was due in Cali this evening. The Martin Mars. They live about 150 miles from where I'm sitting. Amazing to watch. How something that big can fly so slow is beyond my understanding.www.martinmars.com
Posted on 10/24/2007 7:58:35 AM PDT by kellynla
The television reporters covering the fires have been effusive about the capacities of the converted DC-10 airliner that has been dropping fire retardant on the fires in the vicinity of Lake Arrowhead, and the enthusiasm is warranted. Sometimes called the Tanker 910, and sometimes the 10 Tanker Air Carrier, the plane can carry 12,000 gallons of fire retardant or water in tanks attached under its belly. That's 10 times as much liquid as the other available California air tankers, and four times the capacity of the largest-available tankers operated by the federal government. It can create a fire line three-quarters of a mile long – or drop water over a mile-long 300-feet wide swath – in eight seconds. It can be refilled in eight minutes.
As Rick Hatton, managing partner for 10 Tanker Air Carrier, the jet's owner, which operates out of the Southern California Logistics Airport (formerly George AFB) in Victorville, has put it, such a firefighting weapon "can be a game-changer."
It would be nice to have more such planes available, don't you think? If the federal government had had its way, even this one almost certainly wouldn't be flying this week . Gov. Schwarzenegger cut through some red tape a few months ago to get this one lined up.
And, as useful as the Tanker 910 has shown itself to be, the U.S. Forest Service still hasn't certified this plane for use on federal lands. That's because back in 2002 there were two accidents involving planes, contracted by the Forest Service, in which the wings literally fell off. That prompted stricter certification requirements for older planes converted from civilian use (this DC-10 was built in 1974) to firefighting use. The bureaucrats are still reviewing the paperwork.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
“After the 2003 fires ravaged Southern California the governor appointed a commission to find ways to address shortages that led to widespread devastation. The panel made 49 recommendations to correct the problems.
But four years later, those problems still exist”
http://www.ocregister.com/news/state-fire-firefighters-1902899-kehoe-california#
Bottom line, we have a muscle-headed incompetent Liberal governor and an incompetent Liberal legislature.
The incompetent bureaucrats & politicians are on FNC now patting each other on the back.
The problems start far closer than Sacramento. Perhaps Orange County should actually take care of its own people for once. Laguna Hills all over again?
I’m sure San Diego, Malibu, and Arrowhead have a lot of pity right now.
Modifications were done in production, apparently not to already completed aircraft, but it's still about 90% a DC10 freighter. (There have been suggestions about pulling some retired DC's out of mothballs and doing it over again)
"Derivitave" certainly but we're parsing.
Statewide firefighters union officials sounded the same note.
"The Schwarzenegger administration has been reasonably prudent when it comes to disaster response," said Terry McHale, a public policy director for the California State Firefighters Association.
Both state senators and firefighters union officials said the state's long-term drought, global warming and new housing developments closer to forests are the larger problems that need to be tackled.
Give me a break! If they would tackle REAL problems, we might have a chance.
Since they won't, here's a thought:
• Eliminate all federal landsIn other words, eliminate tier-after-tier of bureaucrats and they could get it done.
• Eliminate all state lands
• Put the land in the hands of private citizens, within designated cities/counties
• Cities and counties establish resources to defend themselves (and work with other areas for cross-city/cross-state surge capabilities in the event of catastrophic events)
Another out-of-stater who doesn’t know what they’re talking about...
Hey, Indana, try MYOB!
It’s about making you live in the big cities and ride mass transit. Hush up and get in line!
Exactly!
Hush up and get in line!
NEVER! :-)
But they will just keep creating “conservancies” because they are so “romantic.” GRRRRR!!!!!
http://www.irvineranchlandreserve.org/reserve/santiago.asp
Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Santiago Canyon
Santiago Canyon embodies the romance and lore of Orange County’s colorful history: The canyon’s past is punctuated by coal-mining operations, grizzly bear hunts, manhunts and homesteaders. The canyon was a major thoroughfare for early settlers who settled in its scenic side canyons-Baker, Black Star, Silverado and Modjeska.
Traces of Orange County’s earliest residents were discovered at nearby Black Star Canyon. Arrowheads and rocks pockmarked with grinder holes-signs that the Indians ground acorns to produce an edible gruel-have been found on the plateau high above the canyon, where a large Indian village once existed.
Black Star Canyon got its name in the 1870’s, when Black Star Mining Company began mining for coal that recently had been discovered there. The mining operation was short-lived, though, because the quality of the coal was so poor.
Santiago Creek flows into Irvine Lake, which was formed in 1931 when a dam was built across lower Santiago Canyon.
For programs in Black Star Canyon call the Irvine Ranch Conservancy at (714) 508-4757.
I'm not trying to parse or be argumentative at all. Just making the point that the are tankers based on the DC-10 design, but were built for the USAF. They weren't old, used DC-10 that were converted to tankers. Call that a modified DC-10 if you like.
All info based a little personal experience....
"I beg yer pardon... I never promised yew a rosegarden! So sit down... shuddup and get collective minded behind the tyranny of the majority!!!
Oops! Left my quotation marks hangin wide open!!! (you weren’t lookin at ‘em, were ya?)(blush!)
As a passenger jet, when the inadequately latched door blew open, the sudden loss of pressure in the cargo hold collapsed the passenger floor above.
Alas, the fixes to the cargo door, and the addition of large vents in the passenger deck to allow for non-catastrophic equalization (just in case), came too late to save the DC-10 from being relegated to hauling cargo.
was it a 10 that blew the door off lifting refugees or troops out of RVN way back then?
I did meet a guy that was an airman on a cargo plane in Vietnam that would move villages around.
The villagers would wrap their "droppings" in paper, and shove them out of the way among the hydraulic lines.
The guy said they always feared that one, one of the times, would not be doo-doo, and they'd be in deep doo-doo.
bookmark
was due in Cali this evening. The Martin Mars. They live about 150 miles from where I'm sitting. Amazing to watch. How something that big can fly so slow is beyond my understanding.www.martinmars.com
the U.S. Forest Service still hasn't certified this plane for use on federal lands. That's because back in 2002 there were two accidents involving planes, contracted by the Forest Service, in which the wings literally fell off. That prompted stricter certification requirements for older planes converted from civilian use (this DC-10 was built in 1974) to firefighting use.
I look at it as kind of an eminent domain as practiced by the environmental wackos and other associated do-gooders...i.e., nanny government hidden behind the cloak of preserving open spaces, parks and recreation areas "for future generations".
Yes! In the tradition of collectivism, “for the good of all” to create “the tradegy of the commons!” That’s why I call it Commonism, instead of Communism. (largely the same with one little hardly noticable, minor difference)
Not very ladylike of you!!! :D
j/k
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