Page 28 - 1. Aircraft Safety Booklet

AIRCRAFT SAFETY
28
6. If problems are experienced on “Fire 4”, the Incident Controller
or the Fire HQ may need to assign an alternate “Fire” channel to
air operations. This might occur if there is an adjacent fire being
worked by aircraft and there is interference occurring on “Fire 4”.

AM radio channels for aerial fire fighting
The preceding radio frequencies will be adequate for small aerial
fire fighting operations with minimal radio chatter. Where radio
channels are congested, become unsafe with excessive ground based
communications, require more than one sector or involve more than
two aircraft, it is suggested that the AM radio frequencies listed are
used as well.
The purpose of the F-CTAF is to give all the aircraft, both fixed
wing and helicopter, a common radio frequency to use to talk to
one another during a fire fighting operation. In a smaller aircraft
operation, the air operations staff will allocate the F-CTAF frequency.
This will be the majority of fires involving aircraft in New Zealand.

Where several aircraft are involved, the air operations staff
in consultation with the Air Attack Supervisor (AAS) and pilots
will allocate another F-CTAF to cover different geographic areas.
This is to prevent radio interference between the two aircraft
operational areas to minimise aircraft mishaps.
F-CTAF will be used by pilots to announce their position to all aircraft
whether approaching or departing the drop site. Specific geographic
points (or gates) will be identified which mark the location/point
where pilots will broadcast their inbound or outbound circuit.

The AAS will have four channels operating on their aerial platform:
1. F-CTAF, where the AAS will give direction to the pilots for
drop locations and where warnings of other aircraft locations
are necessary.
2. Ground to air radio, for the AAS to communicate with ground
forces, or operations section, to make changes in the air attack
to suit the ground operations requirements.
3. Ground to Air radio for any other aircraft to use to
communicate with that are not part of the firefight.

4. Toggle Ground to Air radio that the AAS platform pilot will
monitor if flying in a restricted airspace or other designated area.