FTA

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FTA

• WHAT IS IT?

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FTA

• FTA stands for Fire Traffic Area.

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FTA

• The FTA was developed by aerial firefighting
  personnel to provide a standardized initial
  attack airspace structure to enhance air traffic
  separation for all aircraft over wildland fire(or
  other) incidents.

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FTA

• Is it complex or hard to use?

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FTA

• Is it complex or hard to use?
• No it it isnt.

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FTA

• Although the FTA was designed for wildland
  firefighting incidents, the structure and
  communications requirements are patterned after
  Class D airspace with some specific differences.

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FTA

• The Differences

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FTA

• The Differences
• 1. The FTA utilizes a 5nm radius from the
  incident latitude and longitude. 5nm is a
  minimum radius, although a radius greater or less
  than 5nm may be used to adapt to unique incident
  demands.

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FTA

• The Differences
• 2. The FTA can flex vertically depending on
  operational requirements of participating
  incident aircraft or by the requirements of the
  incident itself.

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FTA

• The Differences
• 3. Radio communication is initiated at 12nm from
  the incident latitude and longitude.

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FTA

• The Differences
• 4. Negative Radio Contact requires holding a
  minimum of 7nm from the incident latitude and
  longitude.

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FTA

• The Differences
• 5. It is unique to land management agencies. It
  is not a part of the National Airspace System.

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KNEEBOARD AND POSTER DEPICTION
EFFECTIVE DATE 1 JAN 09
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COMMUNICATIONS
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PROFILE
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NOTES PROVIDE EXPANDED PROCEDURAL INFORMATION.
NOTES
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FREQUENCIES

• Changes
• AIRTANKER BASE
• AIR to AIR AS ASSIGNED
• NATIONAL FLIGHT FOLLOW
• TX tone 110.9

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COMMUNICATIONS INITIAL RADIO CONTACT SHOULD BE
INITIATED BY 12nm FROM THE FIRE IN ORDER TO
RECEIVE A CLEARANCE INTO THE FTA PRIOR TO 7nm.
MONITORING THE AIR TACTICAL FREQUENCY WHILE
ENROUTE WILL ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE THE
APPROPRIATE TIME TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH
THE CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT. ESTABLISHING
COMMUNICATIONS EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER WILL
OFTEN IMPROVE EFFICIENCY OVER THE FIRE. REMEMBER
A CLEARANCE IS REQUIRED TO ENTER THE FTA.
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COMMUNICATIONS INITIAL RADIO CONTACT
INFORMATION SHOULD INCLUDE YOUR CALL SIGN,
DISTANCE, DIRECTION AND TIME FROM THE FIRE.
AFTER RECEIVING A CLEARANCE INTO THE FTA, PILOTS
SHOULD PLAN TO ARRIVE AT 7nm FROM THE FIRE AT
THEIR ASSIGNED ALTITUDE AND AT 150 KIAS (OR LESS
WHEN APPLICABLE). LARGE AIRTANKERS MAY NEED TO
OPERATE AT HIGHER AIRSPEEDS. CAPTAINS OF SUCH
AIRCRAFT SHALL ADVISE THE CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT OF
ENTRY SPEEDS EXCEEDING 150 KIAS.
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COMMUNICATIONS IF RADIO CONTACT CAN NOT BE
ESTABLISHED, PILOTS SHOULD MAINTAIN VFR,HOLD ON
THE 7nm ARC FROM THE FIRE, WITH LEFT TURN ORBITS
AROUND THE FIRE.
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PROFILE AIRTANKER MANEUVERING ALTITUDE IS THE
HIGHEST ALTITUDE REQUIRED BY THE WORKING
AIRTANKERS TO INITIATE LOW-LEVEL RETARDANT DROPS
SAFELY. THIS ALTITUDE IS ESTABLISHED BY THE
CURRENT WORKING AIRTANKER CAPTAIN. THIS IS ALSO
THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE AT WHICH A PARTICIPATING
LEADPLANE OR ASM WILL ORBIT THE FIRE WHEN
PROVIDING LOW-LEVEL SUPERVISION.
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PROFILE AIRTANKERS WILL ESTABLISH A LEFT HAND
ORBIT AROUND THE FIRE AT 500 FT ABOVE THE
AIRTANKER MANEUVERING ALTITUDE. ORBITING
AIRTANKERS SHOULD ESTABLISH AN ORBIT THAT ALLOWS
THEM TO VIEW THE WORKING TANKERS BELOW THEM WHILE
MAINTAINING VFR SEPARATION FROM OTHER
PARTICIPATING AIRCRAFT.
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PROFILE THE ATGS (AIR TACTICAL GROUP SUPERVISOR)
PLATFORM WILL MAINTAIN 1000 FT. VERTICAL
SEPARATION ABOVE THE AIRTANKER ORBIT ALTITUDE.
THE NORMAL ATGS DIRECTION OF ORBIT IS RIGHT TURNS
AROUND THE FIRE.
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PROFILE WHEN TERRAIN AND OR FLIGHT CONDITIONS
DICTATE, A HIGHER AIRTANKER MANEUVERING ALTITUDE
MAY BE REQUIRED. AIRTANKER AND ATGS ORBITING
ALTITUDES MUST BE ADJUSTED UPWARD TO MAINTAIN
STANDARD VERTICAL SEPARATION.
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NOTES
Profile Note Airtanker Maneuvering altitude
determines minimum Airtanker and ATGS Orbit
altitudes. Assigned altitudes may be higher and
will be stated as MSL.
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NOTES
Note 1 1000 minimum separation between ATGS
Orbit and Airtanker Orbit altitude.
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NOTES
Note 2 500 minimum separation between
Airtanker Orbit and Airtanker Maneuvering
altitude.
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NOTES
Note 3 On arrival reduce speed to cross 7nm at
assigned altitude and 150 KIAS or less.
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NOTES
Helos Fly assigned altitudes and routes.
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NOTES
Media Maintain VFR separation above highest
incident aircraft or position and altitude as
assigned by controlling aircraft.
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FREQUENCIES AIRTANKER BASE, 123.975, IS THE
STANDARD FREQUENCY FOR AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND OR
IN THE AIR TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE AIRTANKER
BASE. AIR GUARD, 168.625 TxTone 110.9, IS AN
EMERGENCY FREQUENCY MONITORED BY DISPATCH
CENTERS.
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FREQUENCIES AIR TO AIR AS ASSIGNED, THERE IS NO
STANDARD AIR TACTICAL BACKUP FREQUENCY FOR
COMMUNICATING BETWEEN INCIDENT AIRCRAFT. NATIONAL
FLIGHT FOLLOW, 168.650 TX TONE 110.9, IS THE
STANDARD NATIONAL FLIGHT FOLLOWING FREQUENCY
MONITORED BY DISPATCH CENTERS.
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3 CS

• COMMUNICATIONS- ESTABLISHED.
• CLEARANCE- RECEIVED AND UNDERSTOOD.
• COMPLY- COMPLY WITH THE CLEARANCE. IF YOU CAN
  NOT, REMAIN CLEAR OF THE FTA UNTIL YOU RECEIVE AN
  AMENDED CLEARANCE WITH WHICH YOU CAN COMPLY.

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3 CS

• IF COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ESTABLISHED,
• HOLD ON A 7NM ARC FROM THE FIRE, LEFT HAND ORBIT
  AROUND THE FIRE.

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NOCOM IF COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ESTABLISHED,
HOLD ON A 7NM ARC FROM THE INCIDENT, LEFT TURNS,
UNTIL THEY ARE ESTABLISHED!!!
LEFT TURNS
FTA
INITIAL CONTACT
NOCOM
7NM
12NM
5NM
LEFT TURNS
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LARGE INCIDENTS

• Large incidents often times will have airspace
  requirements and TFRs that exceed the dimensions
  of the FTA.
• In this case Initial Points (IPs) are used in
  conjunction with transition routes to and from
  the incident.

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ARRIVAL TRANSITION
DEPARTURE TRANSITION
IP
TFR
FTA
OPERATIONS AREA
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LARGE INCIDENTS

• NOTE Do not assume that all arriving aircraft
  have been briefed on the IP. If they have, they
  also may not have departed from the closest air
  tanker base. Arriving aircraft from other
  geographic areas may possibly fly over your
  operations area to reach the IP or the original
  initial attack latitude an longitude.

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IP
TFR
FTA
OPERATIONS AREA
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FIRE TRAFFIC AREA FTA

• Remember the key to safe operations is
  communications!
• Call by 12nm.
• Get a clearance.
• If you do not hear from the controlling aircraft,
  arc at 7nm, left turns around the fire.
• If in doubt, stay out!