildfire seasons have become more complex, with increasing demands for aerial firefighting assets, and the UAFA offers manufacturers and contractors a unified voice. Hirsch said, “It has become clear that the aerial firefighting industry must unite its voices to achieve better outcomes for the people and property threatened by these fires. As the leading builder of firefighting SEAT aircraft, it only made sense that Air Tractor added its voice to this organization.”

Slovenia Acquires Four Fire-Bombing Air Tractors:
The new SEATs will be flown by the Slovenian Civil Protection Service to support aerial firefighting operations. The first two aircraft are scheduled for delivery in June of this year, with the remaining two anticipated in 2024, according to a story by AirMed&Rescue.

With full tanks, the Air Tractor can weigh up to 16,000 pounds. The single-engine turboprop planes are powered by Pratt & Whitney PT-6A engines, and can carry over 3,000L (almost 800 gallons) of water at a time.

“Geographically, from the Midwest to Alaska, to the Western states and Southern states, you’ve got a lot of different terrain and fire types,” said Jesse Weaver, Dauntless Chief Pilot, in a feature by AirMed&Rescue. “Some areas are more mountainous, so they definitely see the value of small, highly maneuverable planes. Others like Florida have a lot of retardant exclusion zones because of all the wetlands, so scoopers work well in those places.”

The Slovenia purchases were prompted by extreme wildfires in the country’s Kras region last summer, one of which burned over 8000 acres of farmland.