Aero Tech was awarded the US Forest Service contract, as the
prime contractor, to provide Aerial Hydromulch services for
the Angora Fire Site.
For the 15-day hydromulching project, we are
providing pilots, ground crews and five AT-802 Air Tractors
to treat 636 acres affected by the burn.
The project will require approximately 3,000 airplane
loads of mulch which we will distribute to the treatment
areas in only 14 working days.
The treatments will target areas badly burned by the
wildfire which devastated South Lake Tahoe, California. The
treatments will stabilize soils and prevent run-off that
could threaten property and other important resources.
The project started September 12.The Angora Fire was the largest and
most destructive fire in the Tahoe Basin in a century.
It started June 24, 2007, and by the time it was
declared controlled on July 19, it had burned 3,100 acres,
including 2,736 acres of National Forest System lands, and
destroyed more than 250 homes.
For information and project updates, visit
www.angorafirerecovery.net and
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu/
August 2007
New Hangar Facility
Aero Tech is building a new
18,500-square-foot hanger and maintenance facility. Eric
Miller of Eric Miller Architect, Las Vegas,Nevada
designed the hanger, and Ron Scarpa of Universal Development
is the building contractor. Construction, which
started in the spring of 2007, is expected to be completed
in November 2007. The state-of-the-art facility will
give Aero Tech a total of 30,000 square feet of hanger space
for housing and maintaining its growing fleet. See
construction photos in our new
Photo Album.
Fire Fighting
Aero Tech’s fire fighting crews worked
intensely throughout August to control fires in Montana,
Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Nevada. Deployed to
multiple fire sites, our planes and crews contributed to
heroic and successful efforts to protect property and save
lives.
July 2007
Fire Season Moves North
As wet weather slowed the July 2007 fire season in
the southwest, dry conditions coupled with lightening
strikes ignited an extremely busy fire season in the mid- to
northwest areas of the nation.
To support the U.S. Forest Service and firefighting
personnel, Aero
Tech moved its aircraft and crews from New Mexico and Arizona to
Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon.
New Commercial
Helicopter/Instrument Fixed-Wing Pilot in the Family!
Cameron Stallings, 20, earned his Commercial
Helicopter license in
Bakersfield,
California, studying with Chris
Gadbois of SRT Helicopters.
Cameron also trained with American Flyers in
Addison,
Texas, where he completed his
fixed-wing instrument rating. Congratulations Cameron!
We are proud of you.
Beechcraft C55 Baron
Aero Tech recently added a Beechcraft C55 Baron to its
fleet of aircraft.
The lightweight, twin-engine Baron offers reliability
and safety. We
will use the aircraft in conjunction with our Piper Cheyenne
II to mobilize crews and mechanics and transport parts.
The aircraft expands our capabilities for supporting
multiple projects in various locations with enhanced
efficiency and agility.
Bell
407
Aero
Tech signed a contract with Hillsboro Aviation to purchase a
new 2009 Bell 407 helicopter. The rugged, high-performance
helicopter is revered for its excellent speed, payload and
range capabilities. Hillsboro Aviation is customizing the helicopter to
Aero Tech’s specifications for use in charter, survey and
fire fighting services. The Bell 407 will be the fourth helicopter in our expanding fleet of
aircraft.
Stephen Johnson, the Helicopter Sales Manager at Hillsboro
Aviation, has provided impressive sales service for the
transaction.
June 2007
SEATs Support Fire Control in Florida
Aero Tech provided two Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs),
pilots and crews to the State of
Florida
to control wildfires. Dry conditions in Florida created an extremely high fire
potential in all areas of the state this fire season.
Tussock Moth Control
Aero Tech completed a project to control a tussock moth
infestation on the Santa Clara Indian Reservation near
Los Alamos, NM.
An 802 Air Tractor was used to treat forests at
elevations exceeding 9000 feet.
May 2007
Bell
412EP Helicopter Expands Fleet
Aero Tech has expanded its helicopter services for
firefighting and other specialized missions with the
purchase and customization of a
Bell 412EP helicopter.
The
412EP (Enhanced Performance) helicopter is a rugged,
reliable and roomy aircraft that can accommodate a pilot,
co-pilot and up to 13 passengers with a gross weight of
11,900 pounds.
Through substantial upgrades, Aero Tech is improving the
helicopter’s performance and safety and increasing its
service capabilities.
The helicopter is being equipped with factory-new
PT6T-3DF engines and the first civilian Tail Strake and Fast
Fin kit. These and other upgrades will improve the
helicopter’s handling and control and increase its
capabilities for hauling bigger payloads at higher
altitudes, especially in hot weather.
The improvements to the ship are being completed by Alpine
Aerotech, LTD, of Kelowna, British Columbia. Aero Tech expects upgrades to be completed by January 2008,
which will make it available for the 2008 fire season.
In addition to fire fighting, the Bell 412EP will be used for mobilization and demobilization of
fire crews and oil platform crews, charter services, hauling
freight, emergency disaster relief, search and rescue
missions, engineering surveys, and long-line services.
The aircraft will operate under FAA part 133, 135 and 137
certifications.
Aero Tech Featured at
Alaska
Aviation Conference
Aero Tech President Ted Stallings displayed his ‘Super 18
Turbo-Charged Super Cub’ at the 2007 annual Alaska Aviation
Conference in Anchorage, Alaska.
The Cub is a one-of-a-kind aircraft built by Yakima
Aerosport under the direction of Mike Butterfield.
It is a ‘4-inch, wide-bodied Cub’ with a 220-hp
turbocharged Lycoming engine, an MT composite prop, 6-inch
extended gear, 35-inch bush wheels, Dakota slotted
leading-edge extended wings, Atlee square tail, a Dynon
glass instrument panel and, if you can believe it, many
other options.
The Cub is truly a showpiece, capable of short landings and
take-offs at extremely high altitudes and, according to Ted,
flies like no other Cub on the planet!
New Mexico
Amigos 2007 Goodwill Trip
Ted Stallings, President of Aero Tech, joined 130 other New
Mexico Amigos on their annual Goodwill Trip in May 2007.
They started this year’s journey in Williamsburg, VA,
accompanied by New
Mexico’s Lt. Governor, Diane Denish.
They stayed at Kingsmill Resort and Spa and played
the championship golf course there.
The group then headed to Washington DC,
where they were given a guided tour of the Pentagon arranged
by Senator Jeff Bingaman. They also visited the US Capitol
Building and witnessed the Senate in session.
The bill to end the war in Iraq was the
principal topic of the day so many Senators were present
including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Ted Kennedy and
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.
Senator Pete Dominici arranged for the group to have
a special, hour-long private audience with President George
W. Bush at the
Eisenhower Building.
The trip concluded with rest and relaxation in
Boston, MA.
The New Mexico Amigos is a private, non-profit, non-partisan
corporation chartered under the laws of the State of New Mexico and officially designated Goodwill Ambassadors
for New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment.
Its members are distinguished New Mexico civic,
business, industrial and professional leaders who devote
time and financial support to the organization.
The Amigos participate in many activities to promote
the state of New Mexico and frequently act as hosts for
important groups visiting the state.
