C337 Air Attack

[scubabri]

Anyone done this who can give me the scoop? I'm going to be flying part time, just want to know what to expect, what should I carry on the plane, anything that makes the time in the air easier?

thanks

sb

 

[avbug]

It's a 135 job turning circles to the right for long hours. Plan accordingly.

 

[SpauldingSmails]

Yeah, what he said. I hope for your sake it has air conditioning. I've spent my past two summers turning right out west in queen airs. At my busiest it was about 150 hours worth in 5-weeks.

What company BTW? Eagle Cap? Stevensville?

 

[414Flyer]

Air Attack flying can be fun, but it can be tedious too. Can be anything from doing recon flights, to guiding firefighters to a smoking stump on a ridge from a lightning strike, or it can be right turns for 8 hours in a day.

You will be flying with an ATGS (air attack group supervisor), who is an experienced firefighter that helps coordinate the firefighting from the air, and that can run the air side of ops.

Some of them are pretty cool, and then just like in any field, you can get the occasional one that is not so cool.

They will handle most if not all the fire radio traffic, its your job to get the aircraft to the fire, give him a good view of the operations, and above all, do it safely. Have good situational awareness for other inbound traffic and terrain, know how to use the GPS very well, help him monitor radios, since there will be multiple ones being used.

You will learn a lot from it. I first did air attack back in 02, a bit of DC-4 tankering in 04, a couple seasons on an engine, and am on a smokejumper aircraft that goes on contract monday up in Alaska.

 

[scubabri]

Thanks to everyone who replied. So can I turn it in to something else larger? I'm doing it as a favor for a friend who needs a pilot 4 days a week, I don't need the time (well, couldn't hurt) but it would be nice to turn it into something else like a larger aircraft.

 

[avbug]

Like what?

 

[414Flyer]

Thanks to everyone who replied. So can I turn it in to something else larger? I'm doing it as a favor for a friend who needs a pilot 4 days a week, I don't need the time (well, couldn't hurt) but it would be nice to turn it into something else like a larger aircraft.

Not sure if there are any STCs to modify the C-337 and make it larger, I doubt it, although I have seen a single engine C-337 before

 

[scubabri]

Oh you guys...

Not sure if there are any STCs to modify the C-337 and make it larger, I doubt it, although I have seen a single engine C-337 before

 

[unwashed]

Not sure if there are any STCs to modify the C-337 and make it larger, I doubt it, although I have seen a single engine C-337 before

Did they put the 250 up front and make it into an air ambo?

 

[414Flyer]

No, they modified the engine in the back for more power, and enlarged the nose, putting sensors inside to test them there before putting them in a Predator UAV.

 

[phr8dawg]

I heard rumours of a speculative STC to put a bullet nose on the thing and a weird commie turboprop in the tail (Walter?) and make it a single pusher. But somebody said...why?