The C-130 Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) crews are great about filming what they do. This in-cockpit footage of them dropping on the Day Fire in northern California a few days ago shows the pilots and the ground, while you listen to their radio and intercom traffic. If you look carefully at about 1:20, you will see the lead plane producing smoke to mark the target area a few seconds before the drop.
It appears that as promised, Lockeed fixed the automatic “LANDING GEAR, LANDING GEAR” audible warning that in the past plagued them for several minutes during the approach to each drop. I just heard some “ALTITUDE” warnings right as they were dropping this time.
After getting confirmation that it was a good drop, the pilot, who I believe is actually the actor Alec Baldwin 😉 , smiles, laughs and says, “Good job! Isn’t that fun?”, and another voice says, “Oh, man, it’s awesome!”.
3 Comments
Those guy are so good! Professional and lovin’ what they do. Thanks so much!
I’m right here in Day…….
Awesome. I worked the MAFFS overhaul. 2006-2008 at McClellan. Great system.
Very good video! Impressive ease of control input, one hand, hydraulic assist. For those old timers of the era (radial) two hands (maybe four hands) on the yoke and upper body strength was sometimes not even enough. Next step differential power. Finally the air tanker business is moving ahead.
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