A new flight simulator provides a one-of-a-kind training opportunity for aerial firefighters
By Dennis W. Brown

At 12 miles out, I can see a faint smoke column through thefront windscreen of my Grumman S2-T airtanker. I make initial radio contact on Air Tactics 1, calling the air tacticalgroup supervisor (ATGS) in orbit over the fire. After I establish contact with the Buckhorn Air Tac, I’m cleared into the airspace at analtitude of 7,500 feet with an altimeter setting of 3001. Buckhorn AirTac is in orbit at 8,500 feet over the incident. Before being handed off
to Lead 5-2, I receive a thorough briefing of hazards, other aircraft in
the area and the overall operation objectives. Arriving on scene, I
pick up Lead 5-2 below me, making a dry run on the right flank of
the fire; a Skycrane and a Bell 212 helicopter are holding at the roadeast of the fire. Listening in on the helicopter air-to-air frequency, I
determine the ATGS has assigned both helicopters to the left flank.
I contact Lead 5-2 and let him know that I have arrived on scene
and that I saw the dry run he just made; I also inform him that I havea visual on the two helicopters on the left flank. Lead 5-2 indicates wewill work the right flank, providing some structure protection drops.
After giving me the target description, coverage level desired, escaperoute and minimum altitude for the drop, he advises that he has me insight and will join up with me on the downwind leg. I spot the leadplane and fall in behind him at a comfortable 1⁄4-mile to 1⁄2-mile distance.
As we turn base, I can hear the ATGS talking to the helicopters, ensuring they remain clear of our drop area and escape route.
Lead 5-2 and I make final, minor corrections as the smoke starts
to lie across the proposed line. Lead 5-2 indicates the smoke is not
bad and should not be a problem, but to break off the run if I’m not

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comfortable with it. I continue down on final, watching the leadplane, my air speed and my altimeter for my lineup and minimumdrop altitude. Just as I wonder whether I’ll have to pull off the drop
run due to less-than-adequate visibility, the smoke begins to thin out
and I can see the structures and the planned drop area. I make mybest estimate on when to release the load and then punch it off, start
to power up and gently climb out and turn to the left as planned. The
ATGS provides immediate feedback: The drop was right on line, but
a little too late on the release. I make a mental note for correction on
my next load. On my exit and climb out, I can see and hear Tanker
23, a P-3 Orion airtanker, arriving on scene and checking in with theATGS. The pilot should be able to use a portion of his load to fill thegap I left in the line.
Flying back toward the airtanker base for reload, I relax and snap
back to reality: I am not in a Grumman S2-T airtanker, but rather sitting in a flight simulator cockpit in the Wildland Fire Training andConference Center at McClellan, Calif. The retardant drop was simply a well-orchestrated simulation, with several role players flying theother aircraft. But thinking it’s real is not uncommon. Even though thesimulator does not have motion capability, it’s not unusual for experienced aerial firefighters and firefighting pilots to become absorbed andforget they are not really moving at all.

A New Training Tool
The Aerial Firefighting Simulator at McClellan is a multi-phase project
developed by the Aviation Unit of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS)

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Flying back toward theairtanker base for reload, I relax& snap back to reality: I am not
in a Grumman S2-T airtanker,
but rather sitting in a flight
simulator cockpit.
firefighting, the simulator is also useful for aerial firefighters looking to
expand or improve their skills. Flying a variety of scenarios with otheraircraft on the same fire—with the capability to pause, debrief and continue—cannot be duplicated in actual flying conditions. Many very
experienced ATGS officers and lead plane, airtanker and helicopter
pilots who have used the simulator see real value in it. The simulator
is perfect for pre-season refreshers, or just knocking the rust off of yourradio and cockpit skills after a long winter. The possibilities are really
only limited by imagination and time.

Progressing in Phases

Pacific Southwest Region. The first phase is in operation and is primarily designed to address fixed-wing operations on wildland fires; thesecond phase focuses on helicopter operations. Both phases of theproject are contracted to Los Angeles-based ATC Flight Simulators,
who in turn has sub-contracted the aerial firefighting software development to Silicon Studios in Laguna Hills, Calif. Delivery of secondphase equipment and software is expected this fall.
The intent of this project is not to train people to be airtanker orhelicopter pilots; it is to provide a safe environment to aid in the training of pilots and aerial supervision students who are new to aerial firefighting, as well to improve the knowledge and performance levels of
current aerial firefighters. There is no other place where pilots canpractice using standard operating procedures (SOPs) and terminology,
get a feel for the fire environment and the Fire Traffic Area (FTA) and
respond to changing incident conditions—all in a scenario that can bestopped and restarted when necessary.
A typical simulator scenario: Two P-3 airtankers, two S2-T airtankers, a lead plane, the ATGS platform and a Skycrane helicopter
all work the same fire simultaneously (the simulator is flexible
enough to allow for nearly any different combination of available aircraft). The participants can all see and interact with each other. They
take effective suppression action on the fire, dropping retardant or
water as appropriate. Trainee pilots experience joining up with thelead plane, entering into the FTA, observing the drop of the tanker
ahead and tying into that drop, all while hearing and using the communication terms and SOPs used during real incidents. The scenarios are entirely interactive, with the trainee pilot or ATGS flying intheir own aircraft and responding to the incident as it unfolds.
What can pilots hope to learn through the use of the simulator? In
addition to providing a valuable training tool for pilots new to aerial

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Phase I of the simulator project consists of three complete fixedwing cockpits (one single-engine and two twin-engine aircraft).
These units serve as FAA-approved flight simulators when runningthe designated operating system. However, we operate them using
the Microsoft Windows operating system, running an Aerial Fire
Suppression program that is not FAA-approved. The program
allows all three of the stations, plus four additional joystick stations, to operate together on a variety of incidents. In the aerialsuppression mode, the aircraft can drop retardant or water or serveas command and control (ATGS/helicopter coordinator [HLCO]).
Aircraft available in Phase I include airtankers (P-3 Orion,Grumman S2-T or military C-130), helicopters (Sikorsky Skycrane,
Bell 212 and Bell 206) and ATGS/aerial supervision module (ASM)
platforms or lead planes (King Air and Aero Commander).
Phase II has been awarded and will provide the simulator with two
full-service helicopter cockpits (not FAA-approved) with visual displays.
Flight controls and instrumentation will resemble a single-engine
Type II or Type III turbine helicopter. In addition, Phase II includes
improvements to the existing software, including more realistic timber type models and the addition of different aircraft models(Neptune P2V, DC-3T jump ship and a Chinook helicopter).
Operational improvements in Phase II will include the developmentof a rappel option, tanked and bucket helicopter operations andscenario-playback options. Eventually, we hope to go beyond Phase
II to develop databases that will allow us to simulate “all-risk” scenarios, such as floods, earthquakes and terrorist attacks, in a highresolution urban setting.

Unexpected Uses
Although the simulator was originally designed for aerial supervision
instruction (ATGS/ASM and HLCO), we recognized early on that airtanker and helicopter pilots would benefit tremendously from this typeof training environment. But the simulator’s uses don't stop there.
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VIRTUAL FIREFIGHTINGPHOTOS COURTESY USFS

The Aerial Firefighting Simulator simulates aerial fire attackand supervision. The scenarios are entirely interactive, withthe trainee pilot or air tactical group supervisor flying in theirown aircraft and responding to the incident as it unfolds.

These three screen shots show what trainees actually see through the simulator. Left: In the aerial-suppression mode, pilots canwatch other aircraft operations and practice critical SOPs and communication skills. Center: Simulator participants can perform water drops using several different helicopters, including this Sikorsky Skycrane, a Bell 212 and a Bell 206. Right: One of theadvantages of the simulator: It provides trainee pilots an opportunity to experience operations inside the fire traffic area.

Recently, students from the Aviation Safety for Emergency
Response program at the University of California-Davis used the simulator in their Human Factors, Operational Risk Management andOperational Communications courses. In the classroom setting, thesimulator is used in a slightly different manner. Role players man thecockpits while 10 to 14 students in a classroom listen to and observe
the incident unfold on an overhead projector. The scenario director
selects a variety of views of the incident, such as the ATGS’ righthand window view, front view from an airtanker and helicopter
downward view. The students make notes of problems or positive

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observations relating to the specific training they’ve received, such as
poor risk-management decisions, poor communication procedures orhuman-factors issues. At the conclusion of the scenario, the group ofstudents develops a plan on how to improve on what they have justseen and heard. They then brief the role players on the desiredchanges, and the scenario is replayed and re-evaluated.
Numerous pilots and agencies have participated in simulation
sessions so far, and many more are planned. In addition to the UCDavis courses, the USFS has used the simulator for interagency
ATGS and ASM refresher training and two interagency Helicopter4

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Eventually, we hope to develop
databases that will allow us tosimulate “all-risk” scenarios,
such as floods, earthquakes &terrorist attacks, in a highresolution urban setting.

A Training Transformation?
The effect this project will have on the aerial firefighting world is yet tobe seen; however, the simulator provides tremendous promise inimproving the effectiveness and safety of aerial firefighting operations.
New scenarios, software and equipment will continue to improve thistool, but it will be the willingness of the aerial firefighting and emergency response communities to make the commitment to the training—and the associated costs involved—that will ultimately makethe difference during real incidents.
Dennis W. Brown is the aviation safety manager for the USFS PacificSouthwest Region in McClellan, Calif. He began his career with the USFS
in 1971, working on engines and handcrews before becoming a smokejumper in Redding, Calif. Brown has worked extensively in fire and fuels
management and served for more than 20 years as the primary air tacticalgroup supervisor for the Klamath National Forest.

PHOTO COURTESY USFSManager sessions. In addition, private companies and other public
safety agencies can rent the simulator for specific training.
Evergreen International took advantage of this option in preparing
its 747 flight crews for working in the fire environment. Both Los
Angeles County Fire Department helicopter pilots and a contingentof air-attack and Birddog pilots from British Columbia completed
training on the simulator in April. Interest from numerous states,
Canadian provinces and several foreign countries, including

Australia, Hong Kong, Spain and Argentina, ensures that this new
training tool will remain in high demand.

A typical simulator scenario involves multiple users and aircraft to create a training situation that’s as close to reality as possible.
Participants work the same fire simultaneously, seeing and interacting with each other.

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