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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Prepare for flight
   • Principles of crew resources management are established and maintained
   • Briefing on aircraft safety including aircraft emergency procedures from the pilot is received
   • Briefing on burn or incident operations management including chain of command and communication arrangements, burn objectives, planned ignition sequence and forecast weather is received from burn incident manager and/or the operations officer
   • Briefing on incendiary operations including response procedures for emergency situations involving incendiary equipment is delivered to pilot and flight crew
   • Aircraft communication equipment is tested pre-flight for correct frequencies and functionality
   • Flight following protocols are established and are maintained
2. Collect information
   • Observations of fire behaviour resulting from aerial ignition are recorded, in accordance with organisational procedures
   • Data on aerial ignition mission is collected, recorded and communicated, in accordance with organisational procedures
3. Plan incendiary operations mission
   • Approved burn plan or incident action plan is used to identify burn location, objectives, control lines and burn prescription
4. Hazards and risks are identified during planning to ensure safety of flight, firefighting operations, safety of neighbours and environmental values
5. Factors affecting burn prescription are determined including terrain, fuel loads, types and distribution in the burn area and forecast weather conditions
6. Factors affecting the aerial ignition are determined, including operating height and incendiary drift
7. Ignition pattern, lighting sequence and aerial ignition lines for planned burn are confirmed with operations officer
8. Time of day and weather conditions for aerial ignition are determined in conjunction with burn incident manager and/or the operations officer
9. Time required to complete aerial ignition is estimated and departure time and flight duration is calculated
10. Alternative aircraft landing locations are identified
11. Incendiary operational mission arrangements are reviewed against burn plan or incident action plan and variations are checked with burn incident manager and/or the operations officer
12. Supervise preparation of personnel, equipment and consumables
    • Safe work practices are implemented around aircraft
13. Organisational procedures for aerial incendiary operations are identified and implemented
14. Resource requirements for personnel, equipment, aircraft and fuel for aerial ignition are identified and organised
15. Incendiary equipment consumables are calculated and obtained
16. Incendiary equipment is checked and tested prior to flight, in accordance with manufacturers' operational manual
17. Satellite navigation equipment used to locate the burn area and implement the lighting pattern is checked for correct programming and operability prior to flight
18. Personal protection and safety equipment is inspected and tested prior to flight
    • Principles of crew resources management are established and maintained
19. Briefing on aircraft safety including aircraft emergency procedures from the pilot is received
20. Briefing on burn or incident operations management including chain of command and communication arrangements, burn objectives, planned ignition sequence and forecast weather is received from burn incident manager and/or the operations officer
21. Briefing on incendiary operations including response procedures for emergency situations involving incendiary equipment is delivered to pilot and flight crew
22. Aircraft communication equipment is tested pre-flight for correct frequencies and functionality
23. Flight following protocols are established and are maintained
24. Conduct the incendiary operations mission
    • Pilot is directed to burn site, flight route is followed on map, burn site is identified and reconnaissance is carried out to establish key ground features and hazards
25. Contact is made with fire ground supervisor to confirm communication arrangements and intended strategy and tactics
26. A test ignition is conducted from the air to ensure fire will burn according to prescription
27. Preliminary fly over is conducted to identify hazards and confirm area is clear of personnel and equipment
28. Approval to commence operations is obtained from burn incident manager and/or the operations officer
29. Weather conditions, smoke and fire behaviour are monitored
30. Communication with pilot and aerial incendiary operator is maintained to ensure burn prescription is achieved
    • Observations of fire behaviour resulting from aerial ignition are recorded, in accordance with organisational procedures
31. Data on aerial ignition mission is collected, recorded and communicated, in accordance with organisational procedures
32. React to changed conditions and emergencies
    • Observed changes in operational conditions are communicated to fire ground personnel and to burn incident manager and/or the operations officer
33. Ignition problems are changed to achieve burn prescription as ground conditions change from weather, fuel and/or topography
34. Observed hazards that may pose a risk to people, property, assets or the environment are reported to fire ground personnel and burn incident manager and/or the operations officer
35. Response to emergencies involving aircraft or incendiary operations is undertaken, in accordance with aircraft and organisational procedures
36. Conclude incendiary operations
    • Incendiary equipment is isolated or shut down, in accordance with organisational procedures and manufacturers' guidelines, prior to departure of aircraft from burn site
37. Ground personnel and burn incident manager and/or the operations officer are provided with situation reports prior to departure of aircraft from burn site
38. Servicing and storage of incendiary equipment and unused consumables is supervised, in accordance with organisational procedures, with any faults referred to relevant personnel for attention
39. An after action review is conducted with personnel involved in the incendiary operation
40. Details of incendiary operation are recorded, in accordance with organisational procedures

Range Statement

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment. Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

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