FTA

1. FTA WHAT IS IT?

2. FTA FTA stands for Fire Traffic Area.

3. FTA The FTA was developed by aerial firefighting personnel to provide a standardized initial attack airspace structure to enhance air traffic separation for all aircraft over wildland fire(or other) incidents.

4. FTA Is it complex or hard to use?

5. FTA Is it complex or hard to use? No it it isn’t.

6. FTA Although the FTA was designed for wildland firefighting incidents, the structure and communications requirements are patterned after Class D airspace with some specific differences.

7. FTA The Differences:

8. FTA The Differences: 1. The FTA utilizes a 5nm radius from the incident latitude and longitude. 5nm is a minimum radius, although a radius greater or less than 5nm may be used to adapt to unique incident demands.

9. FTA The Differences: 2. The FTA can flex vertically depending on operational requirements of participating incident aircraft or by the requirements of the incident itself.

10. FTA The Differences: 3. Radio communication is initiated at 12nm from the incident latitude and longitude.

11. FTA The Differences: 4. Negative Radio Contact requires holding a minimum of 7nm from the incident latitude and longitude.

12. FTA The Differences: 5. It is unique to land management agencies. It is not a part of the National Airspace System.

13. KNEEBOARD AND POSTER DEPICTION EFFECTIVE DATE 1 JAN 09

14. COMMUNICATIONS

15. PROFILE

16. NOTES: PROVIDE EXPANDED PROCEDURAL INFORMATION. NOTES

17. FREQUENCIES • Changes: • AIRTANKER BASE • AIR to AIR AS ASSIGNED • NATIONAL FLIGHT FOLLOW • TX tone 110.9

18. COMMUNICATIONS INITIAL RADIO CONTACT SHOULD BE INITIATED BY 12nm FROM THE FIRE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A CLEARANCE INTO THE FTA PRIOR TO 7nm. MONITORING THE AIR TACTICAL FREQUENCY WHILE ENROUTE WILL ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH THE CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT. ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATIONS EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER WILL OFTEN IMPROVE EFFICIENCY OVER THE FIRE. REMEMBER A CLEARANCE IS REQUIRED TO ENTER THE FTA.

19. COMMUNICATIONS INITIAL RADIO CONTACT INFORMATION SHOULD INCLUDE YOUR CALL SIGN, DISTANCE, DIRECTION AND TIME FROM THE FIRE. AFTER RECEIVING A CLEARANCE INTO THE FTA, PILOTS SHOULD PLAN TO ARRIVE AT 7nm FROM THE FIRE AT THEIR ASSIGNED ALTITUDE AND AT 150 KIAS* (OR LESS WHEN APPLICABLE). *LARGE AIRTANKERS MAY NEED TO OPERATE AT HIGHER AIRSPEEDS. CAPTAINS OF SUCH AIRCRAFT SHALL ADVISE THE CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT OF ENTRY SPEEDS EXCEEDING 150 KIAS.

20. COMMUNICATIONS IF RADIO CONTACT CAN NOT BE ESTABLISHED, PILOTS SHOULD MAINTAIN VFR,HOLD ON THE 7nm ARC FROM THE FIRE, WITH LEFT TURN ORBITS AROUND THE FIRE.

21. PROFILE AIRTANKER MANEUVERING ALTITUDE IS THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE REQUIRED BY THE WORKING AIRTANKERS TO INITIATE LOW-LEVEL RETARDANT DROPS SAFELY. THIS ALTITUDE IS ESTABLISHED BY THE CURRENT WORKING AIRTANKER CAPTAIN. THIS IS ALSO THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE AT WHICH A PARTICIPATING LEADPLANE OR ASM WILL ORBIT THE FIRE WHEN PROVIDING LOW-LEVEL SUPERVISION.

22. PROFILE AIRTANKERS WILL ESTABLISH A LEFT HAND ORBIT AROUND THE FIRE AT 500 FT ABOVE THE AIRTANKER MANEUVERING ALTITUDE. ORBITING AIRTANKERS SHOULD ESTABLISH AN ORBIT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO VIEW THE WORKING TANKERS BELOW THEM WHILE MAINTAINING VFR SEPARATION FROM OTHER PARTICIPATING AIRCRAFT.

23. PROFILE THE ATGS (AIR TACTICAL GROUP SUPERVISOR) PLATFORM WILL MAINTAIN 1000 FT. VERTICAL SEPARATION ABOVE THE AIRTANKER ORBIT ALTITUDE. THE NORMAL ATGS DIRECTION OF ORBIT IS RIGHT TURNS AROUND THE FIRE.

24. PROFILE WHEN TERRAIN AND OR FLIGHT CONDITIONS DICTATE, A HIGHER AIRTANKER MANEUVERING ALTITUDE MAY BE REQUIRED. AIRTANKER AND ATGS ORBITING ALTITUDES MUST BE ADJUSTED UPWARD TO MAINTAIN STANDARD VERTICAL SEPARATION.

25. NOTES Profile Note: Airtanker Maneuvering altitude determines minimum Airtanker and ATGS Orbit altitudes. Assigned altitudes may be higher and will be stated as MSL.

26. NOTES Note 1: 1000’ minimum separation between ATGS Orbit and Airtanker Orbit altitude.

27. NOTES Note 2: 500’ minimum separation between Airtanker Orbit and Airtanker Maneuvering altitude.

28. NOTES Note 3: On arrival reduce speed to cross 7nm at assigned altitude and 150 KIAS or less.

29. NOTES Helos: Fly assigned altitudes and routes.

30. NOTES Media: Maintain VFR separation above highest incident aircraft or position and altitude as assigned by controlling aircraft.

31. FREQUENCIES AIRTANKER BASE, 123.975, IS THE STANDARD FREQUENCY FOR AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND OR IN THE AIR TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE AIRTANKER BASE. AIR GUARD, 168.625 TxTone 110.9, IS AN EMERGENCY FREQUENCY MONITORED BY DISPATCH CENTERS.

32. FREQUENCIES AIR TO AIR AS ASSIGNED, THERE IS NO STANDARD AIR TACTICAL BACKUP FREQUENCY FOR COMMUNICATING BETWEEN INCIDENT AIRCRAFT. NATIONAL FLIGHT FOLLOW, 168.650 TX TONE 110.9, IS THE STANDARD NATIONAL FLIGHT FOLLOWING FREQUENCY MONITORED BY DISPATCH CENTERS.

33. 3 C’S • COMMUNICATIONS- ESTABLISHED. • CLEARANCE- RECEIVED AND UNDERSTOOD. • COMPLY- COMPLY WITH THE CLEARANCE. IF YOU CAN NOT, REMAIN CLEAR OF THE FTA UNTIL YOU RECEIVE AN AMENDED CLEARANCE WITH WHICH YOU CAN COMPLY.

34. 3 C’S • IF COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ESTABLISHED, • HOLD ON A 7NM ARC FROM THE FIRE, LEFT HAND ORBIT AROUND THE FIRE.

35. NOCOM: IF COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ESTABLISHED, HOLD ON A 7NM ARC FROM THE INCIDENT, LEFT TURNS, UNTIL THEY ARE ESTABLISHED!!! LEFT TURNS INITIAL CONTACT FTA NOCOM 5NM 7NM 12NM LEFT TURNS

36. LARGE INCIDENTS • Large incidents often times will have airspace requirements and TFR’s that exceed the dimensions of the FTA. • In this case Initial Points (IP’s) are used in conjunction with transition routes to and from the incident.

37. ARRIVAL TRANSITION DEPARTURE TRANSITION IP TFR FTA OPERATIONS AREA

38. LARGE INCIDENTS NOTE: Do not assume that all arriving aircraft have been briefed on the IP. If they have, they also may not have departed from the closest air tanker base. Arriving aircraft from other geographic areasmay possibly fly over your operationsarea to reach the IP or the original initial attack latitude an longitude.

39. IP TFR FTA OPERATIONS AREA

40. FIRE TRAFFIC AREA FTA • Remember the key to safe operations is communications! • Call by 12nm. • Get a clearance. • If you do not hear from the controlling aircraft, arc at 7nm, left turns around the fire. • If in doubt, stay out!