Your Aerial Supervision Specialist
These are the prerequsite ICS qualifications for HLCO
What is TFLD, OR STEN, STCR OR STEN?
On Inital Attack fires, until an IC arrives on the fire ground, this person is the defacto IC.
What is an Aerial Supervisor? (ATGS, ASM, BirdDog, HLCO)
The name of the red stuff dropped by aircraft
What is retardant?
The term used to refer to the airspace over an incident that is NOT a TFR
What is the Fire Traffic Area (FTA)?
The most effective aerially delivered substance for direct attack application on the fire
What is water or enhanced water?
In the ICS command structure, the Aerial Supervisor works for this person
What is the IC or Air Ops?
The name of the low level Aerial Supervision aircraft with a single person/pilot onboard
What is a Leadplane (LPIL)?
This aircraft is a large turbine powered amphibious aircraft that can drop up to 1600 gallons of water from a local water source
What is a CL-415? (CL-215T, CL-515, duck)
The maximum number of helicopters that can operate over a fire without Aerial Supervision
What is 2?
The first thing that an Air Attack should be seeking from Command when first arriving on scene
What are objectives?
The maximum number of hours of flight time a single pilot may work in a 24 hour period
What is 8 hours?
The primary responsibility of an Aerial Supervisor
Safety of aircraft
The non-brand name for not red chemicals added to water for fire suppression
What are water enhancers?
This is what MOA stands for
What is Military Operations Area?
The distance from waterways that retardant application should cease
What is 300’?
The name for an Aerial Supervisor that manages only helicopters / rotors
What is a HLCO (Helicopter Coordinator)?
The term used by ground resources to describe the thing that good Air Attacks hate doing because it’s inefficient and costly
What is “checking“ / “delaying” / “buying time”?
The most essential operational tactic to insure the effectiveness and efficiency of aerially delivered supressants
What are boots on the ground in support. Ground troops, etc.?
This is an FAA legally regulated airspace prohibiting non-participating aircraft from flying there
What is a TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction)?
The usual range of time required for a load of 8 smokejumpers and paracargo to clear the airspace
What is 45 minutes to an hour?
This is how many radios are common for an ATGS to operate and monitor.
What is 9-11? (3 AMs, 3-4 dual band FMs)
The minimum amount of line clearance that is safe for ground personnel prior to a large airplane tanker drop
What is 2 tree lengths, similar to heavy equipment?
The maximum amount of water a single engine scooper can carry and drop
What is 800 gallons?
4-8 of the conditions that require Aerial Supervision be ordered or on scene
What is multiple (2+) aircraft OR mixed type (fixed/rotor) - urban interface - congested airspace - periods of low light or visibility - MAFFS - any time requested by aircrews - UAS operations with manned aircraft airborne?
The maximum amount of time retardant continues to be effective without rainfall
What are months?