Above: Firefighters in Santiago, Chile pose with the 747 Supertanker January 27, 2017.
(Originally published at 4 p.m. MDT July 25, 2017)
Today the Interagency Airtanker Board (IAB) bestowed “interim” approval status on the 747 Supertanker so that it can help suppress wildfires. This means the operator of the aircraft, Global SuperTanker (GST), can compete for federal air tanker contracts, if any become available, and can drop on fires for the duration of the 17-month interim period.
States and countries that will only contract for air tankers that have IAB approval may now consider signing the aircraft. California has not been hesitant to use very large air tankers like the DC-10 when they first became available. The U.S. Forest Service is much more conservative about making significant changes to their fire aviation program, and only used the DC-10 after it had been proven successful by California. The agency is also very hesitant, for example, to use water-scooping air tankers that have been in service worldwide for decades.
The 747 received interim approval from the IAB in January of this year but it expired six months later on June 15 even though most new air tanker designs are given 18 months of interim status, the objective of which is to provide a period for real world use on actual fires so that bugs, if any, could be worked out and the users of the service could evaluate the effectiveness. During the winter and spring there was little opportunity for an additional very large air tanker to be called up to fight wildfires. However during that period it was used for several weeks in Chile, dropping on dozens of fires.
The video below, filmed in Chile, shows the 747 dropping water because retardant was not available. But it was mixing into the water an enhancer that increased the effectiveness.
Jim Wheeler, the President and CEO of GST, said that during retardant drop tests in June the aircraft passed every one except for the last one on the last day, and that was because it was done during strong winds. The maximum wind speed allowed for the tests, Mr. Wheeler said, is 10 mph, but at the time of that last drop the wind was gusting at 17 to 25 mph. The test was suspended, and since it was the last day there was no opportunity to repeat it during allowable wind conditions.
We asked the USFS about the results of the test and they declined to answer our question, saying to check with GST.
Today the USFS released a statement confirming the interim approval for the 747:
The interim approval is for 17 months during which time GST must take steps to ensure its 747 aircraft delivers retardant in a manner that is effective and efficient and aids firefighting efforts on the ground.
Under certain circumstances, limited contractual options for VLATs are also available to the Forest Service and various states that maintain agreements with the agency. These certain circumstances could potentially include the severe wildfire situations in California and Colorado.
GST filed a protest with the USFS when they were not allowed to bid on a Call When Needed (CWN) contract for air tankers that had specifications making very large air tankers ineligible to apply. The USFS denied the protest, and Mr. Wheeler said he will be deciding soon if their company will carry the protest further to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Last week the USFS posted a notice that it intends, sometime in the future, to accept bids for CWN very large air tankers, such as the 747 and DC-10 that can carry at least 8,000 gallons. The 747 carries 19,200 gallons while the DC-10 can hold 11,600. Most “large” air tankers can carry 2,000 to 4,000 gallons.
The initial version of the Supertanker built by Evergreen in a 747-100 made its first ever drop on a fire eight years ago at the Railbelt complex in Alaska in 2009. It last received Call When Needed contracts from CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service in 2013. When Evergreen went bankrupt Global Supertanker bought the hardware and the rights to the retardant system and installed it in a newer more powerful 747-400.
I’m not a firefighter or a pilot, but there is an ever increasing need for planes like the Global Supertanker. In Montana at this moment, there is dire need for SuperTankers. I’ve talked with The CEO, and two other execs. at Global AirTanker, LLC. I’m angered by what I hear. I’m angered that the USFS is so ignorant that they refuse to accept even an “On-Call” contract. Global SuperTankers says they will build more planes if they can use them in the U.S!
The real bottom line is that the company’s with the smaller planes are afraid of the SuperTankers. So they line the pockets of the USDA, DOI, and USFS officials, and possibly even the representatives elected and paid for by the taxpayers, the very people whose homes are being destroyed by these big fires. Take a look at the incident commanders reports, all to often they have these words “inadequate resources” or “inadequate air resources” to fight the fire.
we should use this big plane in Brookings OREGON the fire was 10 acres at the beginning thanks to a lady on the East coast said let burn out now the fire is over 125 thousand acres this plane should be flying over the Brookings chetco fire dumping fire retardant on the fire the people in power would think different if it was a town in there state or close to them people are inhaling smoke from the fire all over the state of Oregon thanks to the Forest service they are not using this plane
How can they give this bird approval when it did not pass the grid test? This is political games at its finest. This aircraft is not the catch all end all. The DC-10s are really the better choice since they do have a slightly smaller profile on the ramp, have a proven gravity feed drop system and do not require additional infrastructure like the 747 will require.
The test it passed in this video clip? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEqbLVfpGc
Is anyone else out there? The era of the jet tanker is here. Just saw a MD87 (reported as a DC10) making a long drop on a 400 acre grass fire outside of Sacramento, Ca.
Just because you receive an interim agreement doesn’t mean the phone will ring. Is there a CWN contract pricing schedule in place? Now its time for GST to play the forest fire game in preparedness. As an I.C. I don’t want to make the request for a SVLAT (super very large air tanker, over 14,999 U.S. gallons) and be informed that it will be available on Thursday when its Tuesday, that doesn’t “fly” with the tomorrows incident action plan. Additionally, select an airport with a central location in a state(s) that is ready to do business. Air compressor for retardant tank, retardant, fuel, air start for power plants, agency representatives, all in place ready for use. A dedicated lead plane. All components in place for quick turn-arounds (like in Chile). As with the DC 10 and Cal Fire have experienced wild land fire fighters evaluate their field observations. By experienced I mean decades of wild fire experience air and ground.
Good observations Johnny. But I do not see practically having an “immediate need” super tanker ready for the next operational period. Not a good candidate for initial attack either due to the fact they cannot be expected to have the infrastructure in place at a drop of the hat unless they are under contract. They are a private business and need to have some assurance they will be called in order to justify the capital outlay for logistics ahead of time. From my limited obs these planes are better utilized for long range planning on mega fires constructing contingency lines that will require ground troops a week or more to cut out and hold – not the next operational period. If they just happen to be on site during these mega fires and a structure protection issue suddenly arises then yes they will be the heroes of the day (or operational period) with pics all over the news and social media. The funding for the plane and support facilities for the Chile fires was not born by the plane’s company ( private donation and a small amount from Chilean gov). See Bill’s past postings on his adventure in Chile. So don’t get me wrong on the fantastic results these new generation planes provide. Always thrilled to see them in action. As far as the need to have evals of performance authored by FF with decades of experience. Good luck with that. As a CALFIRE retirey I would venture to say you may get field observers with 15 to 20 years at the most… maybe. Anything over that would not be caught dead hiking the line… Maybe in the air attack ship rotating overhead. Lol
Thanks for the response. “Retirey hiking the line” only if a shade tree (s) is spaced every 200 feet, maybe 100 feet? To set up in California, like Castle, mid State I would think that would be a very good idea. You are going to be sitting somewhere. Part of the CWN game.
As an old geezer, I can relate on so many levels. Not the least of these is our bodies’ diminishing capacities and the increasing expectations we place on them. Some of you can say it better than I can, but I’ll try. There is the “cour-,” the heart, the becoming “-age” (courage, borne of ..?) that younger people bring to the job when they haven’t seen so much of their lives’ efforts denigrated and wasted. Eventually we simply don’t want to throw our very selves into the battle at a level of effort that will cost us dearly and still be of no avail. We’ve seen our lives’ efforts wasted
That 8 minute mile costs us a lot more than it once did. And you’ll never really understand that rapidly increasing cost and decreasing benefit, until you’ve been there yourself. That is why, if you sit down, really sit down once in life, you are finished. Saw it happen too many times. Now it’s my turn.
To paraphrase Sam Clemens, “The man who has picked up a bobcat by the tail (or any leg) and swung it ’round his head, knows things that one can learn in no other way.”
BTDT. Enjoy your youth. Now it’s your kitty.
BTW, I wish these Big Fellows all the greatest success. Sic’em!