On July 22, 2021, practical training of paratroopers-firefighters took place on the territory of the Almaty aviation department. The personnel of the Almaty and Taldykorgan aviation departments underwent ground training on the basis of a special training tower, in order to thoroughly and comprehensively prepare on the ground, work out all the elements of the descent, study various techniques and train for their implementation.
Practical skills of the "forest special forces" were practiced by experienced mentors - the head of the air fire service, the heads of the aviation department and observer pilots.
Note that it is not always possible to get to the area of an active forest fire by land transport, and when delivering forces and means by aviation, it is not always possible to select a site for a safe landing.
In such cases, a decision is made to land troops in the area of the fire using a helicopter. The pilot-observer from the air selects a platform suitable for the descent of paratroopers-firefighters, measuring at least 5x5 meters between the crowns of trees.
The helicopter hovers over this "well" at a height of at least 10 meters above the tops of trees (while the height to the ground should not exceed 45 meters). The pilot-observer opens the door and drops a particularly strong (900 kg at break) 50-meter cord, along which paratroopers-firemen descend directly from the helicopter to the ground with the help of a trigger roller.
During the training, the interaction of the pilot-observer and paratroopers-firefighters is monitored, the descent speed (average - three meters per second), correct landing and much more.
It should be noted that such training descents are held annually - at the beginning and in the middle of the fire hazardous season. It is extremely important to recall the technique of descending from a helicopter after the winter break and consolidate the acquired skills, because this is one of the foundations of the safety of forest aviation operations.