Above: This S-2 was scavenged from the aircraft boneyard in Arizona and will eventually replace the CAL FIRE air tanker that crashed in 2014. Photo by Bill Gabbert at McClellan Air Field, March 23, 2016.
The video covers work being done on an S-2 that will replace Tanker 81 that crashed in 2014 killing pilot Craig Hunt.
Global Supertanker supplied this photo today of their 747 Supertanker undergoing ground tests of the retardant delivery system. The tanks can hold 19,200 gallons.
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If you want a high resolution professional quality print of Tanker 944, or a cell phone case with a photo of the air tanker…
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Fixed wing1 Comment on MAFFS crews gearing up for annual trainingThis year the annual certification and refresher training for the Modular FireFighting System (MAFFS) crews from all four Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve bases will take place at one location, the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in Ventura County, California (map) beginning May 1. That will begin the transition for the Reno base that recently became a MAFFS unit, a process that is expected to take three to five fire seasons according to the National Guard Bureau. The other two MAFFS bases (other than Reno and Channel Islands) are at Cheyenne and Colorado Springs.
The 146th Airlift Wing, below, is based at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in southern California.
#MAFFS unit rolls into back of @146AirliftWing #C130 for next week’s annual firefighting training w/@forestservice pic.twitter.com/g3osPrt0Mx
— 146thAirliftWing (@146AirliftWing) April 28, 2016
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Fixed wing1 Comment on California aviators discover the birth of a large fireIn this video civilians on some kind of aviation adventure discover and report what turned out to be the Washington Fire southeast of Lake Tahoe near Markleeville, California. They reported it on June 19, 2015 and by June 23 the fire had burned over 16,000 acres.
The map below shows heat from the fire detected by a satellite on June 21, 2015.
More information about the Washington Fire.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to David.
Author Guest WriterPosted on Categories Helicopters3 Comments on Annual fire training in California for National Guard helicopter crewsBy John Yount
This year the annual fire suppression training for California and Nevada Air and Army National Guard helicopter crews was held April 15-17, 2016 near Sutter Creek, California. Chinook, Blackhawk, and Lakota helicopters participated in a mock fire incident using Pardee Lake as a water source.
The Guard is only activated when private sector helicopter operators cannot fill the incident commander’s resource orders for a particular type or mission specific helicopter. Usually the requests are for a Type 1 helicopter, a Blackhawk or Chinook, that cannot be supplied by the private sector in a reasonable period of time.
The Lakota helicopter is used as a helicopter coordinator platform and for medical evacuation missions. If requested by the incident commander the Lakota can be dispatched with military medics. During the last five decades the Guard assisted on fires in almost every fire season.
The policy of teaming a Guard helicopter with a CAL FIRE military helicopter manager serving as a flight crew member has been a successful program for twenty years. The military manager not only provides tactical fire direction including initial attack on new fires but arranges for complete logistical support. The manager works closely with a military liaison to make sure the program flows smoothly.
These photos were taken by Bob Martinez, a Volunteer in Prevention Photographer for CAL FIRE. You can see more of his work at his web site.
Continue reading “Annual fire training in California for National Guard helicopter crews”
Fred Celest sent us this photo he took with his cell phone while he was returning from the 16 Mile Fire in eastern Pennsylvania for a load and return. Both planes are operated by New Frontier Aviation out of Fort Benton, Montana. The single engine air tankers are Air Tractor 802s with Garret-14 engines.
We’ve written about T-873 a couple of times before.
Thanks Fred.
Douglas County, just south of Denver (map), recently renewed contracts with four fire aviation companies. The agreements are Call When Needed (CWN) and will only be activated when the aircraft are specifically needed.
Three of the contracts are for helicopters, with Rampart Helicopter Services, HeliQwest International and Trans Aero Ltd. The other is for the 11,600-gallon DC-10 Very Large Air Tankers operated by 10 Tanker Air Carrier.
“Due to the strong possibility of continued dry conditions in and around Douglas County, coupled with the limited air resource availability in the region for the purpose of fighting wildland fire, it is imperative that we have every resource possible available to us,” said the County’s Director of Emergency Management Tim Johnson.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Bean.
The cuts mean air tanker contracts end on August 16.
Below is an excerpt from an article at CBCnews:
With wildfires already spreading in Alberta, one air tanker company is raising the alarm on cuts to the province’s fire suppression budget.
Paul Lane, the vice president of Air Spray, said the company’s contract was cut by 25 per cent in the recent budget.“The province has reduced the operating contracts, for not just us but the other air tanker operator, from 123 days to 93 days,” he said.
“Effectively that will mean that all the air tanker assets in Alberta will come up contract by August 16. The province has no guarantee of availability after that period of those air tanker assets.”
The province reduced the overall wildfire suppression budget by about $15 million.
Premier Rachel Notley said the budget reflects base levels of funding and that emergency funds will kick in if needed for more fire suppression.
“All that happened is a high level of expenditure engaged last year because of the high level of fires was reduced back to the normal amount,” she said. ..
