News & commentary about aerial firefighting, air tankers, and helicopters
The California Air National Guard shot this video of one of their Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) C-130’s dropping retardant on the Carr Fire in Northern California July 31, 2018.
If you look closely you’ll see the lead plane produce smoke to mark the beginning of the drop.
Above: Screenshot from the National Guard video below.
Two Air National Guard C-130’s have been working on wildfires in California for several weeks. They are temporarily outfitted with Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems (MAFFS) that can hold up to 3,000 gallons of fire retandant.
I believe this video was shot from MAFFS6 showing Coast Guard/USFS Tanker 118, an HC-130H, dropping on the River Fire east of Ukiah, California. T-118, which is painted white, is borrowing one of the eight MAFFS systems purchased by the Forest Service that are normally reserved for military planes if they are needed to provide a surge capacity when additional air tankers are needed.
The view of #MAFFS 6 from #USDA Forest Service HC-130H Air Tanker 118 during a drop for the #RiverFire near Mendocino, CA Saturday July 28th 2018.
https://t.co/NkSFY62ToS pic.twitter.com/5f6aiKHuom— DVIDSHub (@DVIDSHub) July 31, 2018
Another great view of what @theCaGuard sees as they support efforts combating #ReddingFire … https://t.co/JdzQBdCDUc #CaliforniaFires #wildfires #firefighters pic.twitter.com/bsJdHSamCa
— DVIDSHub (@DVIDSHub) July 31, 2018
Two more C-130 Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems (MAFFS) have been activated, joining the two that were mobilized July 2.
These aircraft are coming from the Air National Guard bases at Cheyenne and Reno. The first two were from the Air Force Reserve base in Colorado Springs.
For now they are based at Colorado Springs where a temporary retardant base has been installed.
The concept behind the MAFFS is to have surge capacity. The units can be activated when ongoing wildfires reduce the ability of the 13 large air tankers on federal exclusive use contracts, or the 11 on call when needed contracts, to respond to new initial attack and extended attack fires.
Governors have the authority to activate their National Guard MAFFS as needed. The National Interagency Fire Center can also activate them.
The U.S. Forest Service owns eight of the MAAFS systems that can be slipped inside a military C-130 in a matter of hours. One of them is being used in a Coast Guard C-130 that one day may or may not be transferred to the USFS to be converted into an air tanker with a permanent retardant system. The Administration has expressed a desire to kill the program that would have transferred seven Coast Guard HC-130H’s to the USFS to help rebuild the atrophied fleet of large air tankers.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Bean.
Typos or errors, report them HERE.
Today two C-130 MAFFS aircraft from the Air Force Reserve base in Colorado, the 302nd Airlift Wing, were activated after receiving a request from the National Interagency Fire Center. Sorties by MAFFS 2 and MAFFS 5 started today on the Spring Creek Fire in south-central Colorado.
The Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems (MAFFS) that convert a military aircraft into an air tanker can be installed in a C-130 in a matter of hours. The units hold up to 3,000 gallons of water or retardant that is forced out of the tanks by compressed air.
The MAFFS program consists of eight units located at four military bases in the western United States — Channel Islands, Cheyenne, Colorado Springs, and Reno. All are Air National Guard bases except for the Air Force Reserve Wing at Colorado Springs. Each base has two of systems except for the new kid on the block, Reno — one of their two MAFFS is being used by a C-130 that was originally expected to be transferred from the Coast Guard to the U.S. Forest Service.
The concept behind the MAFFS is to have surge capacity. The units can be activated when ongoing wildfires reduce the ability of the 13 large air tankers on federal exclusive use contracts, or the 11 on call when needed contract, to respond to new initial attack and extended attack fires.
Governors have the authority to activate their National Guard MAFFS as needed. The National Interagency Fire Center can also activate them.
Above: Screenshot from the video.
This is the best description I have seen of the Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS) — the crews, aircraft, retardant delivery system, and the mission. The 3,000-gallon tank can be installed in a military C-130 in a few hours when additional air tanker surge capacity is needed for assisting wildland firefighters.
In 2017 there were 20 large air tankers on exclusive use contracts. This year there are 13, so we might be seeing more military aircraft fighting wildfires in 2018. In 2002 there were 44 on contract.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Nigel.
Typos or errors, report them HERE.
The annual training was held this week at Sacramento McClellan Airport
The annual training and recertification for the Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS) C-130 crews has wrapped up. Held at Sacramento McClellan Airport this year, it was attended by all four of the airlift wings that operate the systems: three Air National Guard units from California, Nevada and Wyoming, and one U.S. Air Force Reserve unit from Colorado.
All of these photos were taken by Bob Martinez. Thanks Bob! You can see more of his work at SmugMug.
The folks from the Air National Guard unit out of Reno, the “High Rollers”, tested their Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) before the training at Sacramento McClellan Airport this week. (I almost wrote “they tested it in slow motion” but that is not exactly correct.)
Above: C-130’s line up at Sacramento McClellan Airport April 23, 2018 as MAFFS training begins. Photo by 2nd Lt. Emerson Marcus, 152 Airlift Wing/Public Affairs.
The annual training and recertification has started at Sacramento McClellan Airport for the military C-130 crews who will fly and maintain the MAFFS aircraft this year.
All four of the airlift wings that operate the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System are participating: three Air National Guard units from California, Nevada and Wyoming, and one U.S. Air Force Reserve unit from Colorado. Following the crash of MAFFS 7 in 2012 near Edgemont, South Dakota, the U.S. Forest Service and the military units have made an effort to have all four units in one place at the same time each year for the training.
“Training with all four MAFFS wings alongside the U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE and other wildland firefighting agencies here in Sacramento provides a significant opportunity as we prepare for wildland fire season,” said Col. James DeVere, commander of the MAFFS Air Expeditionary Group and 302nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve. “Training collectively ensures overall standardization of operations while continuing to build working relationships with the key players in the wildland firefighting community. It is rewarding as guardsmen and reservists to stand alongside our agency partners, knowing that we help make a difference protecting our citizens and their property.”
The U.S.D.A. Forest Service’s MAFFS equipment — rolled into the back of a C-130 aircraft — can drop up to 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in six seconds through a nozzle on the rear left side of the plane.
The certification training includes classroom sessions and flight operations for military flight crews, lead plane pilots and other support personnel from the U.S. Forest Service and other wildland firefighting agencies.
Training water drops will be executed on lands within the Tahoe and Shasta-Trinity national forests. California residents in these areas may see low-flying U.S. Forest Service lead planes and C-130s dropping water Tuesday through Friday.
MAFFS aircraft are activated to supplement commercial air tankers contracted by the USDA Forest Service when high wildfire activity requires additional aircraft. They can also be activated by governors to assist with wildfire suppression in states where the Air National Guard units that provide the C-130s are located — California, Wyoming, and Nevada.
