ON MAY 25, 2021, GROUND AND AIR TRAINING OF THE UST-KAMENOGORSK, RIDDER AND KATON-KARAGAY AIRCRAFT DEPARTMENT WAS PASSED ON THE TERRITORY OF UST-KAMENOGORSK AVIATION DEPARTMENT

The personnel of the Ust-Kamenogorsk, Katon-Karagai and Ridder aviation departments underwent ground and air training in order to thoroughly and comprehensively prepare, master all elements of the descent, study various techniques and train for their implementation. Practical skills of the "forest special forces" were practiced by experienced mentors - the head of the air fire service, the heads of the aviation department and observer pilots.

Note that it is not always possible to get to the area of ​​an active forest fire by land transport, and when delivering forces and means by aviation, it is not always possible to select a site for a safe landing. In such cases, a decision is made to land troops in the area of ​​the fire using a helicopter. The pilot-observer from the air selects a platform suitable for the descent of paratroopers-firefighters, measuring at least 5x5 meters between the crowns of trees.

It should be noted that such training descents are held annually - at the beginning and in the middle of the fire hazardous season. It is extremely important to recall the technique of descending from a helicopter after the winter break and consolidate the acquired skills, because this is one of the foundations of the safety of forest aviation operations.

The helicopter hovers over this "well" at a height of at least 10 meters above the tops of trees (while the height to the ground should not exceed 45 meters). The pilot-observer opens the door and drops a particularly strong (900 kg at break) 50-meter cord, along which paratroopers-firefighters descend directly from the helicopter to the ground with the help of a trigger roller. During the training, the interaction of the pilot-observer and paratroopers-firefighters is monitored, the descent speed (average - three meters per second), correct landing and much more.

On the same day, training took place on the delivery, coupling-uncoupling of the P-1.00 container (volume of 1000 liters), used to deliver water to the place of a forest fire located in a hard-to-reach area. With the help of slings, a container P 1.00 filled with water is attached to the helicopter and delivered to the area of ​​the current fire. From the container, paratroopers-firefighters can fill their knapsack fire extinguishers and extinguish the fire already on the ground.

Also, the observer pilots worked out the accuracy of water discharge to the fire site using a spillway device (APU). It should be noted that working with a spillway device is difficult and dangerous and requires high training of flight personnel.