Aerial application cockpit footage from an AT-502

A friend of mine sent me a link to the video that I am embedding here. He knew that I would enjoy the footage, which I did. And he thought that some of you might enjoy this footage. Allow for a tad under 17 minutes to watch the video which includes some classic rock audio, including "Sky Pilot".


direct link to video

Rim Fire (CA) - Aug 28

The Rim Fire has burned 187,466 acres and is at 23 percent containment per the latest update available to me from Inciweb at the time I first wrote this article. (Inciweb's incident page for the Rim Fire is no longer available).

Rim Fire Time Lapse (video uploaded on Aug 23, 2013)

direct link to video on youtube

Another look at a California National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk from the 1-140th Aviation Battalion (Air Assault) working the Rim Fire shot from the helo by Mater Sgt. Julie Avery.

direct link to video on dvidshub

DC-10 dropping on Rim Fire

direct link to video on youtube

Rim Fire Photo gallery from KCRA

Bill Gabbert (Wildfire Today) on virtual tour of the Rim Fire area
Bill Gabbert (Fire Aviation) photos of Nat Guard Helos arriving to work Rim Fire


More articles:
Article from U.S. Air Force on MAFFS deploying to CA to help with wildfires with pictures
LA TImes article on Rim Fire, may soon be sixth largest fire in CA history

Revised on October 12, 2015 to remove dead link.

Rim Fire update - 8/26/13

I wrote this past Friday (Aug. 23) about the Rim Fire, I follow up on that post here. According to the latest information available from inciweb about the Rim Fire  (8/26/13, 3:30 PM EDT), this fire has burned 149,750 acres with 15 percent containment (see note at bottom). Tankers deployed to the fire include but are not limited to MAFFs, DC-10 tankers, and helos. Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today continues to provide updates about the Rim Fire here.

I am embedding two videos, the first is shot from a UH-60 Black Hawk Helo from the 1-140th Battalion (Air Assault) of the California Army National Guard (videographer, Sgt. 1st ClassJesse Flag. More information about the fire, the crew of the UH-60 and what you are seeing on the video may be found on the about this video page for this video (from California Guard). I happened to find this video on youtube earlier this afternoon, however Mike Archer of Firebomber Publications also mentioned this same video in today's edition of Firebomber Publications. The link that Mike shared for this video is from OC Breeze, and this same video may also be found on dvidshub.

The second video is footage of MAFFS 6 working the Rim Fire. MAFFS 6 is from the Channel Islands (CA) Air National Guard. Bill Gabbert shared this video along with two other videos of MAFFS working the Rim Fire on Fire Aviation on Aug. 23, 2013.

direct link to video

Revised on October 12, 2015 to removed dead link. Specifically, I removed the link to Inciweb's incident page on the Rim Fire. If I recall, incident pages on Inciweb are removed 6 to 12 months from the time of the last update to the incident page.

Rim Fire (near Yosemite in CA)

The Rim  has been burning since Aug. 17 and is at 2 percent containment. KCRA is reporting that the fire grew to 105,620 acres over night, go here for their report. I understand that tankers and helos working the Rim Fire include (but are not necessarily limited to) at least one of the DC-10 tankers, C-130 MAFFS, and helos.

KCRA has good coverage on the Rim Fire and other fires in northern CA. Here are some links that you might be interested in:

• video report from McClellan Tanker Base
• report on Rim Fire (8/23/13, 7:36AM PDT
• slide show of Northern CA Fires including Rim and American Fires
• Live Wire on No.CA wildfires

Other pages:

• Wildfire Today article on Rim Fire
• Wildland Fire hotlist continuing incident thread on Rim Fire.

Revised on December 10, 2015 to remove dead links including dead link to inciweb page on Rim Fire.

Next Generation Tankers: Coulson, Minden, and Erickson Aero Air

Because of some work being done on my house, I was sitting in the dark for much of the afternoon while the Electrician did some work on our electric service. Power now restored. Then had to take care of some other business relating to this same construction project before the end of the day. I've been meaning to post something about a couple of the Next Generation Tankers, so this seemed like a good time to do it.

Coulson

Coulson recently released this video of their C-130 Next Generation Tanker doing a partial drop


direct link to video

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today and Fire Aviation has posted a few articles with some great pictures of Coulson's C-130 Next Generation Tanker, go here to read his articles about Coulson's C-130

Minden

Minden Air has also released a video of their BAe-146 Next Generation Tanker, which they have dubbed the Fireliner.


direct link to Minden's article with this video.

Minden has redesigned their webpage, and they have a webpage for their Fireliner that includes specifications. Bill Gabbert wrote about Minden's Fireliner here.

Erickson Aero Air Tanker MD-87


direct link to video

Finally, Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation wrote an update on the Next Generation Tankers on July 10.
Those of you who have not already read Bill's update might want to take a few minutes to check it out.

Douglas Complex (OR) -- video from the fireline

direct link to video on youtube

My friend, Steve Konrad, sent me a link to a video that he recently uploaded to youtube. He is a member of the Tom Fery #1 crew that was deployed to the Douglas Complex fire in OR in late July and early August. Please take a moment to go to the youtube link for this video and expand the about this video description to read more about what Steve says about the video, especially the thank-you to the people of Glendale OR for their support and kindness According to his description, you will see

the crew dig hand line in initial attack,remove burning hazard trees and call in air support on what was then the largest fire in the nation at over 45,000 acres.

Oh and you also see what I think is a Kaman K-1200 helo with a longline.

I'd like to say a special thank-you to Steve and the rest of the fine folk on the Tom Fery # 1 crew for allowing us to see what it is like to work a wildland fire on the ground. Stay safe!

Idaho wildfires update

Video that I originally embedded here is no longer available and the link is removed (8/2/15)

Continuing to follow up on the wildfires burning in Idaho, see my earlier posts on Aug 13 and Aug 15, there continue to be a few large wildfires burning in Idaho, see the Idaho page on inci web for current information. These are the three largest fires:

Beaver Creek Fire -- 92,754 acres burned -- 6% contained
Elk Complex -- 125,033 acres burned --  50% contained
Pony Complex -- 149,384 acres burned -- 90% contained

My thoughts and prayers are extended to all affected by the wildfires in Idaho and the groundpounders and their friends in the air. I understand that there are tankers and helos working the fires

From the Idaho Statesmen: article dated Aug 17, photo gallery, and video

KBOI report from August 16 on evacuations resulting from the Beaver Creek Fire.

Aerial footage of wildfires in Idaho

I'm not sure how long this embed code from KTVB in Boise, Idaho will work. Nonetheless, I was interested in this footage that I just came across thanks to Michael Archer's Fire Publications Blog, so I am sharing it here. The footage, shot on August 14, shows the extent of the destruction from the wildfires that are currently burning in Idaho. I wrote about the Idaho wildfires the other day.

.
 direct link to article with video from KTVB

Images from the Silver Fire (CA) now contained

I came across this video the other day in my wonderings on the web. It was shot on or about August 8, raw video of the now contained Silver Fire. This is footage of the fire itself, groundpounders, a tanker and helos, and images of the destruction caused by the fire.


direct link to video from PE digital on youtube

MAFFS training

It is a little late for MAFFS training, but I was looking for something a little different to post today as I was busy today with an ongoing construction project at my home.

Enjoy!

Idaho wildfires tanker and helo activity

direct link to video

I am sure that some of you no doubt know about the multiple large wildfires burning in Idaho. Bill Gabbert has been doing a nice job of reporting on these fires here. The two largest are the Pony Complex (143,900 acres burned) and the Elk Complex (98,413 acres burned). A complete current listing of wildfires on federal lands in Idaho may be found on inciweb's Idaho page. I came across the video that I am sharing with you here yesterday evening of tanker and helo ops in Idaho so I am sharing it with you.

Opps, almost forgot. Pennsylvania and New Jersey are among the states that have sent wildland firefighting crews to Idaho to help out, see this report (dated Aug. 6) from WGAL news 8 for more info.

update on Silver Fire (southern CA)

I want to follow up on the Silver Fire that I wrote about last Friday (Aug 9). I understand that wildland firefighting crews, both on the ground and in the air, are making progress on the Silver Fire that has burned 20,292 acres near Banning Pass in Riverside County CA. As I write this the fire is at 95 percent containment. A total of 48 buildings have been destroyed including 26 residences. Twelve people have been injured, 11 firefighters and one civilian. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Full containment may come later today. See the latest update from CAL FIRE for more information

A story that I just found on KABC in LA  on the Slive Fire may be found here.

Revised on October 12, 2015 to remove a dead link.

A-26 tankers in Canada: what’s coming up and when

I recently gave some examples of A-26 Invader Air Tankers that began their service in the U.S. before going to Canada. (see part 1 on August 5 and part 2 on August 7)I’m still working on this part of my series on A-26 tankers in Canada as I write this. That being said, I know that I’ll have articles about three Canadian companies that flew A-26 tankers -- Conair, Kenting, and Air Spray -- focusing on their A-26 operations. In addition, I’ll be writing one or more articles on some specifications and (hopefully) other flight characteristics of A-26 tankers. I’m still in the process of doing some research on the flight characteristics of A-26 tankers in Canada. I’d like to post the rest of this series when I have all articles completed. So, I’m not quite sure when I will be resuming this series, perhaps a couple of weeks, perhaps longer.

Silver Fire (southern CA)

direct link to video from the Envenomater1 on Youtube

I am taking a short time out from my series on the A-26 Invader Tankers, to return either later today or tomorrow, to share this on scene footage of the Silver Fire shot on Aug. 7 by Nick Mitchell (aka the Envenomater1).

As I write this article, the Silver Fire has burned 16,000 acres in Riverside County CA near Banning Pass, 27 structures (26 residences) are destroyed. Six people, five firefighters and one civilian, have been injured. The fire was first reported on August 7 about 2 PM PDT and is currently at 25 percent containment. See this CAL FIRE incident page for more information.

A-26 Tankers that started service in the U.S. and went to Canada (2 of 2)

I continue where I left off on August 5 by writing about A-26 tankers that started out flying in the U.S before going to Canada in the early to mid 1970s. 

Thomas W. Hammon (contractor and pilot) to Kenting

Sometime in 1970 a private contractor and pilot from Arizona, Thomas W. Hammon acquired two A-26 Invaders from Donaire Inc. (also from Arizona): serial # 44-35752, registration N8627E and serial # 44-34136, registration N8017E. While owned by Donaire, N8017E flew as tanker # C32. Based on the information in the page devoted to Thomas W. Hammon from the napoleon130 A-26 invader tanker site it seems that Hammon had these Invaders for a couple of seasons. I don’t know how Hammon used these Invaders. Did he fly one as a tanker on contract somewhere in the U.S., perhaps N8017E as Donaire had flown her as tanker # C32 from 1966 to 1969? 

Kenting Aviation acquired both of these Invaders from Hammon in late spring/summer of 1972. From what I can gather, Kenting had these two Invaders for two seasons (1972 and 1973), flying at least one as a tanker before selling both of them to Conair after the 1973 season. 

Warbirds Registry for serial # 44-35752

Warbirds Registry for serial # 44-34136

George H. Stell (Arizona) to O. Huitikka (Ontario) to Air Spray

Air Spray had a number of A-26 Invaders that they flew as air tankers. In a few days, I’ll write an article or two on Air Spray’s A-26 fire bombing operations with more information including links. Stay tuned.

Serial # 44-35661, U.S registration N9996Z. Invader N9996Z interests me because I first saw a record of her in a listing of tankers in “Forest Fire Air Attack System” by William T. Larkins, American Aviation Historical Society (AAHS) Journal (Vol. 9#3, Fall 1964). Specifically, she was on a list of tankers that flew on contract for the U.S. Forest Service in Arizona and New Mexico (then known as region 3) in 1963 (170).  

Knowing from Larkins’ listing that she was flying for Donaire in 1963, I started by going to the Donaire Page on the napoleon130 A-26 invader tanker site. This listing confirms Larkin’s information, noting that she started her service as a tanker in the U.S. with Donaire (Arizona) in 1963 flying as tanker # C11. It appears that Donaire flew her as a tanker for one more year, 1964. There is no indication of what she was doing in 1965. In 1966, she was acquired by George H. Stell (Arizona) who flew her as tanker # C11 from 1966 through 1972. Sometime in 1972, Stell sold her to O. Huitikka of Ontario Canada where she was reregisterd as CF-CBK. I can’t tell from this listing how Huitikka used her. Finally in 1979, she was acquired by Air Spray where she reregistered as C-FCBK in 1985. She was flown as Air Spray tanker # 11 until she was listed as destroyed in a landing accident with no fatalities in 2004.

Warbirds Registry for serial # 44-35661

Nine lost on Iron 44 Helo crash five years ago . . .

Five years ago today we lost nine in a helo crash on the Iron 44 incident

Roark Schwanenberg
Jim Ramage
Scott Charlson
Shawn Blazer
Matthew Hammer
David Steele
Edrik Gomez
Steven Renno
Bryan Rich


direct link to video

Always Remember page on Iron 44

I won't forget you. . .

A-26 Tankers that started service in the U.S. and went to Canada (1 of 2)

As I transition to writing about the A-26 Invaders long service as a tanker in Canada, I thought that it might be interesting to look some examples of individual A-26 Invaders that were owned by U.S. Companies who had tanker contracts that were later sold to Canadian companies in the early to mid 1970s.  

I will start today by writing about A-26 tankers that started service in the U.S. before going to Conair Aviation of Abbotsford, British Columbia. On August 7, I will finish up by writing about U.S. A-26 tankers that eventually went to Kenting (Ontario Canada) and Air Spray (Red Deer, Alberta).

Aero Union leases A-26 Invader to Conair

If you check out the napoleon130 A-26 invader tanker site has a page devoted to Aero Union you will see that Aero Union sold a number of A-26 Invaders to Conair in the 1970s. With one exception that I’ll go into soon, I don’t know how Aero Union used most of these Invaders so I am not including them here. 

Serial # 44-35323, U.S. registration N8026E. Aero Union acquired N8026E from Aeroflight sometime in 1969, converted her for use as a tanker where she flew as T-55. Conair leased her from Aero Union for the 1970 season where she flew as T-55 under Canadian registration CF-CDD. In September 1970, the lease with Conair was up, Aero Union reregistered as N8026E where she flew as T-(C)55 through 1972. Dempsey acquired her in 1977 flying her as tanker # 55 for one or perhaps two seasons.The napoleon130 A-26 invader tanker site has a page devoted to Aero Union where information on T-55 is given in the first aircraft listing. Warbird Registry on # 44-35323

Butler to Conair

Butler Aviation had two A-26 Invaders that were flown as tankers, both of which were later sold to Conair sometime in 1975.

Butler acquired the first A-26 Invader (serial # 44-3413, U.S. registration N5457V) used as a tanker (see First A-26 Tanker in the U.S.) in 1966, flying her first as tanker # A20 and later as tanker #16 for several seasons Butler last flew her as a tanker in 1974 or 1975. In 1975, she was acquired by Conair where she flew as tanker # 23 until 1988. At the time I write this article, the last information I have is that she is currently owned by Black Crow Aviation, go here for more information on her history.

Butler’s second A-26 tanker was serial # 43-22673, U.S. registration N9159Z acquired in 1966 apparently from Hillcrest Aviation (Oregon). Butler flew her first as tanker # F18 and later as tanker # 18 until she was acquired by Conair in 1975 (Canadian registration C-GLHM) Conair tanker # 24). Sadly, she crashed in July 1975 (listed as destroyed)  while flying a wildfire. 

The napoleon130 A-26 invader tanker site has a page devoted to Butler where there is information for both Invaders. However, that listing for serial # 44-3413 does not reflect her ownership by Black Crow Aviation. Warbird Registry on #44-3413 (does not reflect ownership by Black Crow).and Black Crow has a page with her latest history see Black Crow history of #44-3413.

First A-26 Tanker in the U.S. - N5457V

The first A-26 to serve as a tanker in the U.S. (N5457V, serial # 44-3413), is now owned by Black Crow Aviation who is restoring it to U.S. military configuration. Black Crow has a publicly available Facebook page here, as I write this the last update was in March 2013  Black Crow has a page with her history here (note that she is or was up for sale). Prior to being owned by Black Crow she was owned by David Lane, a former Air Spray tanker pilot who flew her at air shows and the like until the costs got to be prohibitive. 

The napoleon130 A26 invader tanker site has a nice page with her history up to the time of David’s ownership along with some great photos of her at various times over her long life. The photos are great and I hope that you will take a few moments to look at these pictures. The Warbird's Registry also a page on her history, also up and including David Lane's ownership here. If I am not mistaken the individual aircraft history pages on both of these sites rely heavily on information from: 

Chapman, John and; Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory, Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989. Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-4th Edition, 2003

I tried and was unable to borrow a copy of the 1989 and/or the 2003 edition through my local library.