Cave Junction jumpers The post ON THIS DAY — about 70 years ago appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more

A celebratory jump by retired paratroopers and smokejumpers is planned for this weekend at the airport in Pendleton, Oregon. We’ll update details here as they become available. Saturday, April 13:  9am – 6pm Eastern Oregon Regional Airport 2016 Airport Rd, Pendleton Oregon Come join us as we jump to honor the brave men of the … The post Triple Nickles, who fought fire during World War II appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more

The post UAFA cautions USFS about retardant tested last year appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more

In the summer of 1948, a woman riding in the remote, mountainous region known today as the Kalmiopsis Wilderness was seriously injured when her horse slipped off a steep embankment and rolled over her three times as they crashed down a rocky slope. When word of the accident got to Cave Junction, it was decided … The post 1948: Jumpers to the rescue appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more

Here’s more from Ryan Grothe: Last week I was up in Sacramento attending the Aerial Firefighting Conference, and I took a tour of Cal Fire aviation headquarters at McClellan Airtanker Base. The main topic of discussion was the C-130 tankers, and here is an update. According to Cal Fire officials, One of the C-130s should … The post Cal Fire C-130s appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more

We weren’t able to attend the Aerial Firefighting Conference at Sacramento last week, but Ryan Grothe was there, and he sent us some notes and photos. Coulson Aviation president Britt Coulson spoke at the event; he said this summer Coulson plans to take delivery of a 737-700 series aircraft from Southwest Airlines. The 737 will … The post Aerial Firefighting Conference at McClellan appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more

A group of foresters, district rangers, and air operators assembled in Atlanta during the summer of 1962. There they laid the groundwork for the Appalachian Airtanker Project, which helped pave the way for the service to be the most frequent user of airtankers in the country. The history of airtanker wildland firefighting in the Eastern … The post Uncovered documents reveal first USFS airtanker trials for eastern wildland firefighting appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more

These images were all shot at Abbotsford Airport in British Columbia during the Celebration Flight of the 50th Anniversary of the DC-3 over the Expo Canada grounds in Vancouver, B.C. in the summer of 1986. Bill Bailey took almost all of these photos except for a couple that were captured by a friend of his. … The post The 1986 CELEBRATION: the 50th Anniversary of the DC-3 appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department this week acquired Bell 412EPX helicopters, adding to their airborne resources for emergency response.  Three SUBARU Bell 412EPX helicopters were delivered, two to San Bernardino County and one to San Diego. The Bell 412EPX has an internal weight of 12,200 lbs., external … The post New Bells in southern California appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more

Famously known as the Red Tails, the first Black military pilots in the U.S. first flew  over the skies of Tuskegee, Alabama when U.S. military officials selected the Tuskegee Institute to train pilots, in part because of its commitment to aeronautical training. Tuskegee in the early 1940s had the facilities, the engineering and technical instructors, … The post The “Red Tails” Tuskegee Airmen appeared first on Fire Aviation ..read more