Military pilots in fire fighting

[psysicx]

I live in San Diego and there is an uproar about the lack of aircraft. That should be one thing that shouldn't be cut back. How many times do we have to go through these fires before they realize this. I don't know how people get any fixed wing flying jobs. They seem tough especially the SEAT jobs. Flying an OV-10 would be awesome. Helos don't seem to tough. The reason about pay was I know ground crews make all there money on overtime. Thanks Avbug.

 

[414Flyer]

Go spend some time on the fire lines as a wildland firefighter, some fire season It will be quite a learning experience, and something you wont forget.

 

[((7))]

"Helos don't seem to tough."

Have you ever thought about where the "Helo" is working? If anything slightly goes askew while working the side of a mountain side, above a scene which looks like Hell you don't come back. Lets say he crashes and survives the impact. He only has 7000' more feet to roll thru burning tree's. Sounds pretty reassuring dosn't it?
Helo work is dangerous, very dangerous. No room for anything to go wrong hour after hour after hour.
All tanker work, Seat's, Heavy, and Helo's is dangerous, probably the most dangerous work around in a aircraft, besides doing aircraft carrier ldg's in bad wx day after day, night after night.

 

[psysicx]

I meant finding a job. Not the actual work.

 

[avbug]

There was never a lack of aircraft for those fires; there was wind in excess of the limitations of the aircraft.

What you have is the usual california whining and winging. People put their lives on the line to what they did, and as always, it's never good enough.

What about all the idiots who let the brush grow up under their redwood decks, elected not to have defensible space around their homes, and didn't build in preparation for the fires that are inevitable throughout Region 5 (southern california)?

Same crying and whining that we hear every year. Nobody is satisifed until pilots start dying, then they complain that it wasn't safe enough.

 

[414Flyer]

Pretty much. How dare someone have to not have a pile of firewood next to their house, or clear away tall grasses, or not have 10 time the normal density of trees around their house, because it makes them cry inside to cut down a tree.

There are several things that wildland firefighters look for when deciding if a house is defendable or not. Here is what makes firefighters put a red X in in the driveway and look for one more defendable.

Woodpile next to house or on deck
Wooden shingles
Driveway is too small to turn around in
Trees too think, not thinned any.

Stuff like that...

 

[Megalops]

I broke into the Industry because I had an A&P and radial engine experience. I hung around a tanker base getting to know the guys on contract and helping to blast retardent off of the P2. I was hired shortly out of collage as a mechanic and to fly other mechanic's around in a Baron. Shortly after that I got the chance to fly sic in the P2v neptune. I myself came to a crossroad when flying tankers, stay on to upgrade in about eight to ten years or try for the airlines, I left for the airlines. I still talk to some of my friends in the industry and would not trade the time I spent in it for anything, but I have no desire to go back, it is hard dirty work (incredibly fun though) and in the winter time I found myself wanting to take a quickie saw to some of the aircraft( I just plain burned out as mechanic). But nobody could have told me different either. Try getting an A&P, see if you can get to know any Tanker guys and get on as mechanic, worked for me I know what it is like to want something badly. Good luck