Skip to main content

6MFS

Committee Home

6MFS Calendar

Topics Categories

All 6MFS Topics

Aviation

Airtankers

Felling Safety

Fire Communication

Firefighter Health and First Aid

Leadership

Miscellaneous Fireline Hazards

Operational Engagement

This Day in History

Vehicles - Roads

Weather - Fire Behavior

Week of Remembrance

Search All 6MFS Topics by Keyword

Marshalling Aircraft in Low-Light Conditions

 

At times fixed-wing aircraft will land after dark and may require base personnel to marshal them with little or no visibility.

Discuss the low-light operations at your base utilizing the following points.

  • What job aids, equipment, and facilities exist at your base to assist with parking aircraft in low-light conditions?
    • Are the job aids, equipment, and facilities operating correctly and readily available?
  • Equipment failure during low-light operations could be catastrophic. Discuss the base procedures for inspecting low-light equipment.
    • Are ramp radios and headsets ready for extended use?
  • How do low-light conditions affect spatial distortion and distance recognition?
  • What measures can you take to ensure that the aircraft you are guiding is parked exactly where you want it?
  • Identifying the spot where you want the location of the nose wheel can be difficult under low-light conditions.
  • Are there objects that taxiing aircraft might get near which would require additional Fixed Wing Parking Tenders (FWPT)/wing walkers?
  • Have all FWPTs visited all possible off-ramp locations in daylight (day off/maintenance parking) that could potentially be used for low-light parking?
  • Have any of the ramp staff not marshalled aircraft in low-light conditions before?

References:

Category
Airtankers

6MFS Suggestion Form


Have an idea or feedback?

Share it with the NWCG 6MFS Subcommittee
 


Follow NWCG on X and Facebook
 


 

Last Modified / Reviewed:

Print PDF

NWCG Latest Announcements

2026 Week of Remembrance

Date:  June 30, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee

As we approach the 2026 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30–July 6, we dedicate this time to reflect on past incidents from 2016 and honor the fallen through learning. Since its inception in 2014, WOR has honored wildland firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while encouraging critical discussions that reinforce lessons learned.

Throughout the week, we encourage thoughtful and generative conversations that promote a culture of continuous learning and safety.

References:

2026 Week of Remembrance: Letter to Leadership

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

RMC Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNetX Launch

Date:  June 25, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) is pleased to announce the launch of SafeNetX, the modernized safety reporting system now available to the wildland fire community. Effective June 15, 2026, SafeNetX enables reporting of unsafe, unhealthy, near-miss, and high-risk operations across wildland fire, all-hazard incidents, training, and related work environments.

SafeNetX is the result of a multi-agency modernization effort led by RMC, which began evaluating improvements to the legacy SAFENET system in 2021. To learn more, read the full RMC memorandum in the links provided.

References:

SafeNetX

RMC Safety Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNet X Launch

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Emergency Medical Committee

The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) announces the recipients of the 2025 Wildland Fire Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Awards. EMC annually recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding actions or accomplishments that are above and beyond the expectation of one’s normal mission or job duties.

Congratulations to all the awardees and nominees. Through leadership and initiative, they have made significant contributions to the safety of the wildland fire community. These awards are well deserved.

References:

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Emergency Medical Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book Now Available for RAMP

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Airtanker Base Operations Unit

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Ramp Manager (RAMP).

The Performance Support Package for this position was developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for release in January 2027.

References:

NWCG Ramp Manager Position Page

National Interagency Aviation Committee