How Aerial Firefighter Pilots Are Trained | What It Takes

Aerial firefighters go through intense training before they're ready to fight active wildfires from the sky. Government agencies like the US Forest Service and state governments contract Bridger Aerospace to provide the planes and pilots used to battle blazes that threaten property and human life. We spent three days with Bridger's training team in Mesa, Arizona, where a new class of pilots and technicians trained for the 2021 fire season in the company's signature firefighting aircraft known as the Super Scooper. This $30 million "flying boat" scoops up 1,400 gallons of water before deploying it on an area affected by a wildfire.
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How Aerial Firefighter Pilots Are Trained | What It Takes

[@gormauslander]

The engineers really liked that 30 number. "Make it weigh 30,000lbs. Make it 30' tall. Make it $30M." "Sir, the wingspan can't be 30' " "Multiply it by 3"

[@arnom1885]

30 meters :+)

[@gormauslander]

@@arnom1885 oh shoot, you right. It's 28.38 m but that's almost 30

[@tonyfourpaws4511]

this needs 300 likes

[@extremeencounter7458]

@@arnom1885 Well, since he said 30’ (feet) times 3 (90 feet) which is 27.4 meters, almost dead on.

[@sathingupta9443]

299 LIKES… ONE MORE

[@douglasgault5458]

I saw these guys in action when I volunteered as a firefighter in a huge fire. We were down in a tight canyon. These guys would fly in at a right angle to the canyon. As they came over the ridge they would drop and hug the terrain while banking into a hard left. While dropping their load on target everytime. One of the best Arial acts I've ever seen. Better than close air support in Nam. These guys were great!

[@scorpionpilot9446]

This is the type of videos I subbed for.

[@aidbuilds6285]

SAME!!

[@ethenallen1388]

It's a little mind blowing trying to imagine being the first person to write the procedures for something like this.

[@Bartonovich52]

Written in blood. A lot of people died before procedures were in place.

[@Skinflaps_Meatslapper]

It probably wasn't that bad to be honest. It's a fairly simple procedure, you just have to know how long it takes to fill the tank and how far that translates over the water. As with any kind of aircraft testing, you start off small and work your way up. You begin with a low speed taxi and drop the scoop, then note any changes. Step up to a higher speed taxi and repeat. Finally you work your way up to the speed they currently use, and after that it's just a matter of incorporating it into a touch and go procedure. If you run into trouble, you have two options....lift the scoop power off and come to a stop, or dump the load and fly away. That's not to say it's an easy thing to do, but there are ways to mitigate risk when developing a new procedure.

[@email4664]

@@Skinflaps_Meatslapper B-17 never had a "scoop" to refill. They also never had turboprops. They also never had 95 foot wingspan. I might add, that they take twice the crew size as well, for this task, so the loss of life when they prangued into the hillsides was much higher.

[@PBHProductions]

Imagine being a fish just chilling in the ocean and then a plane picks you up.

[@Belioyt]

I think I have heard/seen a movie/news report of such a thing; someone was scoped up while swimming by an airplane and dumped.

[@viggovogt9312]

@@Belioyt its a myth

[@kthm4095]

Finding Nemo bushfire edition

[@diesellozano7874]

Imagine you’re house burning down an someone complaining about fish

[@justaorangewithapeel7986]

@Baron So (Grade 2) alway look on the bright side Pun intended

[@need8394]

That's what every CEO should be like, doing stuff that everyone does.

[@lonewolf6364]

Ex Seal, badass to the bone!

[@saeteune1918]

@@lonewolf6364 Fr I was like why does this guy look like some special forces dude and the next thing they say is that he’s A MF NAVY SEAL lmao

[@lonewolf6364]

@@saeteune1918 hell yeah! How good!!

[@AikonikBoy]

"Never command anything you can't do yourself" - Edward Carter

[@powermonkey500]

I bet the other half of the reason he's in that position is because he wanted to play with big toys

[@jameslowe5137]

Respect to these guys , my dads in the army and he has had to jump out of planes and stuff like that , but never over fire

[@Belioyt]

Have you heard of smoke jumpers?

[@jameslowe5137]

@@Belioyt yeah , those guys are crazy but necessary !

[@Belioyt]

@@jameslowe5137 yes they are, it takes hard men to do hard things. Men of steel.

[@dropbearknives4831]

In Australia, during the big forests fires a few years ago now, we had the fire helicopters, hired from California I think it was. Those teams were a welcome sight, going to and from the various hot spots. When ever we heard them I'd call my kids out to admire their design and wave at the flight crews. A hearty thx to All fire fighters on the ground and in the air. 👍

[@XcylLencioco]

Yes I’ve been waiting for this coz its my dream to be a pilot and i want to be a aerial fire fighter

[@finnbirkeland128]

nice bro

[@SHA-NN-ON]

All the best :) You got this!

[@adventuroussloth4907]

Nice! I’m gonna be a swat officer

[@Android-fo3tk]

Good luck bro! If you can dream it, you can achieve it!

[@notme9187]

@@adventuroussloth4907 ok

[@lilshrtt7545]

When h hear this narrators voice, yk the vid is gna be good

[@tsnaudex]

literally cannot think of a job more cool.

[@Kyle-cr7ho]

Secretary ;)

[@worm3165]

@@Kyle-cr7ho Eh, kinda lame compare to aerial firefighting

[@tristando9990]

Astronaut

[@brandonaviationhd]

Fighter pilot?

[@cupricqiviut8265]

@@Kyle-cr7ho TRUE

[@WilsonLove.]

For some reason this video is so satisfying

[@aimaniskandar476]

@Business Insider scam

[@sailorgregor]

the pilots are amazing. I was working for the Forest Service in N. Idaho in the summers '70-73, and I saw first hand a tree-top level B-17 (out of Missoula) drop nearly right on top of us. Awesome experience. These purpose built planes are well-realized and that they use 737 up to a DC10 and fly them all essentially in 'ground attack' surely has to involve the most situationally aware piloting skills. My hat is off to all of them.

[@nonameuno9394]

I've seen this plane on my nearby lake taking on water in gnarly white cap conditions getting water to fight a lightning strike fire. So freaking windy and these guys were still doing it. It was amazing to watch.

[@emeraldzebra9360]

I remember being on a Spanish beach years ago where a 4 prop engine aircraft doing this in the bay. The next day we went out on a jeep safari right through where the fire had been and it was amazing just how much it had saved. But nothing cooler, than sitting on the beach, having these take back off under full smack right over your head! Epic sound!!!

[@HuckThis1971]

Working for Bombardier challenger, this is still my favorite aircraft! Basically I flying tank! I have in the past seen this aircraft in the assembly plant here in Montréal before it was sold to viking air. I have also inspected some of the composite parts such as the water holding tanks etc. I am at the moment designing one to 3d print for rc!

[@jayk.8192]

As an Air Attack my hat is off to the Scooper pilots and crews. I'm talking ro the Hotshots on the ground, who are deep in the shit, and they're telling me where they need water. I then communicate with the Scooper pilot, give them a clearance and target description and they have to come up with a pilotage solution to get water on target. Sometimes terrain, viz, bad air, DA etc preclude a fixed wing drop but these guys never cease to amaze me. Cheers.

[@jankochaseaolcom]

I do my flight training at Mesa gateway. I saw this filmed and saw it sitting on the ramp

[@kevincervantes2390]

I recently graduated from ASU-Poly. Did some flight training at Gateway as well before switching to management. I was actually there the same week they posted this video. I got to see the start up procedure. A little anti-climatic though since they turned off the engines and I didn’t get to see them take off. A very cool airplane indeed.

[@AshtonKetola]

Lol! I train there now and saw it the other week!

[@spacemaster13]

Unsung heroes 💜💜

[@XenoWiz]

The Pilots here are heros, I hope you are paid well because this takes guts, skill and a lot of blessing Thank you fellas for your life-risking work!

[@StickmanInFictionalCity]

Thumbnail : Normal Firefighting plane Me : *lego*

[@tyreseinthismf]

This video was filmed at Roosevelt Lake in Gila County, Arizona. Just last year one of the largest fires in the states history burned the entire surrounding area.

[@aimaniskandar476]

@Business Insider scam

[@aimaniskandar476]

@Business Insider Report this scam

[@kyler2744]

@@aimaniskandar476 not a scam. This video was filmed at Roosevelt lake. The Bridger c145 was stationed at Mesa gateway airport. I had the privilege of going on a plane tour of that aircraft

[@aimaniskandar476]

@@kyler2744 no sorry there was a fake Business Insider account trying to scam people by replying that they have secret investment tips. The comments was probably deleted for spam. You can check other replies for prove or just check my other replies on this channel

[@kingkong7617]

The US should have a fleet of about 30 of these water bomber planes to fight wildfires with and they would pay for themselves.

[@jimclaytor9834]

I remember seeing 282 over Simi Valley California years ago on a fire as it was probably 500 feet above my house. Simply amazing to see in person. Great video. 🔥🔥👍👍

[@ninonicebx]

That is some seriously bad ass shit. Scooping up the water like that. One miscalculation and they are dead. Awesome SOB's. Respect to their mothers. Lol.

[@susanschofield2705]

This is the most flying fun you can have without killing anybody, but actually saving people!

[@howardcroft3748]

I think you should consider taking up aerobatic flying... might be safer for the rest of us

[@RadicalTurbine]

I wish this was longer!

[@Jamescc2ify]

RESPECT ! HEROES that is what you are ! Putting your lives on the line on each and every mission , your professionalism, dedication and airmanship are demanding very special kind of persons to operate under those extreme circumstances ! I wish I could fly with you , guys !

[@Dave-eu3ib]

Bless you for what you do.

[@jonsey156]

Very Interesting !!

[@Richie5480]

Amazing job guys, stay safe.

[@simonrancourt7834]

1:27 Look at the open door. On the inside of the door, there's a sign that says "Do not open door in flight".

[@chansaicommerce1721]

AMAZING !!!!!!!

[@DougsterCanada1]

For years, I have seen the Hawaii Mars fly overhead, and kayaked on Sproat Lake, BC all around it while it was on it's mooring. It's an amazing aircraft to see. These planes look great too.

[@ronbenson5270]

Thank you & God speed!

[@Pk-mx7mi]

When you also wanna be a pilot and a firefighter😏

[@bornjusticerule5764]

Looks like fun to me.🤙🏿

[@ahmedliaqat6442]

This job is soo amazing

[@ok-xh7dn]

@Business Insider scam

[@willydarmawan1978]

It's like warhog for firefighter

[@whogavehimafork]

Man that was really cool. Saw a video of a tanker jet dropping retardant and it occurred to me that I had no idea what the process was like for the pilots

[@musoseven8218]

Awesome flying, awesome job well done👍😊

[@gorillachilla]

These guys are real heroes

[@alparslankorkmaz2964]

Nice video.

[@mayurmurudkar9771]

Great Service 🙏

[@chansaicommerce1721]

AWESOME !!!!!!!!!

[@caspertheghost9999]

Awesome !

[@josecepeda6194]

Awesome video

[@Susheelkhot52]

Amazing this job 🙏🙏🙏👍

[@jasonswift9310]

Growing up in Wyoming I remember being able to see the smoke from nearby fires Infrequently, now you can set your watch by them, makes you wonder sometimes. Big money in fighting fires!

[@danasheets5478]

thank you for your service to others 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@Amitdas-gk2it]

TY 😊

[@5710fpilot]

I was driving through lake roosevelt about a month or so ago.... doing test drops from a similar plane- wonder if it was them filming!

[@billbrisson]

Love the invasion stripes! Nice job Al!

[@gustavoheberle6265]

Safe flights to all Fire Fighter Crews !

[@stevewisniewski5860]

I understand dad the firefighters and pilots of any aspect are understaffed and I thank all of you for whatever You do to help put out fires around our nation. My question still is in my mind of why doesn’t our government allow our military to get involved when Should be helping or could be helping our nation at home first? God bless all of you and stay safe.

[@Toys-show2018Y]

Wow I like it

[@dicdicd1767]

This plane is called Canadair CL-415 not superscooper!

[@bgorveatt]

The Super Scooper was invented to make it look like it was an American aircraft.

[@Ultranationalist941]

Its like doing CAS missions but you're saving lives and property.

[@GarySmith-dm1iy]

Brilliant

[@nedeniaholm4369]

God bless them. My fiance who was copilot died in crash in 1989.

[@sammylacks4937]

I would like to add , here in NC the terrain allows for bulldozers pulling a plow to dig a trench that can alone stop the fire. Only on bad fires that coincide with dry weather, winds and heavy fuel woodlands are aerial drops used. They like to use a natural firebreak if available, such as a road , then use fireplow on fire side or both if time permits then do a reinforcement drop from the air. Fire has its ups and downs with fuel , wind even humidity. You try to hit it hard when its down. Its been years since I have been underneath a plane that looks to big and to close to the treetops roaring over. The members of the NCFS always spoke with respect about the firefighters out West and Cali in particular. They are I was told the best.

[@PopleBackyardFarm]

pretty neat

[@devingraves8044]

This has always been a dream career for me

[@volgg]

Bless the firefighters, seriously, we need them more than ever with wildfires getting more dangerous by the year...

[@agerman-speakingfilipino4138]

I plan on joining CAL FIRE in the future, so that I can see these people doing their job while I’m doing mine.

[@nvonaspern]

101% my dream career. Time to put my focus into it.

[@jeffrobarge6378]

These guys are amazing pilots. God bless all of these courageous men and women, in the air or on the ground, that risk their lives year after year to battle the infernos that ravage the western United States more frequently and more destructively than ever.

[@horizon7799]

I honestly hope to someday pilot a SEAT if I don’t or can’t get into music, being a firefighter has always been a dream of mine, and now flying planes, it’s amazing that we humans as a race together can make such a creation.

[@paramdrall]

*Heroes !*

[@viperq]

These aircraft were lifesavers in California's 2020 fires.

[@chrisclifford7080]

Hey tell the guy who made the atomic bomb He had terrible design plans for putting out fires.

[@viperq]

@@chrisclifford7080 ugh ok

[@Richie016]

Aerofighters train hard to practice accuracy in executing various rescue operations 😊.

[@rcfoley]

Beautiful airplane.

[@email4664]

This is what makes America Great, not political trash- And I know, some of you are going to bring up fire politics, but I don't care to put that on these folks in this video, and they are the ones I am complimenting.

[@lottnio8207]

They are double heroes as pilots are heroes and firefighters are heroes.

[@samyfay7786]

Dream job.

[@AirlineFud]

i’m just here for the narrator, i love his voice

[@XcylLencioco]

Congrats to everyone that is not early and not saying first

[@beakytwitch7905]

Cool !

[@famous5693]

Filling water with a flying aircraft really goose bumps

[@anthonyryan1561]

I've missed this guy's voice

[@skurtlil9824]

Modern bomber that doesnt need us humans fighting eachother extremely inspiring

[@vickilindberg6336]

The flying that seems the scariest to me are the Super Scoopers. It seems like one errant log floating in the way could be a disaster, let alone cross winds.

[@pranavgoyal2798]

Canadair CL - 415 surely is a wonderful aircraft

[@stewartdeerfield]

I saw these guy's flying out of Hemet in late 60' / early 70's. TBM's / F7F's/PBY's/B-17's/D.C.-4/6/7/& I'm not sure. S-2's just coming in. Great airshow!

[@greenshield1]

I've been in the fire service for almost 30 years. 20 of this in major city. The only way I am doing wildland FF would be like this. Guess pilots license is in my future

[@jerrycann6374]

I worked at Canadair working on the CL215 back in the 80's. The CL415 looks identical to the CL215 except for the engines

[@Bendigo1]

Isn't it quite a bit bigger too?

[@jerrycann6374]

@@Bendigo1 no, the upgrades to the newer models are mostly in the avionics, engines. The 415 also has 4 bomb bay door vs the 2 in the 215 but the capacity remains the same

[@Bendigo1]

@@jerrycann6374 ok, thank you for the clarification.

[@nitendo67]

Lets get this in FS2020 asap

[@Bendigo1]

They have it in X-Plane 10.

[@dmor6696]

Big fires like the ones these people try to fight makes me cry when i see them on the news, before i didn't even care... (i was a stupid kid) in my small country, a few years ago 64 people died because of bad planning and wrong directions to some drivers from the emergency personel. it is very hard to remember this time i hope the best to every body, and please don't try to stay and protect your land, first protect yourself. and by the way, i have seen a situation where a lady turned on her sprinklers before evacuating and it actually helped save her property

[@rustyshakleford6553]

A wildland firefighters best friend after the helicopter that drops of lunch for the crew 🤪🔥🌲🇨🇦.

[@MrDeweydog]

2:05 -besides the Canadians the Russians also purposly designed and built aircraft to fight fires, the Berievs.

[@jp8612]

Adler went from fighting the Russians to dropping water from a plane

[@id104335409]

A firefighter goes in the cockpit and tells the pilot to take off immediately. When in the air he then tells him the coordinates he needs to fly to. When they reach the smoke, he tells him to fly straight over the flames. At that point the pilot looks at him and nervously says "You're not my flight instructor, are you!?!"

[@terryjohnson3812]

I flew heavy air tankers, I've never had anyone in my flight deck tell me when to take off, where to go, and for the love of God not now to attack the fire.

[@id104335409]

@@terryjohnson3812 its a joke

[@jankochaseaolcom]

I saw the plane parked at Mesa gateway airport in arizona

[@marctacchi]

I know do this after 20 years w/Airlines. Best job Ever

[@fnln544]

And the Aerial Water Bombardiers should proudly wear WW2 style Bombardier flight wings. Blessings!

[@SNS8R03]

Built tough in 🇨🇦

[@kennysboat4432]

The planes that load out of lakes that are bucket less are the most impressive

[@theimpostor4317]

Man is an ex navy seal and now a firefighter pilot. Damn.

[@LBOUNCER101]

That plane bears a striking resemblance to the PB y5 a Catalina

[@trxtech3010]

Hey that's Rosavelt alake and Damn.