Once again the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (MTDNRC) is making an issue about not being allowed to fight on federal lands with their Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) leased UH-1 helicopters.  As has become the standard this does not become an issue during the fall, winter or spring months, but in the heat of fire season where they make it a political issue instead of the regulatory and safety issue this is.
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Some insight and background first.  Mt DNRC has to date received five Bell UH-1 helicopters.  Subsequently to receiving these helicopters Montana was not satisfied to operate UH-1 helicopters.  They begin a program of modifications to attempt to increase performance. 

 

There are recognized programs and ways to do this, like Type Certification,  but Mt DNRC was not willing to follow the rules.  As they do not have any oversight from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the DNRC started obtaining additional surplus property and start building a backyard engineered non FAA approved aircraft which they like to call a MT205.  There is no such approved aircraft.  Rather it is a UH-1 with parts from other aircraft installed and even some parts manufactured by DNRC itself.   

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The result is that the MT DNRC helicopters comply with no known standard, civil or military, and are being operated far beyond recognized performance limitations and do NOT meet USFS Contract Standards that civilian operators have to meet and spend 100s of thousands of dollars to comply with.  

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Safety issue is the main concern, but beyond that, the FEPP rules that apply to these helicopters are not being followed. 

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Read more about the FEPP Acquisition rules on our BLOG PAGE.

Civilian operators in the State of Montana along with other UH-1 Operator's through the Western United States have attempted to work through this issue, and others, with those at the Department of Natural Resources off and on since 2007.  Instead of looking out for what's best for taxpayers, Montanan's and small businesses it seems this agency prefers to regard UH-1 helicopter operators as competition rather than part of the tax base that funds the program.

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This is site is to educate those who are being lobbied and pushed to allow the Montana DNRC helicopters to fly on Federal fires.  We are providing documentation of the facts before decisions are made and want to make sure all the facts are available for review before any precedence setting decision is made that will effect this industry for years to come.    Feel free to contact those listed on the Contact page with any questions you may have.