McClellan, CA – The CAL FIRE Aviation Training Center welcomes the first of six cohorts for annual Helicopter Continuing Professional Training (HCPT) this week. The 6-day training provides both classroom and practical instruction for helitack crews and pilots, covering topics such as avionics, safety procedures, and hands-on rescue and aerial firefighting flights.
Commitment to Readiness: Day and night operations training flights
Thursday and Friday, December 5 and 6, 2024, crews will fly both day and night. Day flights will be held at Folsom Lake, night flights will be held near Mammoth Bar in Placer County.
Residents in the surrounding areas can expect helicopter activity during daylight hours and after dark until 11pm. All flights will be conducted in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and CAL FIRE safety protocols.
Importance of Training at Night
CAL FIRE’s commitment to readiness requires operational specific training. By conducting exercises at night, pilots and crews gain valuable experience in adjusting for the lower visibility environment. They will practice water dropping, navigation and communication visually aided by night vision goggles (NVG).
CAL FIRE is dedicated to minimizing disturbances to our neighboring communities and values the public’s cooperation as we strive to maintain operational readiness.
To learn more about the CAL FIRE Aviation Program click here.
Editor’s note: Here’s a short video about CAL FIRE’s Fire Hawks night flight training.
