How could the 737 deliver the personnel to the fire ground? It would be severely limited to major airstrips only? Throw them out?
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How could the 737 deliver the personnel to the fire ground? It would be severely limited to major airstrips only? Throw them out?
Parachute
Smokejumper - Wikipedia
As I understand it, the aircraft is to be available for other states use. There are many regional airports that can handle a B737, and if they are going to water bomb, then they would need to use the nearest suitable airport. It should be obvious that it is not the intention to "throw them out". Having said that, in the US they DO have ground crews that parachute into inaccessible fire areas.Quote:
Originally Posted by cjc_td5
You’d be surprised at the airports a 737 can operate from. Especially at their operating weights in this configuration.
Most of the eastern states fires would be within 30 mins flying time from a suitable airport (assuming the infrastructure is there).
I doubt the suitability of the CL to Australia. That assumes you have a suitable body of water to draw from.
CL 415's maximum load is only 6000L all going well, the 215's is 5000L. These machines work well in Canada and around the Mediterranean. Australia (Or Strayia as our prime minister calls it) is a different situation. There are large bodies of water but by far he majority of fires are in remoter areas with no access.
I can see a point to DC 10, big quick aircraft carrying an ACTUAL load of 45000L of retardant or water, the DC 10 could access anywhere in the state it is based in less than 45 minutes.
You’d have to wonder why these are not deployed to central Queensland......
Maybe we have no money....
They have been deployed - the 737 is there.
There you go, hopefully they will assist .....was watching the news this morning and there was as no mentionQuote:
Originally Posted by garrycol
The problem with an aircraft the size of a DC 10 is the ground equipment required to load it, along with access to the amount of water involved.Quote:
I can see a point to DC 10, big quick aircraft carrying an ACTUAL load of 45000L of retardant or water, the DC 10 could access anywhere in the state it is based in less than 45 minutes.
The same if using retardant, where do you hold the stuff, and how long is it going to take to position it? This happened several years ago in WA resulting in the loss of life and about 90% of a small town because of a lack of ground facilities.