This is the fundamental small UAS course for individuals wanting to become qualified to operate small UAS for the Department of the Interior (DOI)/US Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (USDA-FS). A-450 will utilize small UAS aircraft (less than 55lbs) to provide the basic academic and flight training necessary to conduct missions as Remote Pilot-in-Command (RPIC) for DOI/FS.

Candidates must be nominated by National UAS Program Managers or designee.

Students should meet the prerequisite requirements prior to attending A-450. Some required IAT courses may not be available prior to A-450 training selection, but UAS pilots must complete all IAT training requirements within 6 months of A-450 selection.

Note: For further information, contact your DOI National Aviation Manager or USFS Regional UAS Specialist for guidance regarding how to begin a UAS program.

All External Course Equivalency submissions will be validated by an Agency UATA and/or IAT Administrative Staff prior to being included in a student's transcript. Do not proceed unless you have a PDF file ready to be uploaded for review as evidence of your external course completion.

AS2M is designed specifically for resource specialists who manage aircraft to safely conduct missions including aerial sketch mapping, photo/remote sensing, wildlife and vegetation surveys, and aerial reconnaissance in general.

Aviation Firefighting: Basic Fire Behavior & Tactics

Aviation Firefighting: Helicopter Administration & Operations

Aviation Firefighting: Organization, Airspace, Communications & Aviation Safety

Completion of this self certification course enrolls you in the Aircrew Member certificate program. The certificate program contains all the courses necessary to become qualified as an Aircrew Member and tracks currency. Enrollment is used for IAT qualifications. 

Employees will learn proper fuel storage, transportation, and handling procedures; safe dispensing and filtering techniques; and proper fuel cache/field site fuel handling. Recommended for anyone involved in fuel handling for airplanes or helicopters, especially in field locations. Prerequisite: A-100 Basic Aviation Safety. Available in Anchorage, classroom instruction only.

Initial training of Aerial Capture, Eradication, and Tagging of Animals (ACETA) utilizing aviation for the purpose of achieving program objectives for the study, observation, and eradication of animals in resource management.

Interagency Aviation Trainer (IAT) qualification. This 32-hour course is designed to provide training to select employees with aviation and training backgrounds to qualify them as Interagency Aviation Trainers (IATs). Course emphasis is on increasing program knowledge and enhancing presentation skills.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Please Visit the NWCG Training Catalog for the most current course description and requirements.

NOTE: Individuals instructing NWCG aviation courses are required to meet instructor qualifications within the NWCG Field Managers Course Guide or individual course instructor guides.

Remote Pilots must complete UAS Refresher Training (A-452R), or approved equivalent, every 24 months, following the issuance of their UAS Pilot Qualification card (OAS-30U).

Current DOI/USDA-FS Remote Pilots participating in either A-450 or A452R, as a student or an instructor, will receive credit for refresher training. This training can be completed 4 months in advance, or within 30 days after, the date of expiration on the OAS-30U, and shall be documented on the Interagency Aviation Training (IAT) website.

Whether or not you complete A-452R before or after your expiration date, you will retain your original carding date.

Remote Pilots operating low complexity UAS will be able to complete this requirement via distance learning opportunities. Remote Pilots operating more complex aircraft may be required to attend a refresher course in-person. For further information, see DOI OPM-11 DOI Use of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) or Forest Service Standards for UAS Operations.

SEAT Fire Behavior

SEAT Firefighting Tactics

SEAT Operations

STEP training includes Classroom, mock-up and typical terrain maneuvers for exiting a helicopter via Single-skid, Toe-in and hover Exit/entry. Training provided to meet requirements of OPM-40 (Toe-In, Single Skid, and Step-Out Landings). Requires Project Operations Plan, Risk Assessment, and Bureau Aviation Manager's approval.

The ACETA Refresher course will review topics from the initial training course, cover new or innovative ACETA techniques, review the use of ACETA equipment and may include mock-ups.

The Airtanker Base Manager (ATBM) workshop is designed to provide the attendee with current policy revisions, technical updates, changes in reference materials and operational procedures as well as an overall review of safety and security issues associated with the airtanker program.

The Aviation Transportation of Hazardous Materials course purpose is to ensure flight safety when transporting hazardous materials (HAZMAT). This includes HAZMAT aboard, attached to, or suspended from government aircraft, under the exclusive direction and operational control of the Department of the Interior (DOI), the US Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (USDA-FS), or other Grantees with a written Grantee Status.

This training complies with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations General Requirements, whereby agency employees who transport hazardous materials by air must receive training on the requirements and conditions under the terms of the DOT Special Permit-9198.

Topics may include:

• Handling Procedures
• Policy Requirements
• Mishap Notification
• Packaging
• Identifying Hazardous Materials
• Safety Requirements

The course is scheduled to include 4.0 hours of ground instruction per day, plus various amounts of flight instruction each day. The accreditation goals of the course are to meet the OPM 22 Appendix 2 (4)(A) requirements for a pilot clinic every 36 months and to gain CEU credit towards the OPM 22 Appendix 2 (1) requirement of 30 CEUs annually.

Not all attendees are going to have the opportunity to receive flight instruction, but all attendees will have the opportunity to attend the ground portion, and those that do receive flight instruction will be awarded hour for hour CEU credit for that instruction via OAS 50/51 training form submission.

If the weather does not allow flight instruction, then additional ground instruction will be offered to all attendees, and the CEU clinic credit minimum will be adjusted accordingly.

The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of policy requirements and benefits associated with approving the following, prior to the agency/bureau mission:

• Aircraft
• Pilots
• Mechanics
• Support Equipment

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with an overview of crew resource management (CRM) skills and techniques, and to illustrate the importance of practicing CRM to accomplish safe aviation operations. Topics covered include:

• Situational Awareness
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Task Allocation
• Decision Making

Note: USDA-FS requires N9059/RT9059

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to safely instruct the A-312 Water Ditching & Survival course. Scheduling this course requires authorization from the DOI OAS Chief ASTPE, or USDA-FS NATPM.

The purpose of this course is to provide the aviation user with a foundation of knowledge, skills, and abilities, to safely utilize aircraft to accomplish agency missions. Topics include Mission Preparation and Planning, Pilot and Aircraft Briefings, Operational Safety, Post-Flight Duties, and UAS. 

Note: A-100 now Incorporates A-116 General Awareness Security Training, which is no longer a separate course.

The purpose of this course is to provide the aviation user with a foundation of knowledge, skills, and abilities, to safely utilize aircraft to accomplish agency missions. Topics include Mission Preparation and Planning, Pilot and Aircraft Briefings, Operational Safety, Post-Flight Duties, and UAS. 

Note: A-100 now Incorporates A-116 General Awareness Security Training, which is no longer a separate course.

The purpose of this course is to understand the layout and information contained in the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM). This information is used to support performance planning requirements of the Helicopter Manager-Resource position.

This 24-hour CRM 7 Skills Train-the-Trainer course is a comprehensive class that provides in-depth information on the FS CRM 7 Skills program, history of CRM, and each of the 7 critical skills. This class is designed to strengthen and focus the participants’ existing aviation skills and experience into that of a CRM subject matter expert. In addition, it provides a framework for the use of facilitative instructional techniques applied to case studies, that are a critical component of delivering both the Initial and Refresher CRM 7 Skills courses.

Note: FS509 provides a one-way equivalency for A-310.

This course covers both DOI AQD/USDA-FS aviation contracts and was designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to administer aviation contracts.

The focus of the course will be:

• Roles and Responsibilities
• Policy
• Contract Typesv
• Procurement Process
• Payment
• Documentation
• Emergency Hiring of Aircraft