Velivolo e modalità operative

Il Fire Boss (che rappresenta la risposta americana al polacco Pzl M18B “Dromader”) nato per lavoro agricolo ma utilizzato con successo nel ruolo antincendio, non è una novità per l’Italia; infatti, nel 2001 in Basilicata tre esemplari in versione terrestre (operati da equipaggi australiani) hanno condotto quasi 500 ore di volo operativo, mentre nel 2006 in Sardegna due velivoli in versione anfibia ne hanno svolte 135.
L’aereo è dotato di un sistema di sgancio computerizzato, con il quale il pilota può decidere l’estensione dell’area da coprire e la quantità di liquido da rilasciare in funzione della tipologia di vegetazione.
L’acqua viene convogliata all’interno del serbatoio attraverso due probe (apposite valvole di carico poste nella parte inferiore dei galleggianti anteriormente al carrello principale) effettuando una sorta di flottaggio veloce alla velocità di 100 km/h circa, detto scoop, su bacino idrico; la corsa effettiva di “scooping” è di circa 800 mt e dura circa 10”/12”, cui si sommano i tempi di ammaraggio e decollo; a terra, invece, il serbatoio viene collegato tramite bocchettoni esterni posti sotto la fusoliera direttamente alle riserve idriche della base.

Contrasto agli incendi boschivi

Campagna AIB 2010 – Flotta

La flotta schierata quest'anno era di 43 mezzi di cui:
15 Canadair,
10 Fire Boss,
4 Air Crane (Erickson S-64)
più elicotteri NH-500, AB-205, AB-212, AB-412 e Chinook CH-47 delle diverse componenti del sistema Protezione Civile (AM, EI, MM, CFS, GC e VV.FF).
I mezzi aerei, quattro in più dello scorso anno, erano dislocati su 21 basi operative da Nord a Sud del Paese per garantire la completa copertura del territorio con una particolare attenzione al Centro-Sud del Paese, che in questo periodo dell’anno risulta maggiormente esposto al fenomeno; la campagna estiva, infatti, rappresenta il picco di attività nel contrasto degli incendi boschivi sebbene il concorso aereo alle attività di spegnimento sia garantito tutto l’anno in risposta alle richieste di supporto provenienti dalle Regioni.

Campagna AIB 2010 – Fire Boss

Allo scopo di ottimizzare risorse, costi e sinergie il Dipartimento Protezione Civile ha stipulato con l'ATI AVIALSA-AIRSP&A un contratto triennale per l’impiego di 10 Fire Boss nella lotta attiva agli incendi boschivi; inoltre, il 9 giugno 2010, il Dipartimento medesimo e Regione Puglia hanno sottoscritto una convenzione per l'utilizzo condiviso di due AIR TRACTOR AT-802F Fire Boss.
La Campagna AIB 2010 ha preso il via dall'aeroporto di Grottaglie (TA), alla presenza di:

AIRSP&A - Rodolfo Spagnoli, Presidente ed Amministratore Delegato
                - Donato Pace, Product Manager
                - Salvatore De Palma, Direttore Operazioni Volo
                - Giovanni Galiotto, Vice Direttore Operazioni Volo
Regione Puglia - Egidio Carità, Direttore SOUP (Sala Operativa Unifìcata Permanente)
                         - Lello Cafaro, Responsabile Telecomunicazioni Servizio Protezione Civile.

Schierata l’intera flotta di 10 Fire Boss, di cui cinque ex AVIALSA acquisiti da AIRSP&A che ha intenzione di portare la propria flotta a 10 macchine, con 13 piloti (di cui 10 militari, due ex militari e un civile) in attesa di raggiungere a coppie gli aeroporti di destinazione.
I due velivoli condivisi tra Regione Puglia e Dipartimento Protezione Civile sono stati basati sul sedime tarantino venendo impiegati prevalentemente in operazioni di soppressione/contenimento del fuoco nonché di bonifica; al pari di tutti gli altri, hanno operato sotto controllo operativo del COAU dell'Ufficio Attività Aeronautica del Dipartimento.
Dal 9 giugno, data di inizio delle operazioni, al 30 settembre sono state effettuate circa 1.800 ore di volo; dei diciassette piloti operativi su Fire Boss, i dieci militari hanno concluso il loro impegno nel settore antincendio il 3 ottobre con il primato di missioni sul fuoco del Magg. Marco Tolone impiegato presso la base di Birgi.
I velivoli, tra i quali l’I-SPEL unico esemplare spinto da un Pratt &Whitney da 1.600 hp, non sono stati consegnati secondo l’ordine alfabetico delle matricole ed il numero che recano dietro l’abitacolo é quello del call sign usato durante le operazioni, Boss 1/2/3…

Distribuzione Linea Fire Boss AIRSP&A

L'Aquila “Preturo”/Foggia “Gino Lisa”: I-SPEB / I-SPEM
Grottaglie “Marcello Arlotta”: I-SPED / I-SPEF
Sigonella (CT)/Trapani-Birgi: I-SPEL

AT-802F Fire Boss, velivolo monomotore monoposto anfibio di fabbricazione Air Tractor (USA):

- apertura alare: 18,04 m
- superficie alare: 37,29 mq
- motore: turboelica Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67AG potenza da 1.350 o PT6A-67F da 1.600 HP ad elica pentapala
- peso a vuoto: 7,3 t
- velocità massima: 280 km/h
- velocità di lavoro: 250 km/h
- velocità di stallo: flap up, 172 km/h, flap down, 146 km/h
- rateo di salita: 780 piedi/minuto
- corsa decollo: 610 m
- serbatoio carburante: 961 m
- serbatoio acqua: 3.200 lt
- serbatoio estinguente: I.333 lt utilizzabili miscelati automaticamente con acqua ad una concentrazione variabile dallo 0,5% all’1 % ed assicura fino ad oltre 40 sganci
- tempo scooping: 10-12 secondi
- velocità scooping: 100 km/h
- capacità di sgancio: da 400 a 3.200 lt utilizzando il sistema computerizzato può effettuare la stesura di una fascia frangi fuoco di circa 400 mt con copertura di 0,5USG per piede quadrato
- autonomia massima: 4:30h

Piloti AIRSP&A:

C.te De Palma Salvatore
C.te Galiotto Giovanni
C.te Macconi Francesco

Piloti Militari Linea Fire Boss
1° Corso AVIALSA-AIRSP&A “Palanca Atras” (Barra Indietro)

Magg. Adriatico Raffaele
Ten. Bartolini Jacopo
Ten. Casale Matteo
Magg. D'Arrigo Pietro
T.Col. Gelmini Massimo
T.Col. Gregoris Andrea
Cap. Martinelli Massimiliano
Magg. Miani Michele
Magg. Tolone Marco
T.V. Vallera Alessandro

English translation

Programme

The objective of the convention signed on 27 November 2008 by the Undersecretary of State for Defense, Guido Crosetto, and the Head of Civil Protection, Guido Bertolaso, was to integrate pilots from the Aeronautica Militare or Italian Air Force - AM/ Marina Militare or Italian Navy - MM, particularly suitable for conducting "surgical" operations (in the sense of targeted) at low altitudes such as fire-fighting operations, in the staff of at least 20 units needed to support the flight activity of the campaign AIB (Anti Incendio Boschiva or Anti Forest Fire) The summer season runs from 15 June to 30 September each year.
In this context, the designated personnel carry out the AIB activity, compatible with the performance of the institutional tasks proper to the Armed Force to which they belong and in the manner established by the Centro Operativo Aereo Unificato (COAU or Unified Air Operations Centre of the Protezione Civile or Department of Civil Protection, assisting pilots on duty in specialized companies operating in the same field.
In 2010 there were 15 military pilots, including 10 employees on Fire Boss (nine AM, one MM) and five on Air Crane (three Esercito - Italian Army, one Marina Militare - Italian Navy and one Aeronautica Militare - Italian Air Force); these, together with the four provided by the Corpo Forestale delo Stato (CFS, State Forestry Corps) for the S-64, have followed specific courses in Italy, the United States and Spain, to obtain the ratings on the aircraft assigned and the qualification to their use Water Bomber.
As for the Fire Boss the 1st Habilitation/ training course with ENAC authorization for military pilots aimed at certification on aircraft AIR TRACTOR AT-802F "Fire Boss", which was edited by the Temporary Association of Enterprise AVIALSA-AIRSP&A and prepared by the Flight Operations Director of AIRSP&A (Cmdr. De Palma) therefore provided for:
- approximately 15 hours flight on Cessna L-19 Idro and C-172 amphibious at the Aero Club of Como, the only European flying school SEP/SEA (Single Engine Piston for hydro aircraft);
- AVIALSA (European contact person for AIR TRACTOR) Ground Two-seater Certification course in Spain;
- Amphibious single-seater skill course for the SET/LAND (Single Engine Turbine for ground aircraft) rating in Grottaglie;
- SET/SEA (Single Engine Turbine for hydro aircraft) certification course with the collaboration of the Como Aero Club for use from the lakes of Como and Lecco.
Only after this process, which involved about 40 hours flight in its four phases, the pre-operational course was carried out with supplies and water releases.
Being the aircraft of a private company, first Spanish and Italian from the example I-SPEM then, the military pilots flew with commercial pilot license (CPL) according to the European JAR.
Among the first qualified Fire Boss, the Lt.Col. Massimo Gelmini, 40 years old, currently in service at the Comando Forze da Combattimento (CFC or Combat Forces in Command) headquartered in Milan but with 2,000 hours of total flight of which 1,800 on Tornado IDS and operational missions matured in four years at the 102° Gruppo (Squadron) of the 6° Stormo (Wing) (Unit with which, when intervened against to stop the massacre of ethnic Albanian civilians in the second half of the years 90, participated in the campaigns in Bosnia and Kosovo).
On the other hand, the same Commander Salvatore De Palma is a former pilot and instructor Tornado (156° Gruppo - 36° Stormo) with over ten years of experience in the sector having carried out almost 2,000 hours flight on Canadair aircraft in both Italy and Portugal and Turkey; in the latter country (with fellow pilots from other nationalities) put an end to the disastrous fire that destroyed the cargo area of Istanbul Airport in May 2006 by releasing 156 hitches, a total of almost one million liters in just over five hours of flight per aircraft, with two Canadair CL-215s.
De Palma’s deputy, Cmdr. Giovanni Galiotto, is also an instructor from the Tornado line; both, together with Francesco Macconi (Italian pilot with the highest number of flying hours on Fire Boss), overseeing the flight operations of the four AT802F deployed between Grottaglie, Foggia and Trapani.
The return of the military in the fire-fighting fleet of the Civil Protection reports at the beginning of the 80s when, at the dawn of the service, G 222ProCiv, C 130H MAFFS (Modular Airborne Firefighting System) and Canadair CL 215 all operated under AM with excellent results.
He then led the COAU (set up to coordinate and direct the various components of the Civil Protection using aircraft) the first organizer of that structure, Gen. Angelo Cavicchini, convinced assertor of the concept according to which the fire-fighting aerial activity represents, for its peculiarities, an important stage in the training of the military pilot.

Aircraft and operating modes

The Fire Boss (which represents the American response to the Polish Pzl M18B "Dromader") born for agricultural work but successfully used in the fire role, is not a novelty for Italy; in fact, in 2001 in Basilicata three aircraft in terrestrial version (operated by Australian crews) have conducted almost 500 hours of operational flight, while in 2006 in Sardinia two aircraft in amphibious version have carried out 135.
The plane is equipped with a computerized release system, with which the pilot can decide the extension of the area to be covered and the amount of liquid to be released depending on the type of vegetation.
The water is conveyed inside the tank through two probes (special load valves placed at the bottom of the floats before the main carriage) carrying out a sort of fast flotation at a speed of about 100 km/h, said scoop, on water reservoir; the actual run of "scooping" is of about 800 m and lasts about 10"/12", to which are added the times of landing and take-off; on the ground, however, the tank is connected via external vents placed under the fuselage directly to the water reserves of the base.
The choice of such aircraft (in addition to its versatility, economy of management and reduced maintenance) is based on the possibility of operating a prompt and rapid intervention to stem fire outbreaks, carrying out the initial intervention with water and retardant and subsequent ones with water (taken at sea or on a lake) mixed on board with extinguishing product; This, based on ammonium polyphosphate, released several times on the front of the fire blocks the progress of the flames constituting a real fire-fringe band.
The Fire Boss initially discharges about 2,000 liters of water and retardant flying at 130 KIAS with a fuel consumption of about 300 liters/h while the subsequent releases can reach 3,100 liters of water or water and foam only; The aircraft, strategically located at airports in the vicinity of water surfaces, can not only take off on alarm but also, in periods of maximum alert, carry out patrol "armed" ready to intervene if necessary.
Even in the case of large fires, the Fire Boss has proved useful to complement larger planes and helicopters compared to which, with an average speed at full load of 270 km/h, has extremely short transfer times water source-fire.
Features and modes of use that are well combined with the capabilities of military pilots (especially if coming from the tactical line) so that last June, at the 48th edition of Le Bourget, AIR TRACTOR presented the AT-802U, armed version of the single terrestrial turbine AT-802, with fixed bicycle trolley and equipped with fall armament and not for the use of COIN (Counter Insurgency), but also for "tactical" agricultural treatments aimed at fighting illegal drug cultivation.

Combating forest fires

The Italian forest heritage, one of the most important in Europe in terms of size and variety of species, constitutes an immense resource for the environment (conservation of biodiversity and landscape) and economy of the country but also for the balance and security of the territory.
The framework law 353/2000 assigns the responsibility for prevention, discovery and fight against forest fires to Regions and Autonomous Provinces.
The task of the National Civil Protection is the coordination, through the Unified Air Operations Centre (COAU), of the State air fleet, which operates in competition with the work carried out by ground teams.
The deployment of State air vehicles ensures the intervention at any point in the country within 60-90 minutes of takeoff; In 2009 39 aircraft were used (spread over 20 bases) intervened, in the summer period alone, on 816 fires releasing over 126 million liters of water.
After 2007, which was dramatically marked by a peak in forest fires which also led to the loss of human lives, the 2008/2009 summer seasons were characterized by a decrease in the number of fires and in the number of hectares covered by fire, and the hours of flight of the State fleet.
It should also be noted that in recent years, the State fleet has intervened on several occasions to support the extinguishing operations conducted by national resources in Albania, Cyprus, Greece, Lebanon, Montenegro and Portugal, for a total of over 400 hours flight.

AIB 2010 campaign - Fleet

The fleet deployed this year was 43 vehicles of which:
15 Canadair,
10 Fire Boss,
4 Air Crane (Erickson S-64)
more NH-500, AB-205, AB-212, AB-412 and Chinook CH-47 helicopters of the different components of the Civil Protection system (AM, EI, MM, CFS, GC and VV.FF).
The aircraft, four more than last year, were located on 21 operating bases from North to South of the country to ensure the complete coverage of the territory with a particular focus on the Center-South of the country, which in this period of the year is most exposed to the phenomenon; The summer campaign, in fact, represents the peak of activity in the fight against forest fires although the air competition for extinguishing activities is guaranteed throughout the year in response to requests for support from the Regions.

AIB 2010 campaign - Fire Boss

In order to optimize resources, costs and synergies, the Civil Protection Department has signed a three-year contract with the ATI AVIALSA-AIRSP&A for the use of 10 Fire Boss in the active fight against forest fires; In addition, on 9 June 2010, the Department and Regione Puglia signed an agreement for the shared use of two AIR TRACTOR AT-802F Fire Boss.
La Campagna AIB 2010 has started from the airport of Grottaglie (TA), in the presence of:
AIRSP&A - Rodolfo Spagnoli, President and CEO
- Donato Pace, Product Manager
- Salvatore De Palma, Director of Flight Operations
- Giovanni Galiotto, Deputy Director of Flight Operations
Regione Puglia - Egidio Carità, Director of SOUP (Single Permanent Operational Room)
- Lello Cafaro, Head of Telecommunications, Civil Protection Service.
Deployed the entire fleet of 10 Fire Boss, including five former AVIALSA acquired by AIRSP&A that intends to bring its fleet to 10 aircraft, with 13 pilots (including 10 military, two former military and one civilian) waiting to reach in pairs the airports of destination.
The two aircraft shared between the Regione Puglia and the Civil Protection Department were based on the Taranto being mainly used in suppression/ containment of fire as well as reclamation; Like all others, they have operated under the operational control of the AOC of the Air Force Office of the Department.
From 9 June, the start date of operations, to 30 September were made about 1,800 hours of flight; of the seventeen pilots operating on Fire Boss, the ten military ended their engagement in the fire sector on October 3 with the record of missions on the fire of the Maj. Marco Tolone employed at the base of Birgi.
The airplanes, between which the I-SPEL only exemplary pushed from a Pratt &Whitney from 1.600 hp, have not been delivered according to the alphabetical order of the serial and the number that carry behind the cabin is that of the call sign used during the operations, Boss 1/2/3...

AT-802F Fire Boss, single-engine amphibious aircraft of Air Tractor manufacture (USA):

- wingspan: 18,04 m
- Wing area: 37,29 m2
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67AG turboprop 1,350 HP or PT6A-67F 1,600 HP five-blade propeller
- Empty weight: 7,3 t
- maximum speed: 280 km/h
- working speed: 250 km/h
- stall speed: flap up, 172 km/h, flap down, 146 km/h
- rate of climb: 780 ft/minute
- take-off run: 610 m
- fuel tank: 961 m
- water tank: 3.200 lt
- extinguishing tank: I.333 lt can be used automatically mixed with water at a concentration ranging from 0.5% to 1% and ensures up to more than 40 release
- scooping time: 10-12 seconds
- speed scooping: 100 km/h
- Release capacity: from 3.200400 a lt using the computerized system can make the drafting of a band fringes fire of about 400 meters with coverage of 0.5USG per square foot
- maximum range: 4:30h