Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
At least the big gun 747 Super Tanker will be able to fly in California.
http://fireaviation.com/2018/07/07/747-supertanker-activated-on-cal-fire-cwn-contract/
Yeah, I know I'd be happy to trade my house burning down for a view of a desert yard refugee old airliner dumping retardant.
Just you wait. In a decade or so, maybe we'll see A380s in a similar role.
Desert Yard refugee??? That plane has the best parts available today! new GE engines, the best state of the art delivery system. Pilots who risk their lives. All brought to the firefight by an entrepreneur willing to take a risk.
While you sit while your house burns down cursing the people trying to put it down, I'd be buying them donuts and coffee congratulating them for trying.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself for such a snide comment. Do you treat all people who'd risk their livelihood for free to save your house with such an attitude???
First off, this aircraft is flown on a paid contract basis and not on a for free volunteer basis.
Second, this is a 744, an aging and increasing unreliable queen of the skies rapidly being retired from scheduled passenger service. There aren't too many uses for these old girls other than the low hour freight or firetanker role, so most are indeed headed for a desert scrapyard.
In terms of my being ashamed, I spent a decade as a volunteer firefighter which included a number of forays into other peoples burning houses with a charged line, an SCBA and a buddy in an effort to find the seat of the fire in a structure that might still be saved.
One does of course learn and train to mitigate risk, just as one can mitigate the risk of diving or operating light piston single aircraft, both of which I've done and do.
The two most dreaded calls in the middle of the night were "working structure fire" and "vehicle accident, possible entrapment". Ran on enough of both.
Guess maybe you should know who you're replying to before spouting off about how they should be ashamed.
