DC-10 Air Tanker Drop Over Humboldt Fire

[TheDylanJoyce]

Planes having her period

[QAFtuvok101]

How much time does it take for this plane to get back to base, land, fill its tanks, take-off again, get back to the fire site to drop again ?

A CL-415 is far better suited for the task : it can fill its tanks in a few seconds by skimming any water : lake, river, ocean near the fire site.

But hey : it's not "Made In The Good'Ol You Ess of Ayyy", so it's not worth shit.

Plus, if the US bought them, the fires would be out in no time, so the local firefighters would loose a lot of money.

[JBofBrisbane]

@QAFtuvok101 - Man, a DC-10 would carry a SH#TLOAD more water/retardant than a CL-415 - useful for those really BIG fires. Horses for courses, you know.

[MegaKikeo]

@QAFtuvok101 I agree with @JBofBrisbane: in France we mostly use CL-415, Trackers and a Dash 8 and for really big fires, it's hardly enough. The advantage of these huge american tankers is that they can do really long lines of retardant in places where it's difficult to go.

The main advantage of CL-415 is that it can directly attack the fire with water skimmed from a lake or the sea.

I guess that actually the USA could make a great use of CL-415 and France a great use of DC-10 (or C130)

[Woody615]

@QAFtuvok101 You're wrong. Los Angeles County leases 2 CL-415's every year for fire season and they use them regularly. The CL-415 and the DC-10 serve different purposes. The CL-415 can be used as a direct attack bomber. It can drop water on active fire line to put out a fire. The DC-10's (910 & 911) are strategic. They drop fire retardant along specific lines to block the advance of fire.

[QAFtuvok101]

@Woody615 In May 2007, a Bombardier official told me the CL-415 sent to California where prevented to take off most of the time because the local firefighters wanted the fires to last longer, so they get paid more days.

[jokker73]

@QAFtuvok101 I know that Calif. fire officials don't like to use the CL415's because their turn around time (refill with water) is too long. Helitankers can make multiple drops by the time a CL415 re-tanks. With Calif. firefighters dying on the fire line, I am pretty sure getting paid more days is not the priority (and the fact that Calif. firefighters live in the areas they protect, so why would they risk their own homes & families). Sorry my friend, you were given some bad information.

[QAFtuvok101]

@jokker73 And you are WAY wrong about the CL-415's refill time. It can fill its tanks in about 15 seconds by skimming any water surface close to the fire. It doesn't need to land at an airport, like DC-10s and Boeing 747s.

/watch?v=ZXiCcUaRHj4

[jokker73]

@QAFtuvok101 Two problems with that, one, as I stated, Heli-tankers are the most efficient air resources in Calif. and second lakes (or usable lakes) are not many in Southern Calif. thus the long turn around. It's not where the aircraft was made it is simply what works best in this region.

[QAFtuvok101]

@jokker73 With your comment, you proved you don't know anything about CL-415s. If a "heli-tanker" can refill its tank on a lake, so can a CL-415. 

[jokker73]

@QAFtuvok101 Are you a salesman for CL415's? As soon as a CL415 can draft from a swimming pool, aqueduct or pond I would be happy to see us change over to all CL415's. I rest my case.

[QAFtuvok101]

@jokker73 Your asking me if I'm a salesman for CL-415 is like asking if I'm a salesman for Mustang or Corolla. CL-415 is not a manufacturer, but only a model in the Bombardier inventory. You just shown your ignorance of the subject, thank you.

I'm partial to Bombardier, just like you're partial to Boeing or any other US aircraft manufacturer.

[klote2314]

its having its PERIOD >:O

[thespartanmk1]

This guy flys out of Southern California Logistics in Victorville California. There is Tanker 910, 911, and they just started working on 912.

It's pretty awesome seeing him head out, we'll sit by the run way during fire season, and just watch them take off.

[rhett2909]

"DON'T INHALE IT!!!!!!!!" lol

[KosukiFire]

Now thats what i call REDRUM!!! lol

[GGGunitNextLevel]

awesome

[nmbarbera]

Is there anyway to get in touch with you about possbily using this footage for a TV show?

[acfd21]

Message me with your e-mail to give the specifics.

[BalticaBeer]

Обалдеть!

[An3ggPlant1]

Beautiful plane, shitty reputation

[Bombero359]

Good job boot! Nice video, now get back to cutting line.

[twal1011]

Very impressive.

[Treffers0406]

The tanker effective but ground to air communication is imperative for a successful drop, you need the guys on the ground to come in quick after a drop and mop up any left behind hot spots, people think these aircraft just "put the fire out" it's a lot more complicated in the reality of things

[jibsheet21]

to clarify...this is retardant, its not directly dropped on the fire, its used to slow/stop the fires progression. there is no mopping up to do immediately after a drop. water drops directly on the fire, either helicopter or plane, lessen the intensity of the fire allowing crews to get in and work the moisture in the ground, cooling the area and stopping the fire.

i felt Treffers comment on this was a bit misleading

[Treffers0406]

yeah sorry bout that being misleading, my comment left a grey area! I was talking more about water drops and i agree with what you said too!

[MondoMedia7]

@Treffers0406--Agreed!

[benrennik]

that was some amazing flying.

[Pkm188]

I bet the TAWS annoys the hell out of those pilots. LOL

[eragnar]

The tanker looks cool, but when fires are really ripping, no tanker can put them out. For many large fires, I think that it is a waste.  e.g. Station Fire grew for days with millions of dollars spent on ineffective retardant drops.

From the LA Times.

Under the new, as-needed contract, the .. plane will cost $66,060 a day. But ... the contractor, (gets) three hours each day for a minimum of five days - about $330,000 each time the aircraft are deployed.

[offamychain]

I'm sure the professional fire fighters know just a bit more about what is needed & where it's needed than you do. I doubt seriously if they just drop $300,000 on a random area for the fun of it.

[northerwildfire]

dude, u ever been in a wildland fire? u think we'd put planes in the air if we didnt need them and u got ur numbers a lil wrong. most companies have a base contract, cal fires is 5 million for the season. then the going rate was 20,800 a flying hour. plus what they get paid for retardant. u really think we waste millions of dollar just to get drenched? i dont think so

[MrMudman911]

the dc-10 snuffed out the sheep fire in the cajon pass. i know what the dc-10 is capable of doing i work with it first hand its not a waste of money. the 747 evergreen tanker thats a waste of money. yes it made one drop on the yucaipa fire then went back to sacremento.

[musics4Rsoul]

I just watched one of these big planes do this - LA fire , Sept 1, 09.

[DavemechL1011]

I was part of the team that converted ship #911 into a tanker. It used to be a DC-10-30 with Continental. The plumbing for the external tanks lies where the center auxiliary landing gear used to be.

[EagleGhost117]

Balls.

[TheJesus1986]

I live in Paradise, Ca. I Remember this shit it was on real.

[absoluteblock]

I want one of these!

[dirtyprish]

ddaammnnn

[NightstalkerMH6]

It takes roughly 10 to 20 minutes to fill. The beast holds 12,000 gallons, it can make 3 small drops, or unload all tanks in one drop. This is aircraft #910, a second one, aircraft #911 should be in service soon.

[crv26]

that is actually pretty fast i think! it takes an hour to fill it full of people..lol...these planes must help so much

[geterdonein01]

That bad boy flew over my house a little higher then that when the fire was burning, almost lost the house from the fire but its all ok now.

[maxudaskin]

Anyday now...

[carplake2006]

Great job!

[daverdaver1]

Nice shot!

[maxudaskin]

How long does it take to fill that up?

[unclesaddam]

My friend works at the airport filling these planes. It pumps something like 500 gallons per minute. I'll have to get back to you on how long it takes for the DC-10.

[unclesaddam]

Talked to him last night. He says about 6 minutes to fill it.

[palealien]

Excellent. This could have been the same run I shot from below.

[RedPanther1]

where did you go to get this

[acfd21]

Working the recent fire just above Chico CA in the town of Paradise

[markmnorcal]

Awesome Video! Great job!