Use of UAVs in Future Aerial Firefighting I. Introduction An airplane was maneuvering to deliver fire retardant when its left wing separated.”1 An issue far too severe, yet with proper vision, awareness, and initiative can be resolved, is the current air tanker fleet retrofitted to fight forest fires in order to protect the welfare of this nation. Each time a pilot ascends, he puts his and his crews’ lives at risk, especially in the case of aerial firefighting. The average age of the airtanker fleet recently in commission is fifty years old; much of these are WWII era military aircraft that were later converted. 11 The intended mission of these planes has proven to be far less intense as multiple “converts” have experienced mid-air wing loss resulting in the death of those onboard. This issue is ongoing even though the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) “discontinue[d] the use of contract [antiquated,] large airtankers” ;10 the future of American fire aviation and the moral obligation to safety demands modernization within this sector.10 Paired with the innovation of an item amass ideas of ways to use such thing. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the selection the public is aware of, such as the Predator drone, is one such prime example. Law enforcement, aerial firefighting, humanitarian aid, and high-risk rescue missions could all use the technology of the UAV to save lives, both domestic and foreign, both directly and indirectly.13 Specific to aerial firefighting UAVs are currently sparingly used; their sole purpose currently is only surveillance, mapping out the hot spots and danger zones of forest fires. Yes, a major component of this sparse use is FAA regulati... ... middle of paper ... ... E-mail interview. 31 Jan. 2012.”Overview.” University of Colorado Boulder. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. 16“Praxis: Drones -- Interview with a Drone Pilot.” Interview by Marc Pitzke. Spiegel.de. 12 Mar. 2010. Web. 25 Jan. 2012 17Scott, William B. “Airtankers Grounded.” Aviation Week & Space Technology 160.20 (2004): 31-32. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. 18Scott, William B. “Airtankers under Fire.” Aviation Week & Space Technology 160.19 (2004): 68-69. General Science Collection. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. 19Scott, William B. “Is It Safe to Fly?” Aviation Week & Space Technology 162.16 (2005): 62-64. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Feb. 2012. 20“Testimony - Statement of Henry Krakowski.” FAA.gov. 13 Sept. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2012. 21“U.S. Forest Service Announces Strategy to Replace Large Airtankers for Wildfire Efforts.” FS.fed.us. 10 Feb. 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.
In today’s world, the use of airplanes in wars or in everyday life has become a part of how we live as human beings. Removing the air forces of the world is like taking a step back in time when wars were only fought on land or sea. WWI began only eleven short years after the Wright brothers achieved powered flight in 19031 and yet aircrafts were being used for surveillance and eventually combat purposes. It is understood that these aircrafts were primitive, but they laid down the foundation for what we know today as fighter jets. The Fokker Eindecker “revolutionized air combat by successfully employing a synchronized forward -firing machine gun mounted on the engine cowling”2. Because this airplane became the first to successfully use a synchronized machine gun, it allowed its pilots to become the first aerial combat tactitions3.
The Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) is a network of select aircraft from several commercial airlines that are all committed in various amounts to the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide airlift resources when the capability of U.S. military aircraft is exceeded. This system is designed so that these carriers can provide military cargo movement and troop transportation to anywhere in the world on short notice in the event of a military conflict. In order for airlines to join the CRAF, they must commit at least 30 percent of their long-range passenger fleet and 15 percent of their long-range cargo planes (Fact Sheet, 2004). These aircraft must also be U.S. registered, capable of over water operations, and have at least four complete crews assigned for each aircraft (Fact Sheet, 2004). Airlines that participate in CRAF have provided vital support to our military since the Korean War (Graham, David, 2003). The Persian Gulf War was the first official activation of the CRAF, where two thirds of the troops and one quarter of the air cargo was moved by commercial airplanes (Graham, 2003). Though not officially activated, the CRAF is currently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, providing nearly double the amount of aircraft that the DoD has estimated for its most demanding war strategies. This paper will provide a brief explanation of the purpose of the CRAF, its history, the effectiveness of the program, and a quick look towards the future of the CRAF.
Ever since I was little I was amazed at the ability for a machine to fly. I have always wanted to explore ideas of flight and be able to actually fly. I think I may have found my childhood fantasy in the world of aeronautical engineering. The object of my paper is to give me more insight on my future career as an aeronautical engineer. This paper was also to give me ideas of the physics of flight and be to apply those physics of flight to compete in a high school competition.
Thesis. Air War College, 1987. http://www.airwar.edu//a>. Maxwell, Alabama: United States Air Force, 1987. DTIC Online -.
Airmen: An Illustrated History: 1939-1949.” Oct. 2012. Vol. 65 Issue 4, pg. 316-319. 4p. Ebsco Host. Tucker, Phillip Thomas, 1953. Web.2014.
Virtually everywhere in the United States is affected to one degree of another by wildland fires. Even if a community is not directly involved with the fire itself, chances are that some of its members have gone to help fight wildland fires in other areas of the country by providing manpower, financial support, or other humanitarian aid.
Lawson, Robert L., and Barrett Tillman. U.S. Navy Air Combat: 1939-1946. Osceola, WI: MBI Pub., 2000. Print.
"Wrights’ Perspective on the Role of Airplanes in War." Wright Stories Wright Brothers Inventing The Airplane History of Flight Kitty Hawk Wright Contemporaries Military Airplane RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr.
Elias, Bartholomew. "Aviation Security: Outlook." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 2 May 2014.
Lowe, A. (1998). Air Marshal William Avery Bishop. [WWW Document]. Retrieved May 2nd, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.billybishop.net/zone/bishop.html
Final Report No. 1793 by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved from skybrary: http://www.skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/989.pdf
- - -, dir. “Tactical Air Control Party Specialist (TACP).” U.S. Air Force. U.S. Air Force, n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2012. .
Works Cited Anderson, Kenneth. A. The Case for Drones. Commentary. Jun. 2013: 14.
Tice, Brian P. (1991). Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – The Force Multiplier of the 1990s. Airpower Journal.
Bosnor, Kevin. "How Flying Cars Will Work." Howstuffworks. How Stuff Works Inc., 1998. Web. 24 Jan.