Brief

Councilmember Tim Mcosker, seconded by Traci Park, moved to authorize funding and purchase of large amphibious aircraft (Super Scoopers) for the Los Angeles Fire Department to enhance wildfire response capacity. The motion passed City Council 12-0-3 on April 23, 2025. The file is currently pending in Budget and Finance Committee and Public Safety Committee following a June 2026 LAFD status report, with the most recent committee action occurring August 12, 2026.

Full summary

This motion, introduced by Councilmember Tim McOsker and seconded by Traci Park in February 2025, directed the Chief Administrative Officer and the LAFD to assess a funding plan for permanently acquiring one or more Super Scooper amphibious aircraft to replace those the motion described as being leased by the city. It also called for a review of available county, state, and federal funding sources and viable storage and maintenance facilities. Council passed the motion 12-0-3 in April 2025 after both the Public Safety Committee and Budget and Finance Committee approved it. In a detailed June 2026 report, Fire Chief Jaime Moore recommended against purchasing or leasing Super Scoopers. The report first corrected a factual premise of the motion: the LAFD has not leased Super Scoopers for roughly 25 years, having replaced them with a contracted heavy-lift helitanker that provides 150 days of seasonal coverage. The department currently operates five medium-duty Leonardo AW139 helicopters and two light-duty Bell 505 helicopters, supplemented by that contracted Sikorsky S-64 helitanker capable of carrying up to 2,650 gallons of water and refilling from virtually any water source in 30 to 45 seconds. The LAFD's operational analysis found Super Scoopers poorly suited to Los Angeles geography. The aircraft require a 4,224-foot-long water source to scoop from, limiting the city to the Pacific Ocean and Castaic Lake — the ocean becoming unusable in high winds, as was demonstrated during the Palisades Fire when LA County's contracted Super Scoopers were diverted to Castaic Lake, causing long turnaround times. New DHC-515 Super Scoopers cost $54 to $60 million each; legacy CL-415 models run $30 to $37 million. Leasing from one of only two available North American vendors would cost between $3.3 million and $9.4 million annually for aircraft availability, plus $12,900 to $17,900 per flight hour. Ownership would also require the city to create new pilot job classifications and build specialized training programs, as FAA type ratings do not exist for the aircraft. The report concluded that the contracted S-64 helitanker can deliver nearly twice the water volume of Super Scoopers during the same two-hour fuel cycle given the distances to suitable scooping sites from city fire zones. The LAFD instead recommended continuing the seasonal helitanker contract, modernizing the existing helicopter fleet under its 18-year replacement policy, and expanding full-time aircrew staffing. The LAFD report was referred to both committees in June 2026. The Public Safety Committee scheduled it for discussion on August 12, 2026, and noted and filed the item at that meeting. The file remains open and pending in both the Budget and Finance Committee and the Public Safety Committee.

Activity (13)

• 2026-08-12 Public Safety Committee noted and filed item(s).
• 2026-08-07 Public Safety Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on August 12, 2026.
• 2026-06-17 Los Angeles Fire Department document(s) referred to Budget and Finance Committee; Public Safety Committee.
• 2026-06-16 Document submitted by Los Angeles Fire Department, dated June 16, 2026.
• 2025-04-25 Council action final.
• 2025-04-23 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2025-04-18 Community Impact Statement submitted by Studio City Neighborhood Council.
• 2025-04-18 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on April 23, 2025.
• 2025-03-04 Budget and Finance concurred with Public Safety Committee action of February 19, 2025.
• 2025-02-28 Budget and Finance Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on March 4, 2025.
• 2025-02-19 Public Safety Committee approved item(s) .
• 2025-02-14 Public Safety Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on February 19, 2025.
• 2025-02-04 Motion referred to Budget and Finance Committee; Public Safety Committee.

Documents (8)

• 2026-06-16 Report from Fire Department · report
• 2025-04-25 Council Action · council_action
• 2025-04-23 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2025-04-18 Community Impact Statement submitted by Studio City Neighborhood Council · cis
• 2025-03-04 Report from Public Safety and Budget and Finance Committees · report
• 2025-03-04 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2025-02-19 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2025-02-04 Motion · motion

Council votes (1)

• 2025-04-23 Vote — 12-0-3 · Regular