May 11, 2021 – What do you occasionally do as a side project? For some members of the CAL FIRE aviation program, they build aircraft. Amentum, through its legacy company DynCorp International, has supported the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection since 2001.
Over the last two years as time permitted and extra funding and parts were available, a new OV-10 was constructed in partnership with CAL FIRE, by Amentum teammates.
The OV-10A Bronco is a former military reconnaissance aircraft used by CAL FIRE to coordinate aerial assets with ground-based firefighters. The OV-10 acts as a command and control platform – the pilot and an air tactical group supervisor use the tandem two-seat aircraft to gain an overview of the blaze, plan strategy and call in air support where it is most needed on the ground.
“The CAL FIRE chief said this rebuild of the latest air attack aircraft was stellar work,” said Jeff Cavarra, Amentum’s CAL FIRE program director. “The first flight was conducted by Amentum Lead Air Tactical Pilot Todd Deline and in the backseat was Amentum Lead OV-10 Maintenance Technician Terrance Horigan.”
Pilot Todd Deline said, “I never have any apprehension flying a total rebuild done by our team. From AA505 to AA430, I have felt nothing but confidence and comfort doing the first flights on them. Job well done by our outstanding maintenance team!”
“The team did an amazing job rebuilding this aircraft,” said Lead Maintainer Terrance Horigan. “I had the honor of being on the test flights and could not have felt any more comfortable knowing the people who worked on it, the work they did, and having the pilot I had for the flight.”
