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Hawkins and Powers Aviation may no longer be in business but it is still an important part of local history and firefighting as a whole.
The company, which was based out of Greybull from …
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Hawkins and Powers Aviation may no longer be in business but it is still an important part of local history and firefighting as a whole.
The company, which was based out of Greybull from 1947 until 2002, started as an aerial spraying company that was known under different names before becoming Hawkins and Powers Aviation in 1969, according to the Wyoming PBS program “Aerial Firefighting: Hawkins and Powers.”
The company first aided in fighting a fire by loading a spraying plane with water in 1950. In 1965 the company began taking on fire contracts when it was still Avery Aviation, Bob Hopkins said in the PBS video.
Hawkins and Powers Aviation eventually became one of the largest privately owned firefighting operations in the country; most of their fleet were retired military aircrafts like a C-130. In the early 2000s two fatal crashes during firefighting contracts and cost concerns caused Hawkins and Powers to eventually close shop.
Those who wish to learn more can visit the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting near Greybull which features planes used by Hawkins and Powers for firefighting as well as other aircrafts.
