PNWCG Aviation Working Team
Meeting Notes – 10/19/00 at NWCC
Chairperson & Vice Chair
Phil Hufstader resigned as Chairman last Summer due to changes in his duties with ODF.
Jim Payne (Vice Chair) will serve as Chairman through the end of December, 2000.
Future Chairman and Vice Chairman were agreed to as follows:
CY
Chairman
Vice Chairman
2001
Clay Hillin, BLM
Phil Hufstader, ODF
2002
ODF representative
BIA representative
2003
BIA representative
DNR representative
2004
DNR representative
FS representative
2005
FS representative
FWS representative
2006
FWS representative
NPS representative
2007
NPS representative
BLM representative
SEAT Task Group
Discussed the status of the SEAT task group and that the group was still waiting on
feedback from the AWT re: their proposed questionnaire to the PNWCG field units. In a
previous meeting the AWT had reviewed, but not approved, the questionnaire.
Apparently the review comments did not get transmitted to the SEAT Task Group. A
copy was found in the files and the following actions were agreed to:
1. Clay Hillin will provide a copy of the review comments to Danny Benson,
Chairman of the Task Group.
2. Jim Payne will continue to serve as AWT liaison to the SEAT Task Group and
will work with the Group to renegotiate a critical path timeline.
Frequency Guide Task Group
AWT reviewed the accomplishment of this group. A frequency guide was developed and
published in CY 2000. The following decisions were made:
1. Change the cover to “Pacific Northwest Aviation Frequency Guide
2. Continue to include frequency and directory type information
3. Exclude information on agency specific policy/procedures
4. FS will maintain guide and update it annually (currently via the RAC smokjumper
unit)
5. Disband the Frequency Guide Task Group. Thank you letters to group members
will be sent.
6. Correct the NPS frequencies & tones
7. Continue to only publish the guide in the current “pocket size” format
8. Recommend to NWCC to add the guide as an appendix to the PNW Mob Guide.
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Aviation Safety
Bill Bulger provided an update on aviation safety and the changes in the FS national
aviation safety office:
Tony Kern – National Aviation Safety Program Manager
Morgan Mills – Helicopter Standardization Pilot
Ed Kral – Fixed-wing Standardization Pilot
Barb Hall – Aviation Safety Specialist
Vacant – Aviation Training Specialist
Tony also plans to add 2 accident investigators, 1 IRM spec. and 1 airspace coordinator
position to his staff.
The AWT reaffirmed the desire for Bill to continue to send aviation safety related
information to the AWT members.
Lessons Learned
AWT members discussed the lessons they learned from this last field season:
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Don’t rely on NWCC or MAC to send policy/procedure changes to Agency’s
aviation managers.
Field users (IMT’s, agency administrators, aviation managers) need copies of the
PNW Master Agreement and Operating Plan. The AWT needs to develop a
strategy to distribute these documents after the next revisions are done.
We need to improve the understanding, acceptance, and support of policy
differences and applications. Target groups: dispatchers, agency administrators,
IMTs, PNWCG, aviation managers. Jim Payne will develop a power point
presentation on this issue and share copies with the AWT. AWT will then use
when appropriate and will also elevate the issue to the National level thru their
respective agencies.
Helicopter Manager qualification differences are a big issue. We should consider
the model used by this year to qualify helicopter managers from Canada and
Australia. Jim. Phil, Ken Ross, and John Boro will meet to staff out the issue.
Avoid mid-season policy changes if at all possible.
The aircraft ordering process on Federal incidents needs to be clarified and
documented in the PNW Master Agreement Operating Plan. AWT will do this
during Operating Plan revision this winter.
Aviation Standards Matrix
Reviewed the 11/99 draft and comments from the last AWT meeting.
Clay will finalize the Matrix and send it out to the AWT before our next meeting
(January).
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Master Agreement & Operating Plan
AWT members will send out current copies out to all respective field units/managers.
AWT will review and provide revision input to PNWCG at our next meeting.
Web Site
Clay Hillin will continue to maintain.
Future Helicopter Manager Workshops:
4/2-4 Oregon Session
4/16-20 Washington Session
Next AWT meeting: February 23, 2001 at NWCC starting at 0900.
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