Fire Response is organized through levels of responsibility
Local Dispatchers organize the initial response if they have control of aircraft.
The Geographical Area Coordination Centers (GACs) control interagency aircraft in the region and support state fire agencies as well.
The GAC manage assets within their region and when they need more assistance they work on a national basis to get assets from other regions through the national agency in Boise.
Nationwide support for fires.
Resources
Personnel and Equipment came from 50 states and Puerto Rico
16,410 personnel involved.
107 crews
239 dozers
954 engines
246 aircraft
13 Dispatch offices staffed with 300 Dispatcher
Texas Aviation Statistics
16,912 flight hours
28,184,363 gallons of water
5,972,377 gallons of retardant
34,156,740 total gallons of water and retardant
54,192 drops
No accidents or significant incidents (three bird strikes)
Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) C-130 were used for the first time in Texas at Laredo, Dyess AFB and Austin. Operations included fire suppression in residential areas.
Aviation Tools included DC-10 Airtanker (12,000 Gallons), Canadair CL-215 “Scooper” picks up 1,400 gallons of water, MAFFS in Laredo, Dyess, Austin, and the New Airtanker BAE-46 (with Jet)
Trained Airspace Coordinators
Primary responsibilities
Deconflict Airspace for Initial Attack
Assess Fire Perimeters and Develop TFRs
Track all TFRS
Consolidate TFRS
Texas Forest Service Operations
Texas has four Air Route Traffic Control Center’s airspace to coordinate
40 MOAs/SUAs
Impacted every MTR West of I-35 was affected.
Airspace Coordinator established in Merkel
Implemented 141 TFRs
40 TFRs in April over 6 of Texas largest fires ever
20 Fire TFRs each in July and August
Sole point of contact for military deconfliction
Number one issue for Airspace Deconfliction
Initial attack is critical with short reaction times and their attention directed to the ground limiting see-and-avoid traffic clearance.
Dispatchers are the front line in preventing midair collisions with military aircraft through deconfliction of special use airspace.
Monday thru Friday normal work hours there is no problem in contacting Military Schedulers.
Weekends, after hours and Holidays are a major issue in contacting Military Schedulers to confirm active military training routes.
FAA Website for Special Use Airspace does not include real time MTRs utilization.
Contact Information: Ms Stewart has a new email address that is unusual leaving out the “t” in her name: j5stewar@blm.gov
National Park Service – Ms. Vicki McCusker (NPS Natural Sounds & Night Skies Division)
National Parks
Over 400 National Parks and Monuments – 80 in the Northwest Mountain Region
People come to parks to see the natural beauty away from urban environments and history.
Natural Sounds & Night Skies Division – added the Night Skies last year.
Provide technical support to parks
Write national policy concerning sound and night sky.
Help parks respond to environmental impact statements (EIS).
F-35 EIS – The NPS responded to the draft F-35 EIS for 13 parks in two NPS Regions through the Fish and Wildlife.
Cannon LATN
The original LATN proposal would have effected 17 national parks.
NPS coordination or review takes considerable time because of the layers of management that must be coordinated.
Zion NP, Utah – Coordination between the Blue Angels and Zion NP while in St George UT for an airshow provided the Blue Angels with a photo opportunity and became a WIN-WIN.
Powder River MOAs – The Big Horn Battlefield NM is concern about an avoidance policy. The NPS will be responding to the environmental impact statement.
Air Tour Management Plans – are active in the region.
Quietest Park – The Great Sand Dunes NP is the quietest park we have every monitored. High altitude commercial jets provide the most noise.
Question Concerning the impact on John Day Fossil Beds NM.
There may be an occasional overflight but not significant.
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS FOR MARCH 13, 2012 ADJOURNED AT 4:30 PM
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS FOR MARCH 14, 2012
Co-Chair Welcome – Brig Gen Harris, Brig Gen Gregg, and Mr. Chupein welcomed everyone back for the second day’s session.
Incorporating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) – Mr. Chupein
Access into the NAS
UAS are becoming a more important part of the Air Force Operations.
There is a growing demand for many applications.
Research is imperative and currently ongoing at many institutions.
Currently all operations require a Certificate of Auhorization
DoD RPA/UAS Airspace Integration - Now and Future
Today: Special Access - Certificate of Authorization
Numerous and varied restrictions
Inflexible system; FAA and DoD are working improvements
Long-term: Normalized Access – Technology development to allow Remotely Piloted Aircraft / Unmanned Aircraft Systems integration into National Airspace
GBSAA, Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast, and Airborne Sense and Avoid
DoD RPA/UAS Airspace Integration - 2015 Beddown Chart
Current UAS Activities
Future UAS Activities
Future ARNG Fielding
Grand Forks AFB (P,GH)
Beale AFB (GH)
MCAS
Cherry Point (S,W,R)
NAS Pax River (GH-B, S)
Creech AFB (P, Reaper)
Holloman AFB (P, Reaper)
Cannon AFB (P, Reaper)
Syracuse (Reaper)
Ft Drum (S,P,)
Huachuca (War-1. E)
Robert Gray (H,E,S)
Ft Stewart (H,E, S)
Ft Knox (S,W,R)
Benning (S)
Ft Polk (R)
Redstone (S,W,R )
Ft Bragg (R,E,S)
Victorville (A160, R)
Camp Shelby (W,R,S)
Camp Ripley (S)
Cochise (H-1/3)
Laguna (gMAV)
Simi (R)
Evans (S)
Blackstone (S)
Lakehurst (Spyder)
Indiantown Gap(S)
Ft Eustis (Vigilante)
Pinon (R)
Ft Worth (R)
Okeechobee (R )
Ft Ord (RMAX)
Moffett (RMAX)
Ft Irwin
Santa Fe (R)
A.P.Hill (RMAX,W,R)
Robbins AFB (P)
Ft Carson (S,W,R)
Ft Riley (S,E)
Dugway (H,S)
Ft Lewis (S,W,R)
29 Palms (S,R)
Trent Lott (Fire Scout)
B-BAMS
E-ERMP
H-Hunter
R- Raven
S-Shadow
GH –Global Hawk
P- Predator
War- Warrior
Vandenberg (W,R)
Fentress (R,W,Pu)
Choctaw (W,R,Pu,S)
Stennis (W,R,Pu)
USAFA (V3,S)
Patriot (W,R,Pu,S)
McChord (W,R)
Portland (W,R)
Camp Roberts (W,R)
Hurlburt (W,R)
Ft Campbell (S,W,R, E)
Eglin (W,R)
Ft McClellan (W,R,S)
Camp Pendleton (W,R)
Camp Blanding (W,R)
Camp Williams (W,R)
Camp Dawson (W,R)
Kenova (W,R)
Camp Morena (W,R)
Blue Grass Station (W,R)
Louisville (W,R)
Pope (W,R)
Shaw (W,R)
Homestead (W,R)
Key West (W,R)
Camp Bullis (W,R)
Limestone Hills (W,R)
Mt Washington (W,R)
Camp Atterbury (T)
W – Wasp
Pu - Puma-AE
SE – Scan Eagle
T – Tiger Moth
V3 - Viking 300
Arlington, OR (SE)
Lake Oneida (Rascal)
Ft Story (W,R,Pu,S)
Imperial Beach(W,R)
ARMY
AIR FORCE
NAVY/MARINES
USSOCOM
Silver Strand (W,R,Pu)
Palmdale (GH)
NAS Pt. Mugu (GH-B)
El Mirage (War)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
ARNG (S)
SUA = Special Use Airspace
Note: All shaded areas on land are Restricted
Ft Bliss (S,R)
DoD UAS Flight Hours have grown from in the past five years from less than 250,000 hours to more than 650,000 hours, almost three fold.
Urgent Need – Air Force Remotely Piloted Aircraft Growth Crew must go from 700 crews today to a goal of 1100 crew rapidly.
Line-of-Sight Operations: Pilot Operator uses a Control Link to control the Unmanned Aircraft (UA) while maintaining visual contact with the UA assisted by Visual Observers providing “See and Avoid” capability.
Terminal Area Operations: Pilot Operator uses a Control Link to control the UA (UA) while maintaining visual contact with the UA assisted by Visual Observers providing “See and Avoid” capability.
Vertical Transit Operations: Operations in a terminal airspace for takeoff and landing with vertical flight operations to achieve Class A airspace above or landing from Class A airspace above the terminal airspace. Pilot Operator has communications with Terminal Air Traffic Control and utilizes Ground Base Sense and Avoid.
Lateral Transit Operations: Operations from terminal airspace for takeoff and landing with horizontal flight operations through a Transition Corridor to the UAS Operating Area. Pilot Operator has communications with Terminal and Enroute Air Traffic Control and utilizes Ground Base Sense and Avoid.
Military Operations Area: Operations from terminal airspace for takeoff and landing with dynamic flight operations through a Transition Corridor to a Military Operating Area. Pilot Operator has communications with Terminal and Enroute Air Traffic Control and utilizes Ground Base Sense and Avoid.
Dynamic Operations: Operations from terminal airspace for takeoff and landing with dynamic flight operations to a Military Operating Area or other destination. Pilot Operator has communications with Terminal and Enroute Air Traffic Control and utilizes On-board Sense and Avoid.
Growing GOV, Civil and Commercial Interest
New Gov technical alliances (FAA COE - AFRL - NASA)
Increase in industry interest/involvement (Raytheon, Lockheed, Boeing, FEDEX, UPS etc)
Exploring benefits of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA)
AOPA members may be looking a unmanned aircraft doing crop dusting operations
Business aviation may be able to reduce pilot requirements with Remotely Piloted capabilities incorporated in their aircraft.
Increased Federal, State and Local Gov interest
22 States interested in Test Site selections
FAA UAS Tests.
The FAA is a regulatory agency and managing a test is very different.
Main Issues are FAA Safety and DoD operational requirements
USAF is very aware of Test Site Interest in many states.
Congressionally Mandated – 2012 NDAA
Requires FAA to establish sites in coordination with DoD/NASA
6 Sites, Geographic and climatic diversity
The FAA has six months to select the first site
AF has basing process experience; test site selection fits model
AF process - Repeatable, defendable and transparent with clearly defined roles and responsibilities
AF is ready to assist the FAA develop test site selection guidance and partner in the execution of UAS tests.
The Air Force maintains that the FAA should maintain management, they need to bring in their Tech Center to assist in this task.
The timeline is very tight and the Air Force is offering as much assistance as possible to develop a method to fairly evaluate each proposal.
The FAA is welcoming the Air Force assistance.
UAS Test Site Benefits
Provides a joint, structured approach to look at critical UAS airspace integration issues (both civil and military)
Allows sharing of UAS data among the primary proponents (DoD, FAA and NASA); helps in identification of research gaps/needs
Sharing test data and site access allows maximum exploitation of research results and fosters a cooperative research mindset
Maximizes research budgets in a fiscally restrained environment
Helps build industry and academic partnerships allowing for more rapid and efficient UAS airspace integration
Provide tangible evidence of substantial, cooperative UAS R&D efforts to legislators and other key stakeholders
Way Ahead
Continued engagement with FAA, industry and academia to find an efficient, safe method to improve UAS airspace integration
Near-Mid Term: Develop UAS specific policy and procedures along with Ground Based Sense And Avoid solution to obtain incremental NAS access
Long Term: Finalized Small UAS and UAS ARC rulemaking, mature policy and procedures linked with robust Ground Based and Airborne Sense and Avoid systems and NextGen technology
Questions?
What is the FAA looking for in test sites?
The FAA is looking for segregated airspace for the test.
DoD’s position is that they will make airspace available to support the test but they do not believe that segregated airspace is a solution.
DoD believes that non-segregated airspace is a defined location can be developed to support the test.
Colorado ANG Warfighter Briefing – Lt Colonel Craig Wolf
AFREP Update – Lt Col Flanders
FAA Topics of Interest: Adaptive Airspace (National Special Activity Airspace Project) – Mr. Jordan (HQ FAA)
Adaptive Airspace
Used in Iraq and Afghanistan for flexible use of airspace to accommodate time sensitive combat missions
Simple grid system allows for relocation of assigned airspace
Similar flexible use of airspace could be used in the National Airspace System (NAS)
Mission profiles have a defined requirement for a volume of airspace; in some cases this airspace could be moved thereby providing the same volume of airspace
Some air traffic control assigned airspace (ATCAA) may be tied to special use airspace (SUA), threat emitters, target arrays on the ground, and/or proximity to a unit’s home base and could limit or prevent any relocation of an associated ATCAA.
Examples of Adaptive Airspace Concept
Complete relocation of an ATCAA while maintaining the same volume of airspace
Expansion of an existing ATCAA with associated subdivisions that could be recalled as necessary yet still provide the same volume of airspace to meet Air Force (USAF) requirements
Altitude/time amendments to accommodate high traffic periods or weather
Strategic or Tactical Relocation of an ATCAA due to weather or traffic volume
Preplanned alternate locations can be utilized when the preferred ATCAA is unusable due to weather or traffic.
Segmented ATCAAs - Create a pre-defined cutout in an ATCAA similar to a segmented MOA for continuous routing for high traffic requirement.
Expansion of an existing ATCAA – Create additional ATCAA airspace utilizing a grid system where sufficient segments can be activated to accomplish the mission requirements while avoiding weather or traffic problems.
Application of Special Activity Airspace (SAA) Analysis Data – Improved air traffic analysis will allow FAA and the military training unit to find the largest volume of airspace available by time segments. This maybe a different airspace in the morning from the afternoon or evening/night.
FAA Centers Activity – Center controllers have seen the briefing and have come up with suggestions of their own and relocating Air Refueling Tracks is one of their suggestions.
Questions
The grid system works in Theater because all aviation activity is coordinated and everyone understands the use of the grid system and the definition of new airspace using the system. This is not the case in the NAS.
In the NAS everyone above FL180 must be communicating with ATC. Equipage is close to being able to receive graphical airspace information such as TFRs and adaptive airspace can be presented in the cockpit in the same manner.
One example now is Class B airspace that changes due to runway configuration. Training airspace can be designed to change with the Class B airspace configuration.
Contact Information:
Mark Jordan - National Special Activity Airspace Project (NSAAP) Mark.a-ctr.jordan@faa.gov, (202) 626-4113
FAA National Special Activity Airspace Project (RTCA) – Mr. Lamond – NBAA
This is A joint effort between the FAA, the Department of Defense (DOD), and RTCA
Dept. of Energy data for CY 2011 – Indicated that the U.S. Gulf Coast jet fuel (the primary USG and airline benchmark) averaged exactly $3.00 per gallon for the year (2010)
This is an all-time record, exceeding the previous high of $2.96 set in 2008
At current consumption rates, for every penny per gallon increase per year, translates to $175 MILLION in additional operating expenses
Every dollar per gallon increase per year, translates to $17.5 Billion in additional operating expenses
NSAAP Goals
Bring real-time special activity airspace (SAA) status to all aviation stakeholders for more efficient use of the National Airspace System (NAS)
To establish an electronic SAA scheduling capability
To exchange real-time SAA data across FAA and DOD technology platforms
Broadcast SAA real-time status information to all NAS stakeholders
To establish a robust SAA metric and analysis system for improved airspace management and future airspace planning and design
