Fire Fighting with Kevin Major
We miss Kevin Major! If you are a longtime friend of Rogue Aviation, you probably remember CFI Kevin! Kevin has since moved onto new opportunities, and he is here to share what he has been up to in Wyoming for fire fighting operations.
Kevin is a perfect example of hard work and dedication to flying, so check out what he has to say about his flight experience!
“Currently, I am a fire and utility pilot for Sky Aviation, based in Worland, Wyoming. For fire fighting operations, I serve as second in command on the Boeing CH-46E, which utilizes a 900-gallon Bambi bucket on a long line to conduct water drops in support of wildland firefighting operations.
My path to this position has been long but intensely rewarding. I began my initial training in 2007. After completing my Private, Instrument, and Commercial, the 2008 financial crisis took its toll on my flight school, which eventually shut down. Around that time, I began flying as a volunteer for the Vietnam Helicopters Museum in Concord, California. Flights were few and far between, but I did my best to keep my knowledge current. I took a job in Orange County in 2011 and had nearly two years when I did not fly at all due to having exhausted my training funds. After saving up enough money that I was confident I could obtain my CFI I ended up with James as my instructor. After completing my CFI training in 2016, I began instructing. Teaching others to fly was perhaps the best learning experience of my life. I was a flight instructor until May 2020, when I received a job offer from Sky Aviation.
Sky Aviation also holds a Part 135 certificate, under which I serve as Assistant Chief Pilot and fly the Bell 206 L1 and L4 to conduct work including pipeline patrols, transporting personnel to service remote equipment, conduct game capture/survey operations, as well as occasional sightseeing tours. The company also conducts Part 133 external load operations to long line materials and equipment into remote locations.
The wide range of experiences I have had makes this job unique in the helicopter industry. Firefighting not only allows me to experience the always-changing dynamic of firefighting but see firsthand the awesome destructive power of fire while simultaneously helping stop its devastating effects. Nothing beats the rush of hearing “Good drop" over the radio from the firefighters on the ground that requested air support.
Fire allows you to travel around some of the most beautiful terrains this country has to offer. This season I have been fortunate enough to work on fires in both Arizona and California, including the Creek Fire, which had me flying over some of the most rugged and breathtaking terrains both the Eastern and Western Sierra has to offer. Utility work often means that every job and every challenge is different. Wyoming is a beautiful place to fly, however, this beauty means flying in remote and often high-altitude terrain, making knowledge of your machine and its limits essential.”
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Kevin!
Stay tuned for our next blog:
Kevin’s 8 Tips to Success!
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