A funny airplane video on this New Years Eve

For you viewing pleasure, a funny airplane video from Bruce Branit and Jeremy Hunt. Stay safe everyone on this New Year's Eve.



direct link to video

The Shepard

direct link to video and to learn more about Alan Maitland

I love The Shepard. I consider embedding this video a holiday tradition, something that I have been doing for four years now. Enjoy.

Happy Holidays

Still more on the Erickson Air Crane in action

Here is As the Rotors Turn with Erickson Air Crane II (2012 edition) by B Dudas. Allow about 20 minutes for the video.



direct link to video

More on the Erickson Air Crane

I finally finished chipping and otherwise clearing the icy snowpack from my driveway, at least 95% of it. And like many of us, I've been getting ready for the holidays and getting over a cold. I leave you with this nice trailer about the Erickson Air Crane called "As the Rotor Turns" by B Dudas.



direct link to video

Erickson Air Crane can move snow

Thanks to temps that got above freezing today, with warmer temps to come at the end of the week, I have been making progress with getting the latest layer of snow/ice off of my driveway. After I wrote my article on Monday I found a video on youtube of a "crane moving snow for a previous Olympics. Ok, so I will happily eat some crow. Anyway, the video amused me, so I am sharing it with you. I wish that I could have seen a picture of the "Crane with the bucket of snow. But you will get the idea.



direct link to video

chipping away at ice and the Erickson Air Crane

Interesting title, huh? Between getting used to some changes in my google account and chipping away at the ice on my driveway, much of the day flew by. Yesterday we had our third snowfall in a week, and tomorrow a clipper system with some snow is coming through. I've measured almost seven inches of snow on my property. I had just finished cleaning up my driveway on Friday in anticipation of snow and freezing rain the next day. Saturdays snow was more difficult to get rid of because 3.5 inches of fluffy snow was compacted down to 1.5 inches after about 2/10th of freezing rain accumulated on top of the snow.

Still have some of this compacted icy snow in portions of my driveway, but it is passable. At least we have access. And after the snow ends tomorrow, I'll spend more time working on my driveway. I'm feeling greatfull for my ice chipper. Best thing since sliced bread. I do have a snow blower, but it is not real effective in 1.5 inches of compacted snow with a good ice crust on top.

Just one month ago I was worried about the dry fall we have been having. I found myself thinking about the fall fire season we had in November as I was chipping away at some of the icy residue on my driveway today. A rainstorm a couple of weeks ago and the snow this week has likely ended the fall fire season.

Now the Erickson Air Crane doesn't have a whole lot to do with chipping away at the thin layer of icy snow on my driveway, but it does have a whole lot to do with putting out fires. So, I'll leave you with this video that I found recently on youtube where you'll get to know the Erickson Air Crane up close and personal.



direct link to video

Enjoy!

Will be back later

I took a few days off to take care of some personal business. I'll be back later today with an article.

Air Attack Operations

On a cold day after scraping off the latest round of winter off of my driveway, I am feeling lazy and perhaps fighting a minor cold or some such. So, I thought you'd enjoy this video that I found on youtube last summer of air attack operations over the Stratton Creek Fire (OR)

direct link to video

MAFFS -WY National Guard

Two short videos of Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) from the Wyoming National Guard:

Taking off:

Making a drop:

These two videos and some photos of MAFF mission preparations on this flickr set from the Wyoming National Guard. Thanks for your help!

43 El Grupo Memorial

Here is a nice memorial video done by 43 Grupo posting by Bombardier 415. May you always fly in favorable tail winds.



direct link to video

Dromader crash in NSW Australia (10/24/13): update

About six days after the fatal crash of a Dromader tanker on Oct. 24, 2013

while on a firebombing run in New South Wales Australia the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (aka CASA) Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation reported that CASA grounded seven Dromaders. A week later, on or about Nov. 6, CASA grounded all Dromaders as a cautionary measure, (see this article on AUNewsYahoo for more information). 

Later in November, CASA came out with directives requiring all Dromaders to pass specific maintenance checks on their wings and new inspections before they are deemed airworthy. On or about Dec. 2, 2013 the Australian Transport Safety Bureau issued its preliminary report of the Dromader crash citing fatigue cracking in a left wing lug. Witnesses reported seeing the left wing separate from the plane just prior to the fatal crash, for more information see this Dec. 2 article on AUNewsYahoo.

I continue to keep the family, friends, colleagues and all who love David Black, the pilot of the Dromader in my thoughts and prayers. May you continue to fly in favorable tail winds.

SEATs in action (2012)

Speaking of SEATs, here is a short video of SEATs in action in Idaho, Colorado, and Utah in 2012. Thank-you SEAT pilots for all you do to keep us safe.



direct link to video

Fighting wildfires in Western Australia

As we approach winter here in America and elsewhere in the colder climates of the northern hemisphere, summer is approaching in the southern hemisphere. And with summer in Australia comes wildfire or bushfire season. 

I literally stumbled on some wonderful videos of bushfire activity in Western Australia from the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) in Western Australia where they have some videos showing firefighters in the air and on the ground fighting bush fires on their youtube channel.

I am embedding and sharing four videos from the DPaW here. I will supply a direct link to each video and I encourage you to use that link to go to the about page for each video and read what the DPaW says about the bushfire activity that you are seeing. The videos are not taken at the same fire.

In the first video you will see a front end loader in action. According to the description on the about page for the video, "a front end loader is being used to construct a mineral earth break along the fire edge to assist fire tankers in containing the fire." 

direct link to video

The second video shows a Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) making two drops from 80 meters (262 ft) above ground level. 

direct link to video

The final two short videos show dozers, front loaders, and other ground pounders fighting fires on the ground.

direct link to video

direct link to video

Added on Dec. 5, 2013. The SEAT in the second video is a Dromader. It was a Dromader that crashed in New South Wales Australia on Oct. 24. The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority later grounded all Dromaders, requiring passing safety checks on wings along with passing a new inspection before being deemed airworthy. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released a preliminary report on the crash recently, I have an article with more information and a couple of links that I posted on Dec. 5, 2013.