Colorado Wildfires

[jmx53]

Some Videos of the Air National Guard C130 operations to fight the wildfires in Colorado including air to air footage with coms and ground support crews reloading retardant.
http://www.dvidshub.net/video/148075/aerial-footage-fire-retardant-drops#.T-_Y-LUV0zA
http://www.dvidshub.net/video/148117/colorado-wildfire-retardant-drops
http://www.dvidshub.net/video/148130/colorado-wildfires-aerial-firefighting
http://www.dvidshub.net/video/148230/colorado-wildfires-aerial-firefighting-2


Evergreen Aviation has released this statement explaining why the 747 supertanker has not been fighting this fire:  
http://www.evergreenaviation.com/pdf/Supertanker_Statement_062912.pdf
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Evergreen-International-Airlines/Boeing-747-132(SF)/2036259/&sid=0f38350df247d5fe6d91596fb48c1a11

However 1 of the 2 DC10 tankers operated by 10 Tanker has been activated for this fire.

Does anyone know any ATC links that cover tanker communications?  Could make for some interesting listening.

[ORD Don]

             Good video and interesting info on the non-use of the Evergreen super-tanker.  Thanks for the post....

[KBED1185]

Thanks for the post, love the footage!

[jmx53]

Sad news.

One of the C-130 fire fighting aircraft has crashed in South Dakota.  3 crew members were transported to the hospital.  No other info yet on the status of the crew or what may have happened. 

Thoughts go out to crew members, their families, and the their colleagues in the aerial fire fighting tanker community.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/31241342/detail.html

[joeyb747]

The press release from Evergreen is aggravating!  

"There have been recent changes to the US Forest Service procurement policies. Today,
only small businesses are eligible for contract awards concerning air tanker assets;
Evergreen is not a small business and, therefore, is excluded from consideration for any
award."

Really?? Tell that to the people who's homes and businesses are burning! "Sorry folks, Evergreen is far to large of a company to put this fire out." Really??? Meanwhile, that 747 sits on a ramp, waiting. Makes no sense.

"The US Forest Service’s specification for Next Generation Air Tanker aircraft limits tank
size to 5,000 gallons. The Supertanker’s tanks hold about 20,000 gallons, which is
considered outside the USFS specification. The USFS just awarded contracts to four
small businesses with aircraft equipped with these smaller tanks, and excluded the
Evergreen Supertanker. Since World War II, tank capacities have been in the 3,000 to
5,000 gallon range, yet we continue to face the growing threat from mega fires today. We
believe the Supertanker represents an overwhelming response to this growing threat."


Makes no sense at all!! Why limit the tank size?? Isn't the goal here TO PUT THE FIRE OUT???

Anyone have any thoughts on this??

Supertanker in action:

[joeyb747]

Tanker 910:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=fI-rRrYfTvE&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=HZ36PpyNaM8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwrel&NR=1&v=alke1OlvufU

[notaperfectpilot]

The press release from Evergreen is aggravating! 

"There have been recent changes to the US Forest Service procurement policies. Today,
only small businesses are eligible for contract awards concerning air tanker assets;
Evergreen is not a small business and, therefore, is excluded from consideration for any
award."

Really?? Tell that to the people who's homes and businesses are burning! "Sorry folks, Evergreen is far to large of a company to put this fire out." Really??? Meanwhile, that 747 sits on a ramp, waiting. Makes no sense.

"The US Forest Service’s specification for Next Generation Air Tanker aircraft limits tank
size to 5,000 gallons. The Supertanker’s tanks hold about 20,000 gallons, which is
considered outside the USFS specification. The USFS just awarded contracts to four
small businesses with aircraft equipped with these smaller tanks, and excluded the
Evergreen Supertanker. Since World War II, tank capacities have been in the 3,000 to
5,000 gallon range, yet we continue to face the growing threat from mega fires today. We
believe the Supertanker represents an overwhelming response to this growing threat."


Makes no sense at all!! Why limit the tank size?? Isn't the goal here TO PUT THE FIRE OUT???

Anyone have any thoughts on this??

Supertanker in action:

I would agree, seems like the idea is to put the fire out instead of worrying about tanker size...one might beg the question, why worry about limiting the tanker size in the first place...how does that help them???