Attracting and retaining staff is a common issue identified across most sectors. However, aerial fire fighting has the added complexity of ensuring flight crew meet the minimum experience requirements for this specific activity.
What can aerial firefighting operators do
Our staff, along with sector participants, joined a sector safety risk profile (SSRP) workshop in June 2023.
Organisations expressed a concern in how they mitigate risks associated with pilots who are inexperienced and have limited training in the fire environment.
Operators see pilot experience as one of the top threats within their sector, raising concerns about the limited pathways to bring someone into the industry.
Operators specifically identified issues with:
- experience of flight crew
- competency vs experience
- training – limited opportunities within fire environment to train
- differing requirements across the different States and associated tasking agencies.
To help mitigate poor staff retention and high turnover, you should:
- make sure you have effective training management system – including tracking of currency requirements etc.
- make sure you are providing effective training
- establish an onboarding process and ensure that it includes all training requirements
- offer clear career pathways and progression to staff.
Operators should consider how they support crew with limited experience to ensure safe operations. Training and checking requirements establish the minimum regulatory requirements but you should consider other options when supporting junior crew.
Other options to support inexperienced crew could include:
- mentoring: consider starting a mentoring program for junior pilots who receiving mentoring by more experienced pilots within the organisation. A mentoring program extends beyond traditional training and checking. It allows opportunities for junior pilots to gain a better understand of ‘corporate’ knowledge from experienced pilots
- operators suggested standardized competency based training would be beneficial for bringing new pilots into the sector
- training during the off season to maintain competency.
Standardising operations as much as possible. This includes incorporating ‘airline’ style SOPs into operations to reduce variation and crew workload. This can also allow for a greater focus on the safe operation of the aircraft.
What we are doing and already delivered
CASA has developed and published guidance and supporting material to assist operators in establishing and maintaining a robust training and checking system.
Advisory Circular (AC) 119-11 and AC 138-02 Training and Checking Systems outlines how CASR Part 138 operators can establish and manage a training and checking system:
This helps make sure operational safety-critical personnel are proficient in the required competencies to support air operations.
While not required under CASR 138, Human Factors and Non-Technical Skills training could be useful for aerial firefighting operators.
Complementing technical skills, skills such as communication, decision making, maintaining situational awareness and managing stress are all vital within the aerial firefighting environment.
Operators may wish to consider incorporation of Human Factors and Non-Technical Skills training into their training program to complement existing training, competency and currency requirements.
You can find guidance for the development and implementation of Human Factors and Non-Technical Skills training in the following AC:
We recently published instruments for alternative pathway for the training, assessment and grant of specialised endorsements. This includes the sling, winch and rappelling operations, and firefighting endorsements.
We issued these instruments after consultation with industry. They address issues raised around flight training and testing scheme for these specialised endorsements as it was not working as intended.
Learn more about the endorsements: