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View Full Version : How I finance my Flying habit



t j
09-16-2011, 07:35 PM
I retired from the USFS as a fire fighter 12 years ago. Every summer since I retired they have recertified me and made me take the pack test then called me back to work as A Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN) when things heat up in the west. It helps me pay for my Kitfox Habbit.

For the past 18 days I've been out on the Dollar lake fire at the base of Mount Hood in Oregon then 8 days in Hell's Canyon on the Cactus Mtn fire.

The good part is I get to do a lot of flying. I prefer fixed wing but occasionally am forced to fly in helicopters. Here's a few photos.

The first morning there I went for a flight with the Air tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS)

Cloud Cap Inn is the second oldest building the Forest owns. The oldest is Gifford Pinchot's home.

I work closely with the Incident Meteorologist. He's tracking a Pybol. A balloon that assends at 500 feet per minute. He then uses the results (azimuth and elevation angle every minute) to calculate the winds aloft. The young fellow on the right is a smoke jumper that jumped the fire early on. He wants to become an FBAN so he worked with me the rest of the time I was on this fire.

I also do a lot of hiking the fire line. It keeps me in shape. The old FBAN made the climb to the top of Catledral Ridge.

helicopter bucket water bucket drop.

next I was reassigned to the Cactus Mountain fire in Hell's canyon, the opposite end of the spectrum from the forest around Mount Hood. I'm an east sider so prefer this good ole dry climate. It's God's country.

The Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) were building a retardant line on a ridge out in front of the fire. They are incredible aviators making drops on the steep slopes of the canyon.

Heavy helicopters are very effective on this type of fire. A Sky Crane snorkeling in the snake. He has a suction hose hanging under the helicopter and an onboard pump that fills a 2000 gallon tank in about 40 seconds.

Smoke Jumpers from Grangeville ID waiting for a helicopter ride off Square Mountain. These eight guys flanked the fire from the Imnaha River to the top of Square Mountain. They stayed out on the line for six days. Thanks guys!

Landing at Dug Bar in the A Star.

t j
09-17-2011, 05:49 AM
Here's another interesting one. Elk cooling off.

SkyPirate
09-17-2011, 07:11 AM
awesome Tom,..not bad for an "ole guy" lol

ps ,..thats for your choice of adventure,.not your looks ,..your just as ugly as the rest of us lol

actually I commend anyone who puts their life on the line for others ,..hats off to you Tom