Aircraft Base Radio Operator

ABRO decorative banner: photos depicting ABRO position. ABRO Position Description: The Aircraft Base Radio Operator (ABRO) reports to the Helibase Manager or Fixed-Wing Base Manager and is responsible for establishing communication between incident assigned aircraft and airbases, Air Tactical Group Supervisor, Air Operations Branch Director, and the Takeoff and Landing Coordinator.

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The ABRO is supervised by the Helibase Manager (HEBM) and is responsible for establishing and facilitating communications among incident or project assigned helicopters, helibases, helispots, air operations staff and/or Resource Aviation Manager.  This individual is key to efficient communications, flight following, mission assignments and providing takeoff and landing advisories.

Structure Protection Specialist (STPS) Crew Representative (CREP) Firefighter (FFT1/2) Single Resource Boss (CRWB, HEQB, ENGB, FELB, FIRB, HMGB) Task Force/Strike Team Leader (TFLD, STCR, STEQ, STEN) Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS) Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Staging Area Manager (STAM) Single Engine Air Tanker Manager (SEMG) Deck Coordinator (DECK) Takeoff and Landing Coordinator (TOLC) Aircraft Base Radio Operator (ABRO) Helicopter Crewmember (HECM) Helibase Manager (HEB1/2) Air Support Group Supervisor (ASGS) Air Tanker/Fixed Wing Coordinator (ATCO) Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO) Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD) OPERATIONS SECTION CHIEF (OSC1/2) Operations Section Chief (OPS3) Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Structure Protection Specialist (STPS) Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS) Crew Representative (CREP) Task Force Leader (TFLD) Crew Boss, Single Resource (CRWB) Heavy Equipment Boss, Single Resource (HEQB) Engine Boss, Single Resource (ENGB) Felling Boss, Single Resource (FELB) Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB) Helicopter Manager, Single Resource (HMGB) Operations Section Chief (OSC2) Staging Area Manager (STAM) Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD) Air Support Group Supervisor (ASGS) Helibase Manager (HEBM) Deck Coordinator (DECK) Aircraft Base Radio Operator (ABRO) Helicopter Crewmember (HECM) Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO) Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) Strike Team Leader Crew (STCR) Strike Team Leader Heavy Equipment (STEQ) Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN) Operations Section Chief (OSC1) Advanced Faller (FAL1) Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Basic Faller (FAL3) Fixed Wing Base Manager (FWBM) Airtanker Base Manager (ATBM) Fixed Wing Parking Tender (FWPT) Mixmaster (MXMS) Retardant Crew Member (RTCM) Single Engine Airtanker Manager (SEMG) Aircraft Time Keeper (ATIM) Ramp Manager (RAMP)

The Forest Service and Department of Interior are enabled by Administratively Determined Pay Plans (AD Pay Plans) to hire persons for temporary duration for the following reasons:

  1. To cope with a sudden and unexpected emergency caused by a fire, or extreme fire potential, flood, storm, or any other all-hazard emergency that threatens damage to federally protected property, has the potential to cause loss of life, serious injury, public health risk, or damage to natural or cultural resources unless brought under immediate control.
  2. To provide emergency assistance to States under formalized agreements.
  3. To meet mission assignments issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Incident Business Committee (IBC) reviews positions annually and establishes pay rate classifications for each position.

For more information on the AD Pay Plans, go to https://www.nwcg.gov/committees/incident-business-committee

Date: 
May 2021

Draft Incident Position Description (IPD) created.


Date: 
Oct 2018

Changed Helibase Manager Type 2 (HEB2) to Helibase Manager (HEBM) under These Positions Maintains Currency for ABRO.


Date: 
Oct 2017

Removed Takeoff and Landing Coordinator (TOLC) from These Positions Maintain Currency for ABRO and ABRO Maintains Currency for These Positions.


Date: 
Mar 1999

Position created.

 

Page Last Modified / Reviewed: 
2021-05-04
Primary Committee: 
National Interagency Aviation Committee
Steward: 
Interagency Helicopter Operations Subcommittee

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