ARIZONA—Lead plane pilots from across the country converged at the Mesa Gateway Airtanker Base at the Phoenix Interagency Fire Center recently. Some of them are new trainees; others are seasoned veterans of the aerial firefighting industry. But they are all here for the same reason—the National Aerial Supervision Training Academy.

The academy brings together wildfire aviation personnel to train with each other before the wildfire year kicks off in earnest. Attendees come from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, states like California and Alaska, and private companies contracted with the federal government. The academy is in its ninth year and has proven a cost-effective and collaborative training method.

“This interagency approach increases safety by having everyone training to the same standard, getting the same information and training using the same protocols," said Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management Assistant Director for Aviation Paul Linse.

The lead plane pilots are the first of five cohorts to attend the training. By the end of the three-week training, over 100 people with different aviation skillsets (e.g., lead plane pilots, aerial supervision modules, air attack, helicopter coordinators, dispatchers and ramp personnel) will have completed their required training.

During the training, pilots gain the skills and knowledge necessary to carry out their duties through a combination of classroom learning and training flights. The small, tight-knit group of lead pilots attend the training annually to learn new skills, get industry updates, hear about best practices and, of course, fly. This year's training covered timely topics like the 2022 after-action review, emergency procedures, radio protocols, aircraft escape routes, target descriptions and tactics.

“The United States aims to have the best-trained, most consistent lead plane, aerial supervision pilots, aerial supervision modules, air attacks and helicopter coordinators pilots. The protocols used in the U.S. are often shared with international partners,” said Linse.

A lead plane is one of several tactical aircraft that fights wildfires. It is a small twin-engine, fixed-wing aircraft that assists and directs large airtankers that drop retardant on wildfires. They are also responsible for scouting appropriate drop zones for airtankers.

Lead planes have only one pilot, experienced and trained in flying over fires in mountainous terrain. Once the lead plane pilot works with ground crews to identify a drop zone, these nimble aircraft lead the airtankers to the area and tell them when and where to drop the retardant. Teamwork is critical.

Being a lead plane pilot is a niche skillset in an already niche industry.

“There are more astronauts (41) than lead plane pilots (35) in the United States,” said Rocky Mountain Region Fixed-Wing Program Manager Chris Tipton, who co-manages the academy.

The Forest Service is actively recruiting more lead plane pilots to bolster the program. Once recruited, pilots enter a lengthy flying and fire operations training process.

Lead plane pilot training is rigorous and requires significant experience. To become a lead plane trainee, pilots must have at least 1,500 hours of flight experience, as well as experience in specific firefighting aircraft, usually a King Air 200, King Air 90, AC-1000 or OV-10.

Lead plane pilots also must undergo specialized training that covers wildfire behavior, firefighting tactics and communication procedures. Air traffic patterns during a wildfire are complex, often involving dozens of aircraft working near each other. Pilots must learn how to enter and exit the airspace correctly. Failing to do so could be deadly. They must also learn to communicate effectively with firefighters on the ground, other pilots and air traffic control.

These same pilots also must learn how to drop fire retardant to maximize its effectiveness while minimizing negative impacts to the environment. They also learn how to read the weather and terrain to determine the best drop location.

"Everything we are doing in the air is in service to the public and the firefighters on the ground so they can protect life, property and natural resources," said Tipton. "We train to meet this goal when the time comes."

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