Thank-you air attack base ground crews

Please take a few moments to watch a video from KPAX in Missoula Montana (July 5, 2012) reporting on ground operations at a Montana tanker base during a wildfire last July.

A couple of days ago, one of my friends sent me a link to a very nice article from the Billings Gazette (July 8, 2012) about the tanker base in Billings Montana. At that time, there were two Convair 580s and their bird dogs (aerial supervision planes) from Canada and at least one Lockheed P2V tanker at the Billings Air Attack Base. Before I go on, I hope that you take a few moments and read the July 8 article from the Billings Gazette because you will get an insight into what goes on at a tanker base. Here is another article from the TimesCall in CO, dated June 11 of this year as the High Park Fire was burning in Colorado.

I am reminded that tankers can not fly with out the help of the crews at air attack bases such as the bases at Billings Montana or Broomfield Colorado. Aircraft maintenance, as necessary, is done at the bases during the overnight and perhaps between flights. Aircraft are refueled. When the dispatch order comes in, the pilots perform their preflight checks, and retardant is loaded. All this happens with the help and support of various ground crews and the tanker base manager.

For all of you who are working on the ground at various air attack bases in support of aerial wildland firefighting activities, a big thank-you. I know you are there.

Speaking of Montana, as I write this, I know that there are a few wildfires currently burning in Montana, including but not limited to the Sarpy Hills Complex Fires and the Rosebud Complex Fires. I am not in a position at this time to speak with certainty about aircraft that are currently working the wildfires in Montana, but I suspect that there are tankers and helos at bases in or near Montana ready to fly fires when the calls comes in. And when the call comes in, the ground crews at the tanker bases will work as a team to get the tankers, lead planes, bird dogs for any Convair 580s and helos up and flying within five to ten minutes.