Loading the DC-10’s at Phoenix

The video describes the process of reloading the DC-10’s with fire retardant at Phoenix Gateway-Mesa airport while they were fighting the Goodwin Fire 80 miles northwest of the airport. For a while this week all three DC-10 Very Large Air Tankers were working out of the tanker base and dropping on the Goodwin Fire.

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2 thoughts on “Loading the DC-10’s at Phoenix”

  1. Base crews have been doing a fantastic job, considering what they have to work with at IWA. Cramped-in L-shaped two-pit set-up. Since ICE occupies one end of the bldg. where the Fire Center is located-results in poor base config.. As the video shows, can load one VLAT at a time. was convienient that the Juan-Air/Con/Air ships were absent from the ramp. Allowed more taxi room. Where the 2nd ship is-“Swift” is usually parked there. When there are other heavies ,along with VLAT, crews have to wait for pit-space as the #2 pit is in the “path” for the monsterjet to get out. And when they have 2 monsterjets, a Neptune, and 2 Brit-jets at the same time-Traffic Jam. Worst base config anywhere??

  2. Well done “punctuated” report. The weather at Mesa wasn’t mentioned. 11,000 plus gallons of retardant being airlifted by the “10’s” with an outside air temp of probably over 120 F. The airplanes are climbing and not scratching for altitude. Looks like the base staff, retardant contractor and the air tanker operators are really dialed-in.

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