Infrared (IR) technology aboard the modified King Air 260s will enable wildfire mapping at night and through smoke. [Courtesy: Textron Aviation]
Key Takeaways:
The U.S. Forest Service has acquired two new Beechcraft King Air 260 aircraft from Textron Aviation.
These planes are equipped with advanced infrared (IR) technology for critical wildfire mapping missions.
The IR systems enable nighttime and smoke-penetrating mapping, providing vital real-time data on fire location and spread to aid firefighting efforts and detect new ignitions.
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) now has two new aerial tools to use in its battle against the tens of thousands of wildfires that char the nation every year.
Textron Aviation (NYSE: TXT) announced last week it has delivered two Beechcraft King Air 260s to the USFS for wildfire mapping missions.
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Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.
