Infrared aircraft N149Z down for a week due to maintenance

USFS infrared aircraft N149Z
USFS infrared aircraft N149Z at Phoenix in 2013

One of the two infrared line-scanning, fire-mapping fixed wing aircraft operated by the U.S. Forest Service has been out of action for the last seven days. Forest Service spokesperson Mike Ferris said this was due to expected maintenance, an “intricate Phase inspection” required on the Super King Air 200, N149Z. The work is being done by three USFS mechanics at Ogden, Utah. Mr. Ferris expects the aircraft to be back in service for mapping fires tonight, August 10.

During the last seven days the workload increased for the other infrared aircraft, the N144Z Cessna Citation. During some missions their pilots maxed out their duty day and mapping requests from fires were UTF’ed, Unable to be Filled.

In September of 2014 N149Z was down for an extended period of time for a serious problem with an engine mount.

One USFS infrared aircraft possibly on season-ending Injured Reserve

USFS infrared aircraft N149Z
USFS infrared aircraft N149Z at Phoenix in 2013

One of the two U.S. Forest Service infrared line-scanning aircraft, N149Z, has a serious maintenance issue that may take it out of service for the rest of the season. If it were an NFL player, it would be called season-ending Injured Reserve.

The Beechcraft Super King Air 200 (twin-turboprop) has a problem with the right engine mounting, which has not been completely evaluated yet, so it is difficult to estimate when it will be back in the air. But it could be out for the rest of the western wildfire season.

There are presently no privately owned infrared line-scanner aircraft on call when needed status.  If necessary, contract infrared services could be hired through an Emergency Equipment Rental Agreement by the local unit or the Geographic Area Coordination Center, as was done by the Lassen National Forest in 2012 on the Ponderosa Fire in northern California.

The other USFS IR plane is a twin-engine jet, N144Z, a Cessna Citation II. It continues to be in the starting lineup. Occasionally in past years they have outfitted a King Air B-90 with IR equipment.

Firefighting aircraft at Boise

SEATs 802 and 824 at BOI, July 19, 2014
Tankers 802 and 824 at Boise, July 19, 2014

On Saturday I found myself at the Boise Airport and grabbed some photos of some of the aircraft.

Infrared plane, N149Z
Infrared plane, N149Z, at Boise, July 19, 2014
T-41, a BAe-146, at Boise, July 19, 2014
T-41, a BAe-146, at Boise, July 19, 2014

Back in February we wrote about the BLM awarding the first contract in the United States to Dynamic Aviation for a jet-powered lead plane. It was parked at Boise on Saturday. In May Aviation Week had an interesting article about the history of Dynamic Aviation.

Citation lead plane, N10R,
Citation lead plane, N10R, at Boise, July 19, 2014

As a bonus, below are a couple of pictures of a helicopter working at the Whiskey Creek Complex near Lowman, Idaho.

Helicopter dipping at the Whiskey Creek Fire
Helicopter dipping at the Whiskey Creek Fire near Lowman, Idaho, July 18, 2014
Helicopter with bucket on Whiskey Creek Fire,
Helicopter with bucket on Whiskey Creek Fire, July 18, 2014