Fire fighting tanker planes in the USA - NPR

[dArKeR]

Did anyone else hear that report this morning on NPR. All of America's fire fighting tanker fleet, 18 of them, were grounded for a year and just been okayed as safe. NOT P3's as in the WP article below. Older planes about to die. I got the impression that the US Gov. actually does not own any fire fighting planes, that they are all contracted out. $500 billion in Iraq and we don't even own a public fire fighting plane?


(Did a google and found this. NPR didn't talk about all these which will be in service.)
Forest Service to Bring Back Air Tankers for Firefighting
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/30/AR2005053000732.html

[benburch]

1. National Guard used to help.

But W had them all go to Iraq to get killed.

[dArKeR]

2. Just a statement of fact: If you look at the press releases of NG

who are going to Iraq, you can't help but notice they are overweight. They are a knowledgable, skilled... force but I believe not suited for heavy physical exertion in battle and in the heat of Iraq.

It seems as though our media and people are in denial. The NG guard don't look much different than our police forces. Just open your eyes and look at them. 50% of our police force couldn't run full speed for more than 50 yards let alone go at a start/stop pace for 1 to 2 hours.

aWol, Rumsfeld, Meyers know this but yet they've sent these Americans into this terrible situation in Iraq.

[splat@14]

3. All contracts to the lowest bidder.

The low bidder buys surplus military aircraft and retrofits them to carry the slurry to dump on fires. They have to trim cost anywhere they can to be competitive. The last couple of years have seen the wings literally come off of two "older" aircraft that serve as a mainstay of the fleet. One of the crash aircraft was a PB4Y Privateer which is a WWII vintage re-con aircraft variant of the B24 Liberator. the second was a 1950's version of the C130, the C130A, long out of production.

There are aircraft specifically built for this job. DeHavilland Canada builds one but it cost millions.

The older stuff is out of production, parts are scarce, their design life was initially very short as they were put together without corrosion protection and other techniques designed to prolong their life, and there are generally no specific guidelines for structural repairs (both the above crashes were a result of earlier repairs coming apart).

I mean to take nothing away from those that maintain and fly these aircraft as their task is daunting to say the least. Maintenance has to a challenge and its some of the most dangerous flying in the world.

[dArKeR]

5. NPR specifically mentioned a company which does ALL the fire fighting

planes, At least that's the impression I got from the report. The guy spoke UK English, I believe the company is in WA. They did NOT use C130s. I know this plane and would have gotten that from the story. There was talk about C130s in the future. Talk about P3's in the FUTURE. (That's why the report doesn't compliment the WP story.)

It seems the Bush/GOP Family doesn't care if America burns in Hell as long as they're getting their money from oil and defense contractors.

[splat@14]

7. Hawkins and Powers? n/t

[ewagner]

4. What about the Canadian-made

"Super-scoopers? These are made specifically for firefighting and had a tremendous service record.....

[dArKeR]

6. It seems:

It seems the Bush/GOP Family doesn't care if America burns in Hell as long as they're getting their money from oil and defense contractors.