Aerial firefighting is a critical component of wildfire suppression, utilizing fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft to deliver water or retardant and support ground operations. These missions take place in complex, high-tempo environments that demand precise airspace management, tactical planning, and real-time coordination. Wildfire aerial operations are directed by the Air Attack Officer (AAO), who manages both fixed-wing and rotary-wing resources, and the Helicopter Coordinator (HLCO), who specifically oversees rotary-wing operations. These roles are essential to ensuring the safe and effective deployment of aerial assets, particularly in remote or inaccessible terrain where rapid response is vital to containment success.
To support the development of these specialized roles, the Alberta Aerial Firefighting Simulation System (AFSS) provides a realistic, scenario-based training environment focused on airspace coordination and communication protocols. The AFSS enables AAOs and HLCOs to practice in a controlled, repeatable setting. Given the high-risk nature of aerial firefighting, simulation-based training offers a safe and cost-effective alternative to live exercises, reducing operational risk while enhancing preparedness.
In 2026 the Hinton Training Centre (HTC) executed a major fixed-wing expansion to Alberta’s AFSS. This procurement, conducted through RFP 26HTC100 and awarded to Wildfire Training Solutions, successfully integrated a high-fidelity fixed-wing cockpit system to serve as the primary training unit. Networked alongside this new physical cockpit shell were a dedicated dispatcher station and role player stations. This integration allowed for more complex, multi-role training scenarios by combining tactical flight coordination with realistic cockpit physical inputs, all fully integrated with the system's existing Lockheed Martin Prepar3D and Lorby Wildfire Response (LWR) software.
To build on the success of the recent fixed-wing expansion, this initiative aims to enhance the existing simulation system by modernizing and improving the training experience for all participants.
The project objectives are:
1. Modernization of legacy equipment
This will be achieved through the procurement of a high-fidelity helicopter cockpit, director station, mentor station and four additional role player stations. These additions will enable more advanced, multi-role training exercises—such as concurrent AAO and HLCO operations, or dual-AAO coordination—better reflecting the collaborative and high-tempo nature of real wildfire response.
2. Enhance the overall user experience
Improvements will focus not only on the trainee but also on the cockpit operator and role players. This includes both usability enhancements—making the system more intuitive and efficient to operate—and upgrades to the physical cockpit environment to increase realism. For example, replacing touchscreen radio interfaces with physical switches will more accurately replicate the aircraft systems used in the field.
All upgrades must be fully compatible with the existing simulation infrastructure currently in use at the HTC, ensuring seamless operability and integration with the established networked training environment. Furthermore, all equipment, software, and system enhancements must be delivered, installed, and configured on-site at HTC, where Alberta’s AFSS unit is housed.
