Hawkins & Powers (aerial firefighting firm) workers seek new owner

At the Greybull headquarters of former aerial firefighting firm Hawkins & Powers Aviation http://www.hawkinsandpowers.com/ , two dozen people are completing what is likely to be the company’s last job.

Four days a week, the crew works 10 hours a day refurbishing a C-130 cargo plane owned by the U.S. Air Force, a job that takes about 40,000 hours of labor. Fewer than 3,000 hours of work remain.

"We’re working ourselves out of a job," said Mike Sims, a maintenance supervisor who has worked for H&P for eight years. "It’s really something."

By RUFFIN PREVOST
Gazette Wyoming Bureau

Full Story: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?ts=1&display=rednews/2006/01/31/build/wyoming/25-hawkins-powers.inc

***

Greybull aviation firm slowly grew mighty, hit bottom fast

By RUFFIN PREVOST
Gazette Wyoming Bureau

GREYBULL – A World War II-vintage bomber flying low over a raging forest fire to drop flame retardant became a familiar sight in the intermountain West, but four decades ago it was a radical idea.

Realizing that vision took the right combination of circumstances, including affordable planes, veteran pilots willing to take the risk, and a large, well-equipped airport close to forest fires.

That’s how Hawkins & Powers Aviation of Greybull grew to be an aerial firefighting pioneer and industry powerhouse.

Full Story: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2006/01/31/build/wyoming/40-greybull-aviation.inc