Aerial Supervision Requirements

Scope

This Operational Guideline outlines supervision considerations and operational complexity for aerial firefighting operations involving aircraft allocated, or operational, at an incident.

Fundamental Protocols underpin the actions of all RFS members and must be adhered to at all times. They outline the Principles of being an RFS member and provide guidance on conduct to support the safety and wellbeing of members.

Guiding Principles

• Incidents can vary considerably in size and complexity.
• A large incident may be broken into multiple divided areas which allows simplification of supervision. Conversely, several small incidents in proximity may be grouped into operational areas or divided areas.
• Air attack supervision requirements are applied to groupings of aircraft. This may be across an operational area (incident) or sub divided area.
• If an operational area is divided and well understood, the air attack supervision requirements apply within that area rather than the entire incident. E.g.:
  • 1 small to medium fire with 3 concurrent firefighting aircraft will require an Air Attack Supervisor (AAS).
  • A large fire with 4 aircraft split into 2 defined operational areas with 2 aircraft in each may not require an AAS as each divided area is below the threshold required for air attack supervision.

Air Attack Supervision Escalation Table

AAS Refuelling

• Air Attack platforms can be Light Helicopters, Fixed-wing Fire Spotters or Birddog aircraft. All aircraft are required to depart the fireground to refuel at various times during an operation.
• Where possible, refuelling should be planned to reduce:
  • Queues at the refuelling point; and
  • Time away from the incident ground, particularly during peak periods.

AAS Handover

Second AAS available

• When the AAS needs to leave the operational area and there is a secondary AAS available (incident or Large Air Tanker (LAT)), a thorough handover should be completed to provide adequate aerial supervision.
• On return of the AAS to the operational area, a handback and return to previous aerial supervision needs to occur with the acknowledgement of all aircraft operating.

No AAS available

• When the AAS needs to leave the operational area and a second AAS is unavailable, it is essential to manage risk when the AAS is offline for fuel or other reasons.
• A plan of operations during this period should include the following:
  • Notification of the AAS plan to depart for fuel to Aircraft, relevant field commanders and other relevant personnel.
  • AAS is to assess what operations can continue safely without AAS oversight.
  • Amendments to operations implemented:
    • Reducing aircraft;
    • Geofencing; and
    • Communications.
  • Direction to aircraft to continue current operations that should not vary from the tasking assigned by the departing AAS.
  • No additional aircraft are to enter the operational area during this period.
• A plan to manage the aircraft needs to be communicated to aircraft prior to departure of AAS.
• On return to the operational airspace the AAS must liaise with aircraft that remained on scene to re-establish themselves at the incident.

Special Considerations

• Nil.

Related Information

• IMP 3.06.02 Air Attack Supervisor
• Interagency Aviation Standard Operating Procedures – 2022 – Version 4.2
• RFS OPG - Cross Border Airspace Management