BEECH BARON PF AS LEAD PLANE FOR FIRE FIGHTING ACTIVITY COMPLAINS OF STRENUOUS SCHEDULE RESULTING IN FATIGUE. MANY ACCIDENTS RESULT DURING THE FIRE FIGHTING SEASON. BEECH BARON.

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I AM A FOREST SVC LEAD PLANE PLT AND AM CONCERNED OVER HRS REQUIRED BY THE AGENCY FOR US TO BE ON DUTY THROUGHOUT THE YR. WE DO AERIAL FIRE-FIGHTING -- OUR MISSION IS LOW LEVEL AND VERY INTENSE FLYING. I AM CONCERNED NOT ONLY FOR OUR AGENCY PLTS; BUT ALSO FOR THE CONTRACT AIR TANKER PLTS. IF YOU CHK OUR ACCIDENT RECORD; YOU'LL SEE WHY I'M CONCERNED. WE ARE REQUIRED TO WORK EITHER 12 DAYS ON AND 2 DAYS OFF OR 6 DAYS ON AND 1 DAY OFF -- OUR DUTY DAYS AVERAGE 10-12 HRS. I STARTED THIS SCHEDULE SOMETIME IN FEB THIS YR AND IT WILL LAST UNTIL MAYBE OCT OR LONGER! I'M TIRED!! I ATTENDED YOUR FATIGUE COUNTERMEASURES WORKSHOP. I KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR. THE OVERTIME IS GREAT; BUT IT CLOUDS OVER SAFETY FACTORS. WE CANNOT SEEM TO CONVINCE THE FIRE MGMNT PEOPLE WHO HAVE CTL OVER OUR AVIATION DEPTS THAT THE SCHEDULE WE'RE ON IS TOO MUCH! BUT THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE SO MANY ACCIDENTS AND A LOT ARE FATAL! THEY DO NOT KNOW OR CHOOSE TO IGNORE THE SIGNS OF FATIGUE. THEIR IDEA OF A SAFETY PROGRAM IS TO TELL US TO 'BE SAFE' WHILE WE WALK AROUND WITH BLOODSHOT EYES AT THE END OF OUR 12 DAYS. MANY OF OUR OWN PLTS DON'T RECOGNIZE IT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE ISSUE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH THE FOREST SVC AGENCY BUT THEY CLAIM BUDGET CONSTRAINTS ARE THE PROB. YET THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ACCIDENT RATE FOR THESE PLTS. RPTR INDICATES IT TAKES ABOUT 2 TO 3 YRS TO TRAIN A LEAD PLANE PLT. THIS IS THE ACFT WHICH GUIDES THE BOMBERS INTO THE FIRE AREA AT LOW LEVELS AND CAN BE QUITE DANGEROUS. USUALLY AN INVESTIGATION WILL BE UNABLE TO DETERMINE A CAUSE WHEN THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. RPTR IS WELL INFORMED AS SHE ATTENDED THE NASA FATIGUE PROGRAM AND IS TRYING TO GET THE FOREST SVC TO HAVE HIM DO A PRESENTATION AT THEIR FACILITY WHICH WILL HELP MAKE OTHERS AWARE OF THE SAFETY FACTORS OF FATIGUE. ACFT WAS A BEECH BARON.