U.S. can muster only third of worn-out big air tanker fleet this fire season

[bocefus]

I suppose "adequate" could be construed to include aircraft with questionable structural integrity. Condolences to the loved ones of Tanker 26's crew.

 

[FN FAL]

The crash could have far-reaching implications for the nation's firefighting force, which last year was grounded after the federal government canceled contracts over safety concerns of the aging aircraft.

Odd...the timeliness of the article cited at the begining of the thread and this crash.

 

[USMCAirWinger]

Last time I checked the A-10 was getting upgraded. There is no aircraft in the current US military inventory or in the works that can come even close to the A-10 CAS capability. You are just going to have to stick to little yellow airplanes lol ....just kidding ...

 

[414Flyer]

Would be nice if the media could get the story right for once. Personally I think USFS is feeding some of this wrong info, to make tanker contracts more politically palatable.

They were never grounded, no more than AWAC is grounded when UAL cancels its contracts. The tankers can legally fly, there is just no customer, and USFS has actually threated states with reduction in firefighting funding if the states contracted tankers themselves.

There was a news story last week about how the tanker contracts were cancelled last year after inspections found problems. That was very possibly something USFS told them, although its not the case at all. The tankers were cancelled after they were inspected and crews carded. Then USFS said they would very possibly bring them back if Dyncorp looked at them all and approved them, which of course USFS did not after Dyncorp gave its approval.

The airtankers which are the best structurally, are the ones USFS will not bring back on. I think USFS has gotten out of the firefighting business, and its more concerned with media stories, and putting on a good appearance of firefighting efforts.

 

[bocefus]

Hmmm, these guys might help muster the fleet another way;
http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyreview/localnews/ci_2682319