Firefighting Tankers and Bombers

[Scott D]

Totally agree with Damon, Bernie, you should get in touch with them with those two shots.

[Rotorhead]

For those of you that are on twitter, here's a link to 10 Tanker...

http://twitter.com/#!/10Tanker

Dan

[aero-engineer]

Tanker 910 at the Hill Fire yesterday.

WOW   

Kevin
aero-engineer

[phantomphan1974]

For those of you that are on twitter, here's a link to 10 Tanker...

http://twitter.com/#!/10Tanker
Dan

Thanks!

[Venom1]

Tanker 910 at the Hill Fire yesterday.

That has to be the most awesome shot of 910 I've ever seen!!! WOW!

[rammsteinmatt]

Bernie, your shot is AMAZING.  Should try to send it to the Company.

Unfortunately 10 Tanker plans to close their doors in November, as of 2 weeks ago.  A DC-10 was sent to Texas, depending on the number of drops and time they spend there, the doors might stay open until the end of the year.

That being said, that's an AMAZING shot Bernie.

[phantomphan1974]

Another company out of business and they invested so much to those two DC-10.  Such a same to lose them and for all those people to get pink slips.

[kick Z tail out]

Yep... When we get a normal fire season (aka BAD) in California again, it's going to be insane. The fleet of fixed wing air tankers nationwide is not even close to being a shell of it's former self. Back in the 90s, there were nearly 100 heavy air tankers in the US. Now, there are 11. (all Neptunes). And the USFS has already said the Neptunes are in their last or nearly last season.

There is no clue. USFS Fire & Aviation Management has no idea what they're doing. They deserve every bit of Feinsteins harrassment that they get.

Cal Fire still has their excellent fleet of S-2Ts... but when the SHTF, it's like spitting a line around the fire. That's why one or two large fires will tie up their entire fleet of 23. The USFS ain't pulling their weight on federal lands anymore either.

The VLAT situation... 10TAC disappearing would bring the number from 3 to 1. The USFS might need to invite Hawaii Mars back after they kicked them to the curb last year as not needed.

[rammsteinmatt]

Another company out of business and they invested so much to those two DC-10.  Such a same to lose them and for all those people to get pink slips.

They had a third DC-10 parked over in their area, now it's empenage is sitting on the ground, unattached from the rest of the fuselage.  Not sure what the story was exactly, but there was talk of making a 912 - to accompany 910 and 911 - obviously that hasnt panned out.

Yea, its a bad situation all around.  CA is going to be so screwed if we have another Station Fire - shoot we were pretty screwed with all the assets we did have on that fire.  10 tanker has been systematically thinning the herd over the last months, its no surprise really to the remaining employees, just the shock of the last day being penciled in.

Last year was relatively slow, so im guessing that's what has lulled the state into this sense of false security.  I'd say this year is pretty much par for the course, right?  10 tanker has been out on 3+ fires?  Unfortunately the hardest lesson learned is the best learned and CA would rather spend its money on who-knows-what (i have a guess, but its not repeatable in polite company)

[nmcbride]

Some shots from Saturday as they were trying to wrap up the Canyon fire near Tehachapi...before the rash of lightning strikes Saturday afternoon.

[Rotorhead]

Get a load of this crapola...

http://wildfiretoday.com/2011/09/13/usfs-chief-issues-statement-about-air-tanker-availability/


Dan

[16Right]

Get a load of this crapola...

http://wildfiretoday.com/2011/09/13/usfs-chief-issues-statement-about-air-tanker-availability/


Dan

That is spin doctoring at it's best.

What about Air Guard MAFFS?

[kick Z tail out]

That is spin doctoring at it's best.

What about Air Guard MAFFS?

Yeah by the USFS.


They finally got 4 mobilized. The MAFFS take until hell freezes over to mobilize. The USAF doesn't even like providing aircraft for that mission. It wasn't until 2 weeks into the Texas fires (and 1000 homes lost) that 4 MAFFS finally made their way to Texas.

[Rotorhead]

Aero Union knockin at the door...(The lights are on, but nobody's home!)

http://www.humanevents.com/downloads-pdfs/THarbour%20Ltr%209%206%2011.pdf

Dan

[nmcbride]

Some shots from Saturday.   Bouquet Resevoir filling up for drops on the Mint Fire.