MONTANA — U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy, a Republican from Montana, proposed ending U.S. Forest Service airworthiness inspections for private wildfire-fighting aircraft. This proposal was made public in draft form in April, the same month a Forest Service inspector found a crack in the wing of one of his company's planes.
Sheehy founded Bridger Aerospace, an aerial firefighting company. He held between $13 million and $15 million in Bridger Aerospace stock when he introduced the inspection proposal, although he has since transferred his assets into blind trusts. The Forest Service has paid Bridger Aerospace over $235 million for aircraft use since 2021.
During the April inspection, a Forest Service inspector discovered a major crack in a Bridger Aerospace aircraft's wing, according to a former government official with knowledge of the inspection. The same aircraft later failed a separate inspection due to multiple deficiencies, including an unspecified engine issue.
Paul Markowitz, a former national aviation maintenance manager for the Forest Service, described finding cracks in major components as uncommon. "Very seldom do you find a crack in a major component," Markowitz said. He added that the inspections are critical, stating, "It's to keep people alive." Firefighting aircraft accidents in 2002 led to the implementation of stricter Forest Service aviation inspection rules.
The majority of wildfire-fighting planes used by the federal government are owned by aircraft contractors. In 2022, government-owned aircraft accounted for 5% of the Forest Service's wildfire-fighting flight hours. The Federal Aviation Administration certifies wildfire aircraft but relies on contractors to conduct regular airworthiness inspections. Approximately 25 aviation safety inspectors, primarily working for the Forest Service, conduct pre-flight inspections for wildfire aircraft. Bridger Aerospace aircraft, which Sheehy contends require less oversight due to being purpose-built for wildfire suppression, have not been involved in any crashes, according to National Transportation Safety Board records. Britt Coulson, president of Coulson Aviation, noted the thoroughness of these inspections. "The Forest Service is way more in-depth," Coulson said.