Montana DNRC Aviation Program Review
Operations of Federal Excess Personal Property Bell UH-1 Helicopters
This document has been prepared on behalf of an organization which represents private operators of helicopters services. These operators own, fly and maintain Bell UH-1 helicopters as well as other aircraft types and use these aircraft in various functions, including firefighting activities. They are extremely familiar with the Bell UH-1 helicopter, the maintenance requirements and modifications available for these aircraft. The State of Montana has acquired UH-1 aircraft and is operating these aircraft for many different functions, including firefighting. These aircraft have been provided pursuant to the Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) program at no cost to the State of Montana. The ownership of the aircraft remains with the United States Forest Service and are these aircraft are suppose to be limited in their use pursuant to the laws of the United States and the FEPP agreement between the Forest Service and the State of Montana.
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Overview
Montana DNRC received surplus military Bell UH-1 helicopters through the Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) program. By law these aircraft remain in the ownership of the U.S. Forest Service but are loaned to the State for non-federal rural fire fighting. The aircraft are to be maintained to military or FAA civil standards. If the aircraft are used only as “public aircraft” they are not required to comply with the FAA standards and can be maintained to military standards. If they are used beyond the limitations of “public aircraft” they must comply with all FAA standards and regulations.
Montana 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, but Montana DNRC was not willing to follow the rules. Instead they started to obtain additional surplus property and start building a backyard engineered aircraft which they like to call a MT205. This is a figment of their imagination. There is no such aircraft. Rather it is a UH-1 with parts from other aircraft installed and even some parts manufactured by DNRC itself. The result is that these aircraft comply with no known standard, civil or military, and are being operated far beyond recognized performance limitations.
[1] Montana DNRC asserts that these are “public use” aircraft and as such are not required to comply with FAA regulations and standards. Montana DNRC’s use of these aircraft exceeds the limitation for public use and as such these aircraft should be required to comply with FAA standards. A full analysis of Montana DNRC use of these aircraft is beyond the scope of this paper. FEPP aircraft must be maintained to either military or civil standards. Neither standard is being complied with by Montana DNRC.