• Fully licenced maintenance, repair and overhaul facility

    Pay’s Air Service
    ENGINEERING

  • Fixed Wing Aerial Application Training

    Pay’s Air Service
    TRAINING

  • Worlds best scooping aircrafts

    Fire boss & AT-802
    AERIAL FIRE FIGHTING

Aerial Fire Fighting

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About Us

Pay’s Air Service, based in Scone NSW, is a commercial operation providing fixed wing aircraft and other support equipment to Government agencies (NSW, VIC and TAS). These agencies are responsible for providing specialized aviation resources for firefighting and other land management services. Pay’s Air Service operates an approved maintenance facility from its base in Scone and provides a high level of operational reliability across all aspects of the business. Pay’s licenced Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, along with operational staff, have provided numerous innovative engineering solutions to enhance our operational capabilities.

FIRE BOSS

Air Tractor Fire Boss. For the 2013/14 fire season, Pay’s Air Service made a significant investment in equipping one of its Air Tractor 802’s as an amphibious Fire Boss. The addition of the  Wipline 10000 amphibious floats and associated water scooping equipment allows the Fire Boss to be a self-filling firefighting platform. This has resulted in short turnaround times giving it a significant increase in productivity. Since acquiring the aircraft, it has proven an overwhelming success, on some days delivering upwards of 500,000 litres to fires per day. This led to the purchase of a second Fire Boss in 2015.

AT-802

Pay’s operate six 802’s, and have access to 7. All are equipped with computer-controlled fire gates to ensure precision control and drop patterns. They are also equipped with GPS tracking and state of the art cockpit equipment. The Air Tractor 802 is the world’s leading single engine air tanker for fire suppression and control. With a capacity of 3200 litres of firefighting foam, gel or fire retardant and a transit speed of 300Km/h the 802 is relied upon for control of bushfires in all major forested areas of Australia.

Training

Pay’s Air Service are a long-term provider for all forms of fixed wing aerial application training. With Flight Examiners on staff and tens of thousands of hours experience to draw on, Pay’s are recognized as a leading training provider throughout Australasia.

Training services provided at Pay’s include:

  • Agricultural ratings
  • Night agricultural ratings
  • Aircraft endorsements
  • Agricultural rating flight checks
  • Aeroplane flight reviews
  • Aeroplane Firebombing Endorsement

Agricultural Rating Overview:

Training for initial issue of an agricultural rating is comprised of a minimum of 35 hours training. Of these 35 hours, the first 10 are an introduction to basic low level flying, aerial application principles and emergencies. The next 25 hours are comprised of at least 20 hours dual instruction in advanced aerial application principles, operational planning and methods of application and a minimum of 5 hours supervised solo training.

The dual instruction component of the training is completed in a Cessna 185 equipped with GPS marking equipment. This machine is an excellent test of handling ability and will provide a solid foundation of skills to build upon. The solo portion of the rating is conducted in one of our C188 Ag Husky aircraft in full agricultural configuration. Following the issue of an agricultural rating there is a further requirement for 110 hours of supervision including 20 hours of direct supervision by an employer, prior to being able to fly fully unsupervised.

There is a large amount of syllabus knowledge required for the issue of an agricultural rating. There is also a CASA theory exam that must be completed before the rating can be issued. It is recommended that thorough study be undertaken and a pass in the exam achieved prior to beginning training. There is also the requirement to hold a chemical applicators licence applicable to the state of operation. The theory component of this can be satisfied by gaining a pass in the AAAA Spray Safe accreditation examination. It is recommended that all applicants for an agricultural rating become a member of the AAAA.

Personnel: Ross Pay and Harley Mckillop

Engineering

  • About
  • Paint Shop
  • Technology

Pay’s Air Service has a fully licenced maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at our Scone base. Employing around 20 staff with part 66 licence coverage of B1.1 and B1.2. This allows us to maintain piston engine aircraft including retractable, turbocharged/supercharged, hydraulics, air conditioning/pressurisation and fabric/dope.

We also maintain and have extensive experience in aircraft equipped with PT6 series turbine engines, and we are an approved overhaul facility for Rolls Royce/Packard Merlin and Griffin series, Allison V1710 series and Gypsy Major series.

Over the years Pay’s have engineered many approved modifications including the upgrade of C188 aircraft to Lycoming IO-720 engines, improved aerial application equipment and systems, and numerous improvements to Air Tractor aircraft. The most recent development is a direct injection system for firefighting products allowing an aircraft to be filled with water and mix its own fire suppressant in the hopper whilst transiting to the fire. More information on this system is under technology.

Pay’s have a large sheet metal facility, engine rebuild shop, paint shop and a large spares inventory containing almost 5000 components.

Pay’s have utilised an in-house paint shop for all their aircraft painting requirements. All aircraft rebuilt by Pay’s since 2008 have received our in-house scheme, and the number of compliments received from people far and wide is a testament to the high quality of the work performed by the paint shop.

We specialise in:

  • Vintage Warbird/ Normal Aircraft
  • Full aircraft stripping, repair, corrosion proofing and repainting in our Large 12 x 5m heated spray booth for oven baked finishes
  • Custom colour schemes design and consulting
  • Other vehicle types catered for including motor vehicles, truck cabs, horse floats, boats, trailers.

We operate a dedicated spray booth and have qualified painters on staff. To organize a quote on your aircraft call Pay’s on 02 6540 1850.

The latest technology developed by Pay’s is the Fire Suppression System. It allows for onboard storage and injection of suppression concentrate to be mixed with water. This has proved to be extremely effective in the Air Tractor Fire Boss. It allows the Fire Boss to scoop water out of dams and rivers whilst simultaneously adding suppression material to the load, increasing overall efficiency.

System Specifications:

  • Weight 56.5Kg/ 124.6lbs
  • Capacity 180Lts/ 47.5USG
  • STC for AT-802 CASA and FAA
  • Loads tanks in 8 minutes
  • Mixes in hopper in 2 minutes
  • Can mix up to 30 loads at 6lts of concentrate per 3000lts of water
  • Comes in kit form for ease of installation

History

Air Tractor 802. The Air Tractor 802 is the world’s leading single engine air tanker for fire suppression and control. With a capacity of 3200 litres of firefighting foam, gel or fire retardant and a transit speed of 300Km/h the 802 is relied upon for control of bushfires in all major forested areas of Australia.

Pay’s operate five 802’s, all equipped with computer controlled fire gates to ensure precision control and drop patterns. They are also equipped with GPS tracking and state of the art cockpit equipment.

Air Tractor Fire Boss. For the 2013/14 fire season, Pay’s Air Service made a significant investment in equipping one of its Air Tractor 802’s as an amphibious Fire Boss. The addition of the Wipline 10000 amphibious floats and associated water scooping equipment allows the Fire Boss to be a self-filling firefighting platform, the resultant short turnaround times give it the productivity of approximately 3 wheeled 802’s. The aircraft has proven an overwhelming success, on some days delivering upwards of 150,000 litres to fires.

Cessna C208B Grand Caravan. The 14 seat Caravan is an excellent load carrying aircraft and is capable of operation from short and unprepared airstrips. Pay’s Caravan is contracted to provide fire crew transport, fire reconnaissance and surveillance, and air attack coordination of firebombing aircraft. Pay’s also operate a Cessna 182 on an ad-hoc basis in the same role.

Links

News

VH-LIM Headline

Pays Second Fireboss seven news

Fireboss heads up north east fleet

Project C206

Fire Spotter 375 has Started in Albury and B358 in Mansfield

FS 230 on Seven News

The company founder Col Pay has been inducted into the Hall of Fame "Aviation Icon Inducted" Family and Staff attended

The 2016/2017 fire season has commenced with our Fire Boss in Grafton.

Scone Advocate-- Magnificent men in their flying machines

Scone Advocate-- Bush fire season zooms in

The Courier-- Only female pilot homegrown

Daily Telegraph-- Georgia an angel of the skies for firefighters battling bushfires

Daily Telegraph-- Low flier aiming high

Outback Magazine-- High-flyer

Contact Us

Personnel

Ross Pay - Managing Director / CFI
Harley Mckillop - Chief Pilot
Craig Patton - Senior Pilot

Scone - Pay's Air Service

Fire Bombing and Training