Aerial incendiary burning (AIB) training brought together departmental and agency staff from Bushfires Northern Territory, Parks Northern Territory, Parks Australia, and rangers from the Central Land Council at Watarrka Ranger Station, Kings Canyon Resort and Katiti-Petermann Indigenous Protected Area.
Trainers used Hilux Air which was an effective training simulation and enabled significantly more exposure to key concepts of the AIB course. Such as:
- approaching/exiting the aircraft
- signalling, seat belts
- communication head sets
- communications between all parties
- start/stop communications
- emergency stop communications.
This was also effective in providing concurrent, and hands-on training for rangers while actual flights were occurring. Several scenarios were used including:
- setup and packdown of the R3 (that is from pelican case to full operation with power to cleanup and back to pelican case)
- simulation of a APB flight
- emergency procedures.
On the ground, all organisations involved in the training worked well together, and the training provided a good networking and collaboration opportunity for all participating.