U.S Forest Service Acquires Two New Special Mission King Air 260s The United States Forest Service has taken delivery of two new Beechcraft King Air 260s from Textron Aviation. The two aircraft are actually under the special missions banner from Textron Aviation and their duties will be primarily mapping wildfires and related missions. "Whether for the wildfire detection and mapping, resource management, aerial supervision module/lead plane or air attack, the King Air continues to demonstrate its leadership in this mission. Customer faith in our legendary products and trust in our company and our team are at the core of our enduring relationship with U.S Forest Service", said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Mission Sales for Textron Aviation.
The King Air 260 is the modern upgrade of the King Air 200 series. These special mission models are fitted with the latest infrared (IR) sensing technology, the Overwatch Imaging TK-9 Earthwatch Airborne Sensor, along with legacy U.S. Forest Service sensors, that can accurately map wildfires, even at night and through smoke. This information is critical for firefighters to have when the exact extent of a fire is not known due to darkness, smoke, size of the fire, rapid spread, or complex terrain. IR mapping aircraft can also be used to detect new fires started by lightning when they are very small. For more information: Cessna Aircraft Company 1 Cessna Blvd. Wichita, KS 67215 www.cessna.com ***
