Two Single Engine Air Tankers at the Ross Fire in Idaho, August, 2022. Still image from Airailimages video.
Fred Johnsen of Airailimages sent us information about a video he shot in Idaho at the Pocatello Airport and at the nearby Ross Fire. The video is below, just after Fred’s description.
“A wildfire burned over 6,300 acres on the Shoshone-Bannock Fort Hall Indian Reservation northeast of Pocatello, Idaho. Visible in the night sky on August 9, 2022, the Ross Fork fire was still active the following day as the Fort Hall Fire Department battled the flames on the ground, assisted by aerial firefighting assets staging out of the Pocatello airport. A number of Fort Hall reservation residents were evacuated to the Shoshone-Bannock hotel while the fire was brought under control. Aircraft fighting the Ross Fork fire included an Erickson MD-87 jet airliner tanker, an RJ85 jet tanker, several turboprop Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) and bucket-wielding helicopters. A turbo Commander served as an air attack coordination aircraft over the fire scene.”
Air tanker 169, an RJ-85, at Sierra Vista Municipal Airport while working the Contreras Fire, June 16, 2022. Photo by Ned Harris.
These photos of aircraft that were working on the Contreras Fire were taken by Ned Harris June 16, 2022 at the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport, a joint-use civil-military airport which shares facilities with Libby Army Airfield on Fort Huachuca in Southern Arizona.
We posted more of Ned’s photos yesterday, June 24, 2022. Thank you Ned!
Air tanker 131, a C-130, at Sierra Vista Municipal Airport while working the Contreras Fire, June 16, 2022. Photo by Ned Harris. Tankers 105 & 107, MD-87s, at Sierra Vista Municipal Airport while working the Contreras Fire, June 16, 2022. Photo by Ned Harris.
These photos show Conair Q400AT and RJ85 air tankers undergoing maintenance.
The aircraft undergo meticulous inspections to locate and repair the wear and tear that inevitably results from aerial firefighting. A pro-active, thorough evaluation of each aircraft, along with expert maintenance and professional cleaning, can take several weeks depending on the size and complexity of the aircraft type.
Conair RJ85 Conair Q400AT
The photos are used with permission from the “RJ85 and Q400 Airtankers” Facebook page.
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Above: A second large air tanker is now operational in New South Wales. On September 24 an RJ85, Tanker 165 known as “Boomer”, completed final testing and became available joining Tanker 138, a B-737. NSW RFS photo.
As Australia moves into their summer and enters the traditional beginning of their bushfire season the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC) in finalizing the lineup of firefighting aircraft for the 2019-2020 season. Contracts are in place for four large privately owned large air tankers and nine large Type 1 helicopters. In addition they will have the 737 that the New South Wales Rural Fire Service purchased earlier this year.
Large Air Tankers on exclusive use contracts
Already in place and available are the NSW RFS 737 (Tanker 138) and a FieldAir/Conair Avro RJ85 (Tanker 165) both based for now on the outskirts of Sydney at Richmond, New South Wales.
In early November the mandatory availability period (MAP) begins for what will be either another 737 or a C-130Q at Richmond, provided by Coulson.
Richard Alder, the General Manager of NAFC, said, “The contract with Coulson allows for either a 737 or C-130Q. The final decision on which type will be made shortly, according to how the season is developing.”
In early to mid-December the MAPs for two other large airtankers will begin for another C-130Q and a RJ85 from Coulson and FieldAir/Conair, respectively. The scheduled base for the two aircraft is Avalon, Victoria.
Like the United States and other fire-prone areas, Australia has been experiencing wildfires during times of the year when traditionally they did not occur in large numbers. The 737 air tanker that was delivered to the NSW RFS two months ago has been busy during much of the Australian winter, completing 60 missions and delivering 237,000 gallons of water and retardant.
Helicopters
The nine Type 1 helicopters under exclusive use contract will include six S-64E Air-Cranes (Kestrel/Erickson) and three S-61s (Coulson). Two of the Air-Cranes will be at Bankstown, and one each at Melbourne (Essendon), Melbourne (Moorabbin), Adelaide, and Perth.
The three S-61s are to be based in Victoria at Colac, Mansfield, and Ballarat.
Six Erickson Air-Cranes in Melbourne in 2009.
The base locations for all of the aircraft could change throughout the summer as the bushfire season progresses.
Single Engine Air Tankers
The recent tender process for SEATs has not yet been signed off, but Mr. Alder expects there will be about 45 on national exclusive use contracts plus another six contracted directly to state government agencies. This is 8 less than in 2018/2019.
Tanker 166 is officially welcomed in New South Wales, November 5, 2018. NSWRFS photo.
Another Avro RJ85 air tanker has arrived in Australia for their summer bushfire season. Conair’s Tanker 166, named Hunter, was officially greeted by Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons and others on November 5 a few days after it began assisting firefighters on a fire near Tamworth.
There will be six large air tankers from North America working in New South Wales and Victoria this summer. Not all have arrived yet — T-137 and T-131 should be there soon. Here is the list:
RJ85, T-165 (Aeroflite/Conair via FieldAir) based in Sydney (Richmond);
B-737, T-137 (Coulson) based in Sydney (Richmond) – subject to regulatory approvals;
RJ85, T-166 (Aeroflite/Conair via FieldAir) based in Sydney (Richmond)/Dubbo;
C-130Q, T-134 (Coulson) based in Sydney (Richmond);
RJ85, T-163 (Aeroflite/Conair via FieldAir) based in Melbourne (Avalon);
C-130Q, T-131 (Coulson) based in Melbourne (Avalon)
A fire that was a few kilometers away from NASA’s Deep Space Network of satellite antennas near Canberra, Australia was attacked by firefighters on the ground assisted by large air tankers that have migrated below the equator for the Australian summer.
Seen in these photos are a C-130Q (T-134) and an RJ85 (T-165). In the video below is the C-130Q.
Amazing flying skills as aircraft tankers drop water on the Pierces Creek fire front.
This footage makes it look like the fire is closer than it actually is – about 3kms.
The antenna in the foreground is #DSS36. @ACT_ESA
Thanks @nascom1 for the video.📡✈️ pic.twitter.com/4zwXjRSC5U
All photos are by the Canberra DSN. The video is by @nascom1.
Air tanker 134. Air tanker 134. This is Coulson’s most recently converted C-130. They have not had time yet to paint it. This was the first live fire it has dropped on. Air tanker 165.
The NASA Deep Space Network facilities at Canberra, Australia, seen below in a file photo, are managed by CSIRO.
File photo of the NASA Deep Space Network facilities at Canberra, Australia. DSN photo.
We are catching up on some photos sent in by our readers. The image above is by Austin Catlin — an Avro RJ85 working on a fire in Eastern Idaho.
Sky Aviation on the Willow Fire near Madras, Oregon. Photo by Tom Brown. A Coulson helicopter on the Willow Fire near Madras, Oregon. Photo by Tom Brown.
Below are shots of DC-10s at Sacramento McClellan Airport by Sergio Mara.
