site.btaKrumovo Air Base Commander Reports on Performance of Military Helicopters Used to Extinguish Wildfires

The military helicopters Cougar and Mi-17, which were engaged in extinguishing the fires from July 12 until August 1, have flown a total of 205 hours and 20 minutes, said on Thursday Brigadier General Dimitar Ivanov, Commander of the 24th Air Base "Krumovo" at a joint briefing with caretaker Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov, Chief of Defence Adm. Emil Eftimov and Air Force Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Dimitar Georgiev.

A total of 2,800 tons of water and 120 tons of fuel were used to extinguish the fires in the areas of Mihiltsi, Gornoseltsi, Leska, Strelcha, Otets Paisievo, Voden, Dragomir, Elin Pelin and Goleshevo, Gen. Ivanov said.

“We send the same pilots, who are the most prepared and spend nine hours a day in the helicopter and come down with shaking hands. Sometimes they had to cover three fires in a single day,” he added.

Currently 46% of pilot positions are unfilled, as well as 57% of airborne technician positions. Over the next two years, ten pilots will leave due to age limit, of whom six are trained to fight fires, the Krumovo airbase commander said.

We will work to increase the salaries of pilots who are on combat duty with additional financial means, said caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov. According to him, this will be possible after a revision of an existing regulation. It is not normal that in this combat base the salaries are lower than those of HEMS or Border Police, he added.