Massive firefighting aircraft turn heads with mountain maneuvers over Palm Springs

Palm Springs residents have been looking skyward in recent days, watching with curiosity as massive firefighting aircraft bank sharply near mountain ridges and approach the airport from unusual angles — flight patterns dramatically different from the city’s regular commercial traffic.

The specialized aerial maneuvers are part of Coulson Aviation’s annual pilot certification and RADS 2025 (Readiness and Alignment for Deployment and Safety) training that began last week near Palm Springs International Airport, marking the global firefighting company’s second consecutive year using the desert city as its training hub.

Michael Smith, an airtanker training pilot with Coulson, explained that while Atlantic Aviation off North Gene Autry serves as the operation’s home base, the actual firefighting practice runs are taking place near Hemet, about 40 miles west.

“We started flying on this past Tuesday and that should be finishing up, I believe this Tuesday or Wednesday,” Smith said May 2. “Everything should be done and the planes will be departing.”

The training involves approximately 30 pilots who are participating in the second of two training sessions this spring. The first session, which took place earlier in April, involved about 25 pilots. According to Smith, the company has had to split its training sessions due to its growing fleet size.

The company’s fleet in Palm Springs includes a Boeing 737-300, a C-130 Hercules, and a Citation jet that serves as an airspace management platform during firefighting operations.

Michael Hayes, with Coulson’s Australian operation, explained why the mountainous terrain surrounding Palm Springs was selected for the training operation.

“The airport’s got good support here,” Hayes said. “We’ve got the fuel trucks here whenever we need them. We’ve got the water facilities to reload the water. We’ve got a nice long runway and we’re super close to the hills just out to the west.

“We want to be training in complex terrain, not just flat terrain.”

Smith added that Palm Springs’ reliable weather was another factor in the location choice.

“Palm Springs is sunny 360 days a year, so we don’t get many weather [delays],” Smith said.

The company maintains a year-round presence in the area, with maintenance facilities and offices in Palm Springs and human resources personnel based in nearby Thermal. The company also has connections to the area, with the owners of Coulson maintaining a residence in Palm Springs and supporting operations in the region.

“They want the presence down here and to support the community,” Smith said.

During the training, pilots practice water drops specifically in areas east of Hemet. The training ensures pilots are prepared for the U.S. wildfire season by practicing correct altitudes, air speeds and other techniques in the complex mountain terrain that surrounds both Hemet and the Coachella Valley.

The privately-owned family company based in Port Alberni, British Columbia, has operated in the aviation industry for over 36 years with more than 160,000 safe flight hours. The company previously conducted similar training in Santa Maria, Sacramento and San Bernardino before selecting Palm Springs as its training location last year.

While the unusual flight patterns of the large aircraft have caught the attention of Palm Springs residents, particularly as they approach the airport from directions not typically used by commercial traffic, Smith said all flight operations are conducted in close coordination with air traffic control.

“We talk to ATC the whole time,” Smith said. “When we go out and work our scenario fires, we’re not. But as soon as we come in, we’re talking to SoCal approach and SoCal departure.”

The training represents the final preparations for Coulson Aviation’s teams before they deploy to fight wildfires across the country in what experts predict could be another challenging fire season.

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