Helicopter Type 1
Name (3) Make/Models of Type 1 Helicopters?
Sikorsky S-61 - Sikorsky S-64 (Skycrane) - Sikorsky S-70 (Firehawk)
Boeing CH47 (Chinook)
Boeing Vertol 234
Kaman KMAX
Aerospatiale Super Puma AS332L-1
Name (3) Make/Models of Type 2 Helicopters?
Bell 212 HP
Bell 205-A-1++
Bell UH1H Super (Super Huey)
Airbus H145
AgustaWestland AW139
Name (3) Make/Models of Type 3 Helicopters?
Bell 412
Bell 407
Bell 206B (Jetranger)
Eurocopter UH-72A
Airbus H125
Hughes 500E
Eagle 407HP
Aerospatiale AStar 350B-3
Name (3) Make/Models of Fixed Wing Air Attack?
Beechcraft King Air 200
Bronco OV-10A
Pilatus PC-12
Rockwell Aero Commander 690B
Cessna Caravan I 208
Daher Kodiak 100
Gulfstream Commander 690 A/B
Quest Kodiak 100
Name (2) make/models for UAS
Freefly Alta X
DJI Matrice 600
Freefly Astro
Vision Aerial SwitchBlade-Elite
Skydio Model x10
Parrot Anafi USA
DJI Mavic 2
Autel Evo II 640T
What does MAFFS stand for?
Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems
What is the passenger capacity range for a Type 2 helicopter?
A Type 2 is capable of carrying 9–14 passengers.
What is the purpose of a “helitack” operation?
To rapidly deploy firefighters to a wildfire using a Type 3 Helicopter
Which aircraft type is often paired with large airtankers to scout drop zones and assist in maneuvering?
Leadplane — a small, twin-engine fixed-wing aircraft flown by an experienced pilot to direct larger airtankers.
UAS stands for Unmanned Aerial System
What is the bucket size capable of transporting water for a Sikorsky S-64 (Skycrane) in gallons?
2000 Gallons
This large capacity makes it highly effective for aerial firefighting missions, where it can deliver significant volumes of water or fire retardant over large burn areas. The tank is integrated into the helicopter’s design to optimize lift and stability during water drops.
What is the maximum water capacity of a Type 2 helicopter?
A Type 2 Helicopter is capable of carrying around 300 gallons of water.
How many passengers can a Type 3 Helicopter carry?
They can typically carry 5-9 passengers
What is the difference between a leadplane and an air attack aircraft?
A leadplane focuses on scouting and directing large airtankers, while an air attack aircraft is the ATGS in the air, directly coordinating all aerial resources on the fire.
What is the maximum range for a Type 1 UAS?
Maximum Range for a Type 1 UAS is 50 miles
How many passengers can a Type 1 Helicopter carry?
Some Type 1 helicopters can transport up to 15 personnel to an incident.
Others are configured primarily for water/retardant delivery and may carry only a small crew or no passengers at all.
What is the difference between standard and restricted aircraft when ordering in IROC?
Restricted: Restricted aircraft cannot carry personnel on the aircraft and are more operationally based. Restricted Category helicopters are purpose-built or modified for firefighting and may have simplified or specialized maintenance but are limited to the approved special purpose use.
Standard: Standard aircraft is federally carded to carry personnel to and from fires, deliver cargo to and from fires and act as a commuter aircraft. Commonly used by federal agencies like the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service for water/retardant drops, personnel transport, and reconnaissance.
Remember:
Restricted - No employees can be on board (HE1R)
Standard - Used for carrying employees like Rappelers to and from fires (HE2S)
What is the main advantage of a Type 3 Helicopter over a Type 2 in Initial Attack?
Type 3 Helicopters have a higher cruise speed, allowing them to reach the scene of an initial attack wildfire faster.
What is the main difference between a VLAT and a LAT?
VLATs carry more than double the capacity of retardant than the smaller LATs
How long is the battery life for the UAR3?
Endurance of battery life for a UAR3 is 20-60 minutes
Certain aircraft are specialized and will not fit this classification.
What is the top speed of a Federal Type 1 Helicopter?
Around 138–140 mph in cruise, with rotor wash speeds at the ground exceeding 80 mph (55 mph at a 100‑foot hover)
How does a Type 2 helicopter differ from a Type 1 in terms of size and capability?
A Type 1 Helicopter is larger, faster, and can carry 700+ gallons and 15+ passengers.
Type 2 is smaller, slower, and carries around 300 gallons with 9–14 seats.
How many gallons of water can a Type 3 Helicopter carry?
A Type 3 helicopter used in wildland firefighting typically carries about 180 gallons of water in a bucket.
This capacity is part of its role as a light, agile aircraft capable of transporting less personnel than a Type 2 and arriving quickly at wildfire scenes for initial attack operations.
What is the capacity range of a Large Airtanker (LAT) and the Very Large Airtanker (VLAT)?
LAT - 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of fire retardant
VLAT - Over 8,000 gallons of fire retardant
What must UAS Operators send to dispatch before they can fly for various missions?
Flight By Notification - This includes dates of the flight, lat/long of the area they intend to fly and the mission description.
What color on AFF is a Type 1 Helicopter?
Orange!
What color on AFF is a Type 2 Helicopter?
Blue!
What color on AFF is a Type 3 Helicopter?
Blue!
What color is an Air Attack on AFF?
Green! Same as the Recon plane!
What does the aircraft dispatcher do after receiving a notification that the UAS operator has experienced a lost link flyaway?
Notify aircraft in the area and ground personnel - Must provide Altitude, Direction and battery life obtained from the UASP - Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot.
Notify Assistant and Center Manager
If UAS will enter controlled airspace, notify the controlling agency
Wait for the duration of the fuel/battery load