Forest
Service
File Code:
Route To:
Subject:
To:
Rocky
Mountain
Regional Office
740 Simms Street
Golden, CO 80401-4702
Voice: 303-275-5350
TDD: 303-275-5367
Date: June 27, 2012
5700
Colorado National Guard Helicopter and Pilot Approval - Supersedes approval
letter issued June 11, 2012
Forest Supervisor, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests,
Forest Supervisor, Medicine Bow and Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin
National Grassland, Forest Supervisor, Rio Grande National Forest, Forest
Supervisor, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National
Grassland, Forest Supervisor, Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron
and Comanche National Grasslands, Forest Supervisor, San Juan National Forest,
Forest Supervisor, White River National Forest
This letter of approval supersedes the letter of approval issued on June 11, 2012. This letter adds
4 CH-47 pilots and 3 additional CH-47 aircraft.
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, has approved the Colorado Army National
Guard pilots and aircraft for use on Emergency Life Saving missions and/or Wildland Fire
Fighting activities as specified in the Colorado Interagency Cooperative Fire Management
Agreement for the period of June 2012 through June 2013. This approval is in accordance with
Forest Service Manual 5712.34. The pilots have completed all training specified as “Designated
and Non-Designated Military Missions.” The training has been conducted as a joint effort
between the Colorado Army National Guard and the U.S. Forest Service and included Basic Fire
Behavior, Reconnaissance Techniques, and Water Bucket Operations to ensure safe and effective
operations.
To promote safe and effective helicopter operations, the Interagency Helicopter Operations
Guide (IHOG) and appropriate National Guard Field Manuals and Guides will be complied with
during all wildland firefighting operations. ALL aircraft used in support of multi-agency
incidents will require radio communications sufficient to communicate with other aircraft on
VHF-AM frequencies and fire line personnel on VHF-FM frequencies.
For fire assignments on multi-agency incidents, a qualified Helicopter Manager or Helicopter
Coordinator may be assigned to assist the flight crew to work with the Incident Management
Team. The Helicopter Manager or Coordinator will be experienced in fire behavior and aerial
firefighting tactics. A comprehensive briefing will include mission objectives, aircraft safety
features and aircraft performance.
Pilots-In-Command for the Colorado Army National Guard, performing wildland firefighting
missions will have 1500hrs in type, design, and series aircraft for the mission being flown.
The following names have been verified by the Unit Commander as having the flight time
requirements stipulated in this letter of approval:
It’s Cool to Be Safe
Printed on Recycled Paper
UH-60 Aircraft Commanders
COL Cornelius Keohane
LTC Robert Soper
MAJ Robert Lawton
CPT Troy Brown
CW4 Stephen McElhenny
CW4 Richard Rugg
CW4 Michael Eger
CW3 Edwin Chapin
CH-47 Aircraft Commanders
MAJ Tony Somogyi
CPT Thomas Renfroe
CW4 Curtis Hathcock
CW4 Patrick Gates
APPROVED AIRCRAFT (Type and registration number)
UH-60
80-23445
81-23600
81-23619
88-26042
84-23971
85-24460
81-23587
82-23694
86-24529
84-23991
CH-47
91-00271
87-00077
92-00280
87-00097
92-00293
Contact Jim Lawson, Regional Helicopter Operations Specialist at 303-439-2351 or
jlawson01@fs.fed.us if you have questions or need assistance in the future.
Please keep a copy of this letter in the Colorado National Guard Aircraft listed above. This will
ensure continuous ability to cooperate on interagency firefighting missions.
This letter of approval will expire on June 30, 2013.
Thank you for your assistance during this interagency firefighting effort.
/s/ Sandra T. Lafarr
SANDRA T. LAFARR
Regional Aviation Officer
cc: Jim Lawson
Jack P Finley
Robert Kuhn
Scott Fisher
John K Hamilton
Jim A Fletcher
Glenn S Bartter
Debbie K Bozarth
Jay W Miller
Geoff Bell
Jeff Vanis
Bradley Bernardy
Dennis W Fogel
Jeff Vanis