Fires......

[414Flyer]

Would be nice if they could get some C-130Es..

I did air attack last year, enjoyed it a lot. I will miss it this summer..

 

[Dan CFI/CFII]

I bet he's talking about he Forest Service's Turbine DC-3. I think they've got two now, dropping people on fires.

One was based at Double Eagle in Albuquerque for nearly two months--beautiful airplane. Completely remanufactured, too bad it sounds wrong.

Dan

 

[milwan]

wildfires,
Do you ever see that Doug in Wenatchee?

 

[avbug]

Always rumors on the E model hercs, but they would be no different than the A's...if new herc's are going to get used, they need to be J models, and that's not going to happen. E models would last a few seasons, and then shed a wing, too.

The problem isn't the engine upgrade, it's the wing.

You must be flying for Aeroflite? How's Mr. Kidneyless?

The doug was out of OGD; it's based there, USFS. It was on an administrative run. Met a jump buddy who's transitioning from the Baron to the doug...more barons going to their graves in the wake of political fallout from last year, and he's moving to the dark side.

 

[414Flyer]

Did USFS ever get those AH-1s they were talking about?

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

flyingwildfires=avbug?

 

[DC4boy]

Kidneyless is doing well. Lot going on down there.

Still no word on start dates, or even carding for that matter.

E's are no better than A's, huh? Whats the new model? Is it H or J?

When I first started, lot of seasoned guy's told me not to even walk under the wing of a herc. Shame cuz it sounds like they were a favorite among airtanker pilots.

We had a cut open section of a 4 wing at training, and man what a wing. The trailing edge spar (one of three) was thicker than most main spars on aircraft i've seen

Slap a couple Garrets on her and you got yourself one hell of an airtanker!!

 

[avbug]

USFS was never talking about AH-1's. The Forida Department of Forestry got some over the past few years, and they're working (most sitting). All for longline work.

avbug is not flyingwildfires. I only post under one name, here.

I don't know about putting garrets on the -4; the best upgrade was to go to the super DC-4.

Some serious work was done to make a conversion on the P-2 which would have put Allison T-56's on her. The prototype even went to a glass cockpit. However, lack of funding (and powerplants) stalled the project a long time ago, and there she sits. Personally, I think that's the most promising advent for heavy tankers right now.

The herc was a wonderful airplane to fly, from a tanker trash perspective. It was smooth, quiet, light on the controls, and had ample performance when working in tight, rough terrain. The addition of a third crewmember (FE) was welcome, too.

One DC4 this year had 56 cracks in the spar, on inspection. The upcoming year still appears to be one big question mark.

 

[414Flyer]

I did either read about it somewhere possibly but I was told it was seriously being looked at by USFS. The ATGS I flew with mentioned it.

What they were thinking of doing what getting about 20 older AH-1, and putting together a few flyable ones from those airframes, to use as someone of a combination Air attack/lead role.

I think it was mentioned on the air tanker message board too, but then it could just all be rumors too.

 

[DC4boy]

What -4 had cracks. PM me if you want.

The airplane I was on just got put back together with a clean bill of health.