Aerial Fire Spring 2018

agairupdate.com SPRING 2018

Macedonian AT-802 Fire Boss seen following heavy maintenance in Croatia Red Bull Air Race newest star: The Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss

keep turning… in this issue Spring 2018

A special section devoted to aerial firefighting and forestry

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N E W S P A P E R

12 770 Fire Angel poised for Australian fires 14 Wipaire expands team members 17 RockAIR approved for USFS airborne firefighting 18 Thrush Aircraft begins exploration of

autonomous air tanker 20 Macedonian AT-802A Fire Boss spotted following

heavy maintenance in Croatia 22 Red Bull Air Race newest star:

The Air Tractor AT-802 Fire Boss

PUBLISHER: Bill Lavender - bill@agairupdate.com EDITOR: Graham Lavender - editor@agairupdate.com ACCOUNTING: Sandy Lavender - accounting@agairupdate.com ADMINISTRATION: Casey L. Armstrong - casey@agairupdate.com ADVERTISING: Ernie Eggler - ernie@agairupdate.com Melanie Woodley - melanie@agairupdate.com CLASSIFIED ADS: classifieds@agairupdate.com Melanie Woodley - melanie@agairupdate.com PRODUCTION: Deborah Freeman - aau@agairupdate.com CIRCULATION: Mary Jane Virden - maryjane@agairupdate.com subs@agairupdate.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Carlin Lawrence - carlin@agairupdate.com Alan McCracken - mccrackenalan@yahoo.com Regina Farmer - regina.farmer@chem-man.com Tracy Thurman - thurmantracyt@gmail.com LATIN AMERICAN REPS: Ernesto Franzen - ernesto@agairupdate.com Gina Hickmann - gina@agairupdate.com Ivan Parra - ivanlp8@gmail.com Noelia Burgeus - noeliburgues@gmail.com Pat Kornegay - pat@svatx.com © Copyright 2018 AgAir Update retains all rights for reproduction of any material submitted, to include but not limited to articles, photographs, emails and bulletin board posts. All material remain the copyright of AgAir Update. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in part or whole, without the written consent of the publisher. Editorial published do not necessary reflect the views of the publisher. Content within AgAir Update is believed to be true and accurate and the publisher does not assume responsibility for any errors or omissions. Unsolicited editorial manuscripts and photos are welcomed and encouraged. We cannot be responsible for return unless submissions are accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Advertising deadline is 12 noon, on the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication.

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On the cover: The Aerotech Group’s Fire Angel 770-gallon Thrush makes a practice water bombing with company pilot, Shaun Sinclair, at the controls. The Transland/DynaNav controller can make Level 1 through Level 6 rated drops..

On this page: Sam McCabe with the 770 Fire Angel (converted 710P Thrush). Note the closed Transland Fire Gate that interfaces with a Transland/DynaNav controller and GPS. Sam also serves as Vice-President of the Aerial Application Association of Australia. See story on page 6. &

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AgAir Update, a multiple-award winning publication, is a tabloid newspaper 12.25” deep by 10” wide on a 2.25” 4 column format. Contract rates are available upon request.

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This is my everything There’s a lot riding with this Air Tractor. My livelihood, my reputation—my life is in this airplane. When lives and property are at stake, I want the total package.

Safety. Airframe. Engine. 24/7 support. A champion for my way of life and a supporter of this industry. The stakes couldn’t be higher. So I need everything.

With Air Tractor, I get everything.

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Marc Mullis marc@agairupdate.com

from the SEAT

Struggling with the government January has morphed into February and with it sees the return of the Southern Plains winter fire season. Predictive Services is forecasting a huge swath of the country encompassing most of Texas, Oklahoma and large parts of Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico to be under elevated fire danger perhaps well into the month of May. Last year these wind driven fires resulted in deaths of six people and thousands of heads of livestock. As a precaution, the Texas Forest Service has mobilized a large number of firefighting assets, including aircraft. By the first of February, there were eight SEATs, one heavy air tanker and associated aerial supervision platforms.

Once again it appears the Bureau of Land Management has bungled the National Single Engine Air Tanker fire contracts. They issued a bid within a bid seeking cheaper prices which in itself seems shady; seemingly certain contractors had access to other contractors’ prices. This bears resemblance to what is going in Washington, DC these days where upper level management sets the rules and do what they want, not what is right. There have been at least four protests filed. We should soon see where this will go.

The government’s experiment using Cessna Citation jets for lead planes has failed. It is

reported that on a steep pushover the engines on the Citation would hiccup causing the pilot great concern. The reason for the experiment was the King Airs and turbine Commanders that had been filling this position were simply not fast enough to keep up with today’s jetpowered third generation air tankers. I am sure the experiment will continue, as it is apparent that aerial supervision coordination is lacking on initial attack fires. The Citation jets were a pleasure to work with and I hate to see them go.

The following is just a small example of how politics at the top affects the average little guy or gal. In January I was scheduled to attend the National Aerial Firefighting Academy in Sacramento, California. Hotels were reserved, rental car arranged and airline tickets purchased. The day before I was to fly out I received an email stating that due to the government shut-down the course had been cancelled. This one event affected hundreds of workers both government and civilian.

I can only imagine the amount of waste globally, certainly in the billions of dollars

in aerial firefighting. On a large complex fire, one gets situational data on where you need to be on the fire and the location of other aircraft. With more aircraft complying with the mandate, it will only get better.

Hope you all have a safe and prosperous fire season and I hope to see you in the mountains.

Marc

The ABS-D requirement for aircraft position reporting will go into effect on January 01, 2020. For several years, I have had one in my aircraft. With each season and more widespread use, it has become a valuable tool

Spring 2018

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770 Fire Angel poised for Australia

by Jessica McCabe

In December 2017, The Aerotech Group, based in Kent Town, SA Australia, took possession of its new 710P Thrush. The purchase was made through Campbell Briggs of Statewide Aviation, Australia’s Thrush dealer, based in Moree NSW. The aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PT6A-67AG engine. This may have seemed an unusual purchase to many, as The Aerotech Group has been buying Air Tractors since the early 1980s and has been a big supporter of the brand.

And it still is, currently having 12 Air Tractors in its fleet.

Managing Director of The Aerotech Group, Sam McCabe, says, “Our Australian Fire Agency had voiced some concerns in us providing only one type of aircraft for our aerial firefighting contract. Whilst there was no huge pressure from them, we wanted to respond to their concerns.” He also added that the 710P Thrush seemed like “a great value proposition”.

“Affectionately, we like to call it the 770 Fire Angel. She’s a pocket rocket. The Aerotech Group’s maintenance crew fitted the Transland fire door as well as the adaptor box, that in fact increased the

hopper capacity to 770 gallons (2,900 litres), which we were pretty impressed with,” said McCabe.

The pilot for The Aerotech Group, who has been putting the 770 Fire Angel through its paces, is New Zealand Kiwi, Shaun Sinclair, who thinks its performance has been on the money. “I’m happy to say it carried a full hopper with relative ease with good maneuverability and speed. The aircraft’s climb rate of 800 ft/min were achieved, which was pretty impressive. It started to feel a little uncomfortable when slowed down to 100 kts,” reports Shaun.

Jessica and Sam McCabe of The Aerotech Group at Claremont Airbase (Australia), February 2018, standing in front of the the 770 Fire Angel. The Transland Fire Gate has a fiberglass AT-802 fairing, modified to fit the Fire Angel by Statewide Aviation based in Moree, NSW and was fitted to the aircraft

by The Aerotech Group’s engineering and maintenance team.

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Shaun went on to say, “The Transland door coupled with the DynaNav touchscreen controller is very simple and easy to use. It gives the feeling of reliability. I have applied about 60 loads through the aircraft now (February 2018) and it has not missed a beat. The door and controller give the option of dropping up to coverage Level 6. Dropping at this level was not a violent experience provided the airspeed was controlled around 110 kts. From the ground, the drop pattern looks very similar to other SEATs we use and the Australian Fire Agency seems happy with the results.”

Statewide Aviation coordinated the registration of the Fire Angel on the Australian registry. The aircraft was uncrated and assembled by the Statewide maintenance team in Moree before being

delivered to The Aerotech Group. Being a Transland dealer, Statewide Aviation worked closely with Roberto Rodriguez and Anthonie York from Transland’s factory in Wichita Falls, Texas to modify the fire gate and adapter box to fit the 710P Thrush creating the 770-gallon Fire Angel.

10” gate doors. It is hydraulically actuated using one accumulator and has the capability to perform manual or hydraulic jettisons (emergency dump). It has ports for foam injection. Its configuration allows the mounting of a spray system on it while the Fire Gate is installed.

The gate has a Transland/DynaNav controller with the capability to control both the Fire Gate and the hydraulic Ag Gate. The controller is set up using a touch screen for the desired drop the pilot wants, whether that is ¼, ½, ¾ or full salvo. The controller also allows the pilot to choose from Level 1 to Level 6 drops with the touch screen.

The 770 Fire Angel has a Transland adapter box installed that allows the Ag Gate to mount to it when the Fire Gate is not needed. The gates mount to the adapter with simple threaded bolts. Two installers can typically make the switch between gates in a couple hours.

The gate has dual, longitudinal positioned doors that are very similar to Transland’s

Shaun is excited about putting the 770 Fire Angel into action in the upcoming season. The aircraft will be used for both firefighting and ag-operations.

The Transland Fire Gate in the full salvo and closed positions.

This particular model fire gate is the first to be manufactured by Transland, LLC based in Wichita Falls, Texas.

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Wipaire expands team members “I’m excited to join the Wipaire team. Having known the Wiplinger family for years, I have always respected the company as well as their customer-oriented approach to engineering,” Brad added. “I look forward to combining both my technological and leadership skills to further strengthen Wipaire’s position as the innovative market leader.”

Brad Kutz joins Wipaire, Inc. as Vice President of Engineering

South Saint Paul, Minnesota – Wipaire, Inc.® welcomes Brad Kutz as Vice President of Engineering. Brad mostly recently served as a senior systems engineer for Rockwell Collins, managing development of new products to add functionality to existing platforms. His prior experience also includes stints at Cirrus, leading broad engineering and technical support teams in China and the USA, developing systems for unmanned aerial platforms at AAI Corporation (Textron Defense Systems), along with avionics and electrical engineering development for other aerospace and defense leaders.

Brad has over 15 years of electrical engineering and avionics development experience, including extensive international involvement. A veteran of several complex engineering teams, he has managed projects ranging in size from evolutionary updates to entire new product conceptualization, development, testing, and certification. Brad holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a private pilot certificate.

Fire Boss welcomes Global Sales Director Stephen Johnson

“Innovation is part of our heritage, dating back to when my grandfather, Ben, first decided to build a better set of aircraft floats,” stated Chuck Wiplinger, President and COO of Wipaire, Inc. “Brad’s time developing sophisticated avionics systems and overseeing complex engineering projects will be a great help to us as we bring new and exciting products to market. He’s also a pilot, so he understands the wants and needs of our customers from a unique perspective.”

Fire Boss LLC is pleased to welcome Stephen Johnson as Global Sales Director, with responsibility for domestic and international Fire Boss sales. Stephen brings over 20 years of aviation experience, including extensive firefighting knowledge

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from his time at Timberline Helicopters, to Fire Boss. A U.S. Army veteran, Stephen is also a certificated flight instructor and commercial pilot in rotorcraft with private pilot privileges in fixed-wing aircraft.

“Stephen will be a tremendous asset for our current and future sales efforts due to his comprehensive knowledge of the firefighting industry,” stated Clint Clouatre, Vice President of Marketing & Sales.

“His well-rounded background also includes securing government contracts, developing safety management systems, and international business development. Bringing Stephen to Fire Boss is just one of the many initiatives Fire Boss is implementing to promote its aircraft as the best economical aerial firefighting solution.”

“The Fire Boss is a proven firefighting aircraft that can help in the battle to save lives, homes, and natural resources while also being affordable in times of budget cuts,” added Stephen Johnson, Global Sales Director. “I look forward to working to increase the acceptance of the Fire Boss as a valuable firefighting platform with both domestic and international wildland fire officials.”

Stephen holds a master’s in business administration from Texas State University in addition to a bachelor’s degree in management.

Previously, he served as director of business development for Timberline Helicopters, with prior roles in marketing, research, and aircraft sales and acquisitions. Stephen is based in Portland, Oregon, giving him quick access to operators in the Pacific Northwest along with global reach to all aerial firefighting operations. His experience will help bridge the gap between operators and contracting agencies to better

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Stephen can be reached by calling 651-209-7191 or via email at sjohnson@firebossllc.com.

Dale Fehrenbach will serve as Director – Sales Flight Operations in support of increased investment in the Fire Boss product line. With over 15,000 hours of flight experience, Dale’s responsibilities will include interfacing with prospective and current Fire Boss operators for everything from coordinating demonstrations to assisting with the establishment of flight operations. Dale can be reached at dfehrenbach@ firebossllc.com and by calling 651-306-0360.

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ABOUT Fire Boss LLC is the designer and manufacturer of the Fire Boss, a water scooping system that is exclusively installed on the Air Tractor AT-802. Fire Boss LLC is part of the Wipaire group of companies based in South St. Paul, Minnesota. Wipaire is the largest manufacturer of aircraft floats in the world, having built floats for varies aircraft types ranging from 2-seat Piper Cubs up to the 21-seat Viking Twin Otter. The Fire Boss system combines several airframe modifications, aircraft performance enhancers, and a pair of Wipline 10000 series amphibious water-scooping floats that enables the AT-802 Single Engine Air Tanker to scoop up to 800 gallons in about 15 seconds.

Over 85 Fire Boss systems are currently in operation throughout the world. To submit a support request online, visit http://www.firebossllc. com/support.php.

RockAIR approved for USFS airborne firefighting TracPlus USA Inc. announced today that their RockAIR flight tracker has been approved by the United States Fire Service (USFS) for use on airborne fire-fighting operations, effective immediately.

The RockAIR brings satellite and cellular tracking together in a portable carry-on, carry-off form factor at a much lower cost than traditional dual-mode solutions.

Bringing satellite and cellular tracking together in a carry-on, carry-off form.

TracPlus has provided AFF tracking and national integration services in Australia since 2008 and were chosen in 2017 to provide whole-offleet AFF services for CALFIRE in California, USA. The RockAIR is available from TracPlus USA, Inc. and Dallas Avionics.

call us for your next S.E.A.T. aircraft

Tracplus’ Chief Innovation Officer, Chris Hinch commented “We are absolutely delighted to be able to bring the revolutionary capabilities and affordability of the RockAIR to the US firefighting market.

With nearly ten years of global customer experience and insights in airborne firefighting built into the RockAIR, USFS’s approval of the RockAIR is a hugely satisfying validation of our technology and recognition of our commitment to our customers operating in this critical market.”

About TracPlus

TracPlus provides global tracking, communication and collaboration solutions for those who operate in harm’s way. They enable EMS, first responder, search and rescue, tourism and general aviation operators to share real-time information to achieve better mission outcomes.

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Spring 2018

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Thrush Aircraft begins exploration of autonomous air tanker Strategic alliance with Drone America anticipated to yield unmanned solutions to airborne wildfire surveillance and attack – and more.

(Albany, GA) The arsenal of airborne tactics available to firefighters and first responders may soon grow significantly as Thrush Aircraft has formed a strategic alliance with highly-regarded unmanned aerial vehicle and systems manufacturer Drone America to begin development of the world’s first autonomous air tanker.

The new tanker is expected to blend Thrush’s large airframe and airborne delivery system expertise with Drone America’s “Ariel” amphibious platform – resulting in an aircraft capable of delivering some 800 gallons of water or fire retardant, autonomously. The aircraft will also have the ability to conduct long-duration tactical surveillance flights over a fire to give firefighters, operations managers and public safety coordinators on the ground real-time understanding of conditions and fire behavior.

“As the almost incomprehensible devastation of the 2017 fire season has shown, there is virtually no limit to the level of destruction to property and natural environments wildfires can cause,” said Mike Richards, president and CEO of Drone America. “We founded our company on the belief that highly-reliable, well-integrated autonomous

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Thrush Aircraft has entered into a strategic alliance with Drone America to begin exploring unmanned air tankers that could one day soon supplement the wildfire attack capabilities of its manned firefighting aircraft, such as the recently introduced Thrush 510G Switchback which is now entering service with the Georgia Forestry Commission. systems can significantly improve public and environmental safety. Our collaboration with Thrush represents a major step forward in achieving that goal and we’re excited to be joining forces in the fight against one of our country’s most challenging foes: wildland fires.”

Currently, only manned air tankers are used in airborne firefighting operations and they are restricted from fighting fires during night hours. However, it is during this “dark

window” that autonomous tankers can take special advantage of the cooler night temperatures and reduced fire activity to support tactical ground operations without risking the lives of pilots.

In addition to tanker duties, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) orbiting high above other firefighting aircraft and equipped with infrared cameras, sensors and integrated communications equipment are particularly well-suited to systematically

map and communicate fire intensity, rate and direction of spread. This high-level, onscene intelligence gathering not only greatly enhances civilian and firefighter safety on the ground, but also helps solve one of the most vexing problems of disaster response: linking voice and data transmissions across different and otherwise incompatible communication systems.

In summarizing the new alliance, Payne Hughes, president and CEO of Thrush Aircraft, said: “Thrush prides itself in continuously bringing the highest levels of innovation and value to our industry – and joining in the fight to better control wildfires from the air is in perfect alignment with our recent introduction of the 510G Switchback and its advanced manned-aircraft firefighting capabilities.

“Collaborating with Drone America now gives us the ability to enhance airborne firefighting even more by applying our design, manufacturing and flight test capabilities to a whole new generation of autonomous aircraft that can do things manned aircraft simply can’t do safely, or as efficiently. We couldn’t

be more pleased to be getting this new relationship underway,” he concluded.

In addition to unmanned air tanker capabilities, this new alliance represents the next step forward in a strategic push to integrate national disaster planning, public safety and safe integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System – as well as a fresh look at current thinking surrounding airborne firefighting regulations and potential alternatives.

Teams from both companies will also explore other unmanned heavy-payload applications such as humanitarian aid, disaster relief, remote cargo transportation and maritime patrol for which airframes from Thrush could be uniquely suited.

Headquartered in Albany, Georgia, Thrush Aircraft manufactures a full range of aerial application aircraft used in agriculture, forestry and firefighting roles worldwide.

Founded in 2003, Thrush Aircraft is wellknown for building the most durable aircraft in the aerial application industry, as well as the best flying – from both pilot and operator

Pen & Ink Drawings

By Richard C. DeSpain

perspectives. All Thrush models provide superb visibility, light control response and a high degree of maneuverability and speed, along with superior efficiency and low direct operating costs. Today, there are more than 2,100 Thrush aircraft operating in some 80 countries around the world. More information can be found at: www.thrushaircraft.com.

About Drone America

Drone America designs and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles and systems with the flexibility to capture and deliver multiple types of data. Drone America’s unmanned aircraft have the ability to simultaneously operate multiple professional-grade sensors and payloads.

Customizing payloads specifically for a mission gives operators the ability to streamline flight procedures, lower costs and achieve a higher rate of successful multi-sensor data collection. In addition, Drone America offers Part 107 line-of sight (LOS) and beyond-visual-lineof sight (BVLOS) flight operation training nationwide. More information can be found at: www.droneamerica.com.

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Macedonian AT-802A Fire Boss spotted following heavy maintenance in Croatia

Macedonian Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss Z3-BGU crossing state highway DC31 near Zagreb in Croatia on 20 Dec 2017 (photo ZTC via Igor Bozinovski)

by Igor Bozinovski

Macedonian Protection and Rescue Directorate Air Tractor AT802A Fire Boss fire-fighting aircraft, registered Z3-BGU (c/n 802A0313) is seen here crossing the Croatian state highway DC31 some 10 km south-east of Croatian capital Zagreb in the morning of 20 December. The aircraft was noted while being pulled from the hangars of the Aeronautical Technical Center (Zrakoplovno-Tehnicki Centar,

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ZTC) maintenance organization located in the city of Velika Gorica to the nearby Zagreb Franjo Tudjman International Airport. Having previously passed scheduled annual inspection in ZTC, the aircraft was later that same day flown to its home base, the Skopje Alexander the Great International Airport in the Republic of Macedonia. Macedonian Protection and Rescue Directorate operates a fleet of three Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss fire-fighting aircraft.

Red Bull Air Race newest star: The Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss

by Igor Bozinovski

The Red Bull Air Race World Championship is an official World Championship, accredited by the FAI - The World Air Sports Federation. The Red Bull Air Race features the world’s best racing pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight race planes, pilots hit speeds of 370 kph while enduring forces of up to 10Gs, as they navigate a low level slalom track marked by 25-metre-high, air-filled pylons. It is a visual spectacle unlike any other - a pure combination of high speed, low altitude and extreme maneuverability!

The pilots of the Red Bull Air Race can all be identified by their race planes. As with any motorsport, the unique paint scheme is there to show the team and stand out from all others. And this brings us to Porto where the 2017 Red Bull Air Race happened on 2-3 September and featured an extremely unexpected “racing” bird - the float-equipped Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss firefighting amphibian!

Being part of the recreational program at Red Bull’s Porto race and flown by pilot Carlos Craveiro - the pilot with 24 firefighting seasons experience and the most Fire Boss flight hours in the world (4.500+ flight hours in an AT-802A with a total time of over 8.000+ flight hours) - the Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss overflew the Douro river on three occasions both days of the air race, amusing the crowd with a demonstration of its low-altitude speed (OK, it’s not a race plane, dudes!), agility and above all water-bombing firefighting capabilities.

Interesting to note is this particular Fire Boss was indeed the 700th produced AT-802A Air Tractor. Configured as a single-seat AT-802A,

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Spring 2018

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serial number 802A-0700, the aircraft that now bears Spanish civil registration ECMRT was rolled out of Air Tractor’s Olney, Texas-based factory 20 March 2017.

After flight testing and granted with all necessary documents, the aircraft was flown across the Atlantic Ocean to its owner, Air Tractor’s long-time dealer for Europe, Africa and Middle East - the Spanish, Valencia-based company, Air Tractor Europe.

The aircraft was outfitted with a pair of Wipaire’s Wipline 10000 floats at Avialsa T-35 EASA Part 145 maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Valencia.

The Fire Boss was promptly dispatched to Portugal to fight deadly wildfires there. During one of those few days of low fire risk, the Fire Boss wrote history as the first Air Tractor to take part in the famous Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

Photos by: Luis Andre Diogo

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AFF-16

A E R I A L

F I R E F I G H T I N G ’ S

N E W S P A P E R

AVIATION SERVICES Exceptional Service for “plane” People.

TPE331 Service Provider •Complete Overhaul •Hot Section Inspections •Spares Support •Gearbox Inspections •Complete Test Cell Service •24 Hour AOG Field Service - Including Engine R&R (Engine Removal & Replacement)

www. cdaviationservices.com 2707 E 32nd St Joplin, MO 417.206.2327

Frost Flying inc.

Your

STRIKEDealer!

Delivering Firefighting Aircraft Worldwide! compro AGRINAUTICS WeathAero

Jack Frost 3393 Hwy 121 West Marianna, AR 72360

corrosion X Breckenridge

870-295-6213

Parts 870-295-6218 Tel 870-295-6213 Fax 870-295-6674 frostparts@hotmail.com Spring 2018

AFF-17