SAFETY COMMUNICATION - CAL FIRE HELICOPTER NUMBERING CALFIRE - 2023

[Brian]

CALFIRE copter new numbering system

Here is a list of Federal/State aircraft numbering:
100 series- Large Air Tankers (LAT’s)​
200 series- Water Scoopers​
300- no standard convention​
400- no standard convention​
500- USFS Region 5 copters​
600- CALFIRE aircraft (Rotary and some fixed wing)​
700- CWN (Call when needed) Type I copters/ helitankers​
800- SIngle Engine Air tankers (SEATs)​
900- Very Large Air Tanks (VLAT’s)​

CALFIRE Numbering System:
600-619 CAL FIRE HAWKS​
620-629 CAL FIRE Type II Copters (UH-1H)​
630-639 Reserved for Type III’s (Bell 407, Astars etc)​
640-649 Intel Platforms​
650-659 ASM’s, Spare AA’s, ATGS Training Aircraft​
690-699 Spare Helitenders​

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SAFETY COMMUNICATION - CAL FIRE HELICOPTER NUMBERING

The modern aircraft that have recently entered service provide many advantages, however, one of the effects of increased capabilities is an increase in recurrent, flight hour driven maintenance. Due to the recurrent maintenance, aircraft must be moved appropriately to distribute the hours which allow for an efficient maintenance plan. As a result of these factors, CAL FIRE will be adjusting the helicopter and Sacramento aircraft numbering to a generic based system. This model is in line with aviation industry standards for military and commercial operators of this scope.

By moving to a generic based system, CAL FIRE will be able to effectively:

• Minimize unnecessary redundant movement and related costs.
• Allow for rotation of helicopters to better spread maintenance needs and balance
hours, thereby increasing aircraft longevity.
• Allow for helicopters to be brought into maintenance as Aviation Management
Unit (AMU) schedule efficiencies allow, rather than work around given base
openings or closings.
• Keep bases in-service by eliminating the need to shuffle aircraft out of their areas
of responsibility multiple times.
• Ensure physical equipment standardization remains within the program.

While there is no known Federal or State established numbering system, trends have developed over time. In order to minimize conflict with these trends to the extent feasible, CAL FIRE will move to the following numbering system:

• 600-619: CAL FIRE HAWKS (S70i)
• 620-629: CAL FIRE Type II helicopters (UH-1H)
• 630-639: Reserved for CAL FIRE Type III helicopters
• 640-649: Intel Platforms
• 650-659: Aerial Supervision Module (ASM), Spare Air Attacks, Air Tactical Group
Supervisor (ATGS) Training Aircraft
• 690-699: Spare helitenders

To avoid routine crew identifier adjustments due to this new numbering system, the following system will be used:

• To maintain base identity and provide situational awareness for aerial supervisors, Emergency Command Centers (ECCs), ground crews, and cooperating agencies, helicopter radio identifiers will be the base name, followed by “Copter” and the number on the helicopter (ex: Prado Copter XXX, Bieber Copter XXX)
• Helitack crew radio identifiers will be the base name followed by “Helitack” (ex: Prado Helitack, Bieber Helitack)
STATEWIDE 2023_04

• Helitenders will be identified by the base name, followed by “Helitender” and the first two digits of the Unit identifier (ex: Prado Helitender 35, Bieber Helitender 22)

Since numbering changes will be phased in as aircraft maintenance occurs, there will be a transition period when 600 and 900 series numbers are concurrently in the system. Due to this transition time, the new radio identifiers explained in this Safety Communication shall be used effective July 31, 2023.

PDF: https://forums.wildfireintel.org/upload ... qvqjry.pdf

https://www.scanriverside.com/viewtopic.php?t=1309

https://forums.radioreference.com/threa ... em.462714/

[Brian]

YouTube Video: Renumbering of Sikorsky S70i CAL FIRE HAWK at Boggs Mountain Helitack Base
https://youtu.be/lv2VPTRjAEs?si=H4L9R96qpJ_f65Sj