Firefighting Tankers and Bombers

[kick Z tail out]

Seriously, the pilot saw me standing on the lake bank and flew right at me.

Sorry Skip, I didn't think of going down by the fire station to shoot down the lake and only noticed this angle on the way out, but this is a pretty good crop with a 400.

Oooooh. Nice.


Good shots on your end too Scott.

[NikonGuy]

Real cool shots guys! 

[blazer]

What where u guys doing at the dip site when there was a perfectly good brush fire a mile away. 

[Code20photog]

What where u guys doing at the dip site when there was a perfectly good brush fire a mile away. 

*I* waited till the knockdown for the trip to the lake.

[blazer]

^ Good Man.

[kick Z tail out]

Finally got a chance to grab some shots of Tanker 17... Aero Union's newest and most elusive bird.

[kick Z tail out]

Tanker 890 and 891 are out from Minnesota looking for an extended contract. They're the first SEATs on floats I've ever seen in person. Tanker 891 is a dual seat version of the AT-802, also the first I had ever seen in person. I had always seen the single seaters.

[Realbigtaco]

Tanker 890 and 891 are out from Minnesota looking for an extended contract. They're the first SEATs on floats I've ever seen in person. Tanker 891 is a dual seat version of the AT-802, also the first I had ever seen in person. I had always seen the single seaters.

that is one fugly looking airplane, i think the aerodynamists on that project was on crack...

[kick Z tail out]

that is one fugly looking airplane, i think the aerodynamists on that project was on crack...

Hahahaha Yeah, for sure the floats are pretty jarring... I may be warped, but when they're on the landing gear I think they actually look decently slick! 

[kick Z tail out]

BTW, this is a cool video from a Southern California fire a few years back... if nobody has ever seen it. A very close call by the SEAT pilot right at the beginning of the video. He's dropping upslope for one, which is generally a no-no 95% of the time. Also, you'll notice he miscalculates his altitude and energy just a tad... actually drags the gear and flaps through the weeds, coming very close to clipping the people standing in front of the house.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G5oANIODh0

WHOOPS! Probably had to change his shorts after that little pitch rate demo.

But hey, good structure protection! That house got great coverage... even under the eaves!  

[Realbigtaco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G5oANIODh0

WHOOPS! Probably had to change his shorts after that little pitch rate demo.

But hey, good structure protection! That house got great coverage... even under the eaves!  

Holy crap bat man!

[blazer]

Why do home owners think they can stop 50+ foot flame lengths that are driven by Santa Anna winds with garden hoses ?

[rammsteinmatt]

Why do home owners think they can stop 50+ foot flame lengths that are driven by Santa Anna winds with garden hoses ?

Exactly.  The one lady in the video showing off the phos-check on her shirt...  Yea, that means you should have already left.

[nmcbride]

During the Crown Fire, we evacuated shortly after a low flying 747 dropped 20k gallons of phoschek on the hill behind us.   

Right about the same time the Sheriff deputies started screaming at us to get out "NOW".

Didn't have to tell us a second time.

Luckily the air and ground crews protected our neighborhood and the only damage was a scorched gazebo in a neighbors yard.

[kick Z tail out]

Why do home owners think they can stop 50+ foot flame lengths that are driven by Santa Anna winds with garden hoses ?

No kidding... Desperation, panic, stupidity