The first-ever conference for the military crews that operate C-130 aircraft to assist civilians during natural disasters is occurring now at Peterson Air Force Base at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Peterson is one of the four bases that host C-130’s equipped with Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) which convert the aircraft into air tankers capable of dropping 3,000 gallons of fire retardant on fires. In addition to the MAFFS crews, military personnel that operate C-130’s that fly into hurricanes or spray chemicals on oil spills are also attending the conference. Here is link to a video from the NewsFirst5 web site which has more information.
Seven members of the 302 Air Wing based at the U. S. Air Force Reserve’s 302 Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado traveled to Thailand in January, 2010 to train airmen of the Royal Thai Air Force on the C-130 Hercules aerial firefighting tactics and strategies while using the Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS). They provided three weeks of expert training that drew on decades of experience in fighting fires from the air. The training included one week of classroom instruction followed by tactical flying and actual MAFFS airdrops.
A practice air drop from a MAFFS in Thailand.
The United States has four Air National Guard and Air Force reserve bases that each have two MAFFS slip-in units to enable a military C-130 aircraft to serve temporarily as an air tanker if all commercially operated air tankers are committed. The four bases are Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing in Cheyenne, Wyoming; 145th Airlift Wing of the North Carolina Air National Guard in Charlotte, N.C.; the 146th Airlift Wing of the California Air National Guard in Port Hueneme, Calif., and the 302nd Airlift Wing with the U.S. Air Force Reserve of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Royal Thai Air Force and the U. S. Air Force Reserve in the back of a C-130 MAFFS.
The Royal Thai Air Force is using the first generation MAFFS, while the U.S. is transitioning to the newest version, the MAFFS II which we covered HERE and HERE.
Members of the Royal Thai Air Force meet with members of the U. S. Air Force Reserve's 302 Airlift Wing based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado
Chief Master Sgt. James D. Riley chief loadmaster with the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing steps away from a PT-47, a modified version of the DC-3 at Phitsanulok Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand.
More information about the mission to Thailand. More photos.
The U. S. Air Force, on July 20, officially certified the new Modular Aerial Fire Fighting System, MAFFS II, for the C-130 H & J model aircraft. It was declared “fully operational” in early 2009, but now the Air Force has certified it.
Here is an excellent video about the new MAFFS II that was filmed at the Oshkosh 2009 air show.
The press release from the manufacturer of the MAFFS II, Aero Union Corporation, provides details about the system. In some documents the MAFFS II is described as having a capacity of 3,000 gallons. In others, it is 3,400 gallons. Click on “Fullscreen” for easier reading.
A C-130J Super Hercules from the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing at Channel Island ANG Station, Calif., drops water during annual training with the new MAFFS 2 in South Carolina in April, 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nicholas Carzis)
Yesterday two Mobile Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) air tankers from the California Air National Guard were used on the Skinner fire at Lake Skinner in southern California during a lightning bust that started numerous fires across the southern part of the state. The 146th Airlift wing out of the Channel Islands base put the new MAFFS 2 units in C-130s and it was the first time that the new systems had been used on a fire.
As Wildfire Today reported on January 28, 2009, the MAFFS 2 holds 400 more gallons of retardant than the original MAFFS, for a total of 3,400 gallons. And the nozzles, instead of exiting out the rear loading dock, are now routed through a sealed portal (a modified paratrooper door) on the plane’s left side. This makes it possible for the plane to be pressurized; in addition, the crew and the rear door will no longer be soaked by the retardant since the rear door can remain closed.
The new MAFFS 2 systems were first delivered in early 2009 or late 2008, but as far we we know, no MAFFS aircraft were used on fires in 2009. If we have a fire season with average or above average activity, we may see the MAFFS used more this year, since there are only 18 large air tankers on exclusive use contracts, down from 44 in 2002.
Here is an excerpt from an article in today’s My Valley News:
RIVERSIDE – At least one California Air National Guard C-130 with upgraded retardant-dropping equipment will be available today for firefighting missions in Riverside County and other Southland locations if needed.
A three-member Air Guard crew flew the first upgraded C-130 wildfire mission Thursday evening, dropping 3,000 gallons of retardant on the Skinner fire east of Murrieta, California National Guard Maj. Kimberly Holman said.
It was the first use on a live fire of the new MAFFS II system — units that roll into and out of C-130 aircraft — which can be re-loaded at any tanker base in Southern California, including Hemet, San Bernardino and Fox Field near Lancaster, Holman told City News Service.
The new system replaces original MAFFS units that have been in use more than 30 years, Holman said.
At 6:45 p.m. Thursday, a three-member crew in a gray, four-engine turboprop C-130 flew from the Channel Islands station about one hour north of Los Angeles and made one drop on the Skinner fire, Holman said in a telephone interview.
The C-130 crew included a pilot, co-pilot and a loadmaster, who coordinated with a Forest Service pilot in a lead air attack plane to time their drop, Holman said.
The crew will be available for more drops by 9 a.m. today, Holman said, and they are expected to continue to support firefighters on the ground over the next several days.
“This is the first time we have dropped on an actual fire with the MAFFS II equipment and it performed flawlessly,” said Col. Paul Hargrove, 146th Airlift Wing Commander.
The MAFFS II system makes military firefighting less costly and more efficient, Hargrove said.
The Skinner fire, first reported at 3:42 p.m. Thursday, had burned more than 700 acres by early today, according to Cal Fire-Riverside County.
The fire burned at a rapid rate of speed and more lightning strikes are expected over the next several days, California Air National Guard officials said.
The U.S. Forest Service gave the first launch order at about 6:15 p.m., Holman said.
The Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) II tank is displayed for the local media during the MAFFS 2008 annual certifying training at Channel Islands Air Guard Station, Calif., May 7, 2008. US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Brian E. Christiansen.
(Click for a larger photo) Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules loadmasters fire the Modular Airborne Firefighting System II unit April 22 during the 302nd Airlift Wing's annual MAFFS wet fire test at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The wing test fired the new "MAFFS II" system in preparation for the U.S. Forest Service's MAFFS certification week April 25-May 1 in Greenville, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)
The Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) air tanker aircraft and crews are in South Carolina this week for training and recertification. The photo above shows the new generation of MAFFS, the MAFFS 2, being tested. It discharges the water or retardant out the side paratroop door rather than out the rear ramp.
Loadmaster Bill Whitlatch operates a new MAFFS 2 unit aboard a C-130J aircraft with the Channel Islands Air National Guard. Photo by Stephen Osman, Ventura County Star.
This morning the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing in Cheyenne, Wyoming is loading their two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) into a couple of C-130J aircraft in preparation for annual recertification of the equipment and the pilots and crews operating them. They will join six other C-130J’s at the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center in Greenville, South Carolina from April 24 until May 1.
Up to 400 military and civilian personnel will participate in the recertification for the air tankers, including both classroom and flight training for military flight crews, civilian lead plane pilots and various support personnel. MAFFS support specialists and aviators from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, North Carolina Forest Service, and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection will lead the week-long training.
In addition to the Wyoming MAFFS, the other six, two from each base, will come from the 145th Airlift Wing of the North Carolina Air National Guard in Charlotte, N.C.; the 146th Airlift Wing of the California Air National Guard in Port Hueneme, Calif., and the 302nd Airlift Wing with the U.S. Air Force Reserve of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
A few months ago the MAFFS bases began accepting delivery of a new generation of the equipment. Called MAFFS 2 (photo of MAFFS 2 test), they are also designed to be rolled into the back of C-130 aircraft, but they hold 400 more gallons, for a total of 3,400 gallons of retardant. However the main difference is that the nozzles, instead of exiting out the rear loading dock, are routed through a sealed portal (a modified paratrooper door) on the plane’s left side. This makes it possible for the plane to be pressurized; in addition, the crew and the rear door will no longer be coated with retardant. Wildfire Today wrote more about the new MAFFS 2 back in January.
MAFFS is a partnership between federal land management agencies and the military to provide supplemental air tankers to assist in fire suppression efforts nationwide during times of high fire activity. The system itself is a portable fire retardant delivery system that can be easily inserted into military C-130 aircraft, converting the vessel into an air tanker when the civilian fleet is fully committed.
Congress established the authority for the MAFFS program in the early 1970’s to support wildland firefighting through an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. The military aircraft are requested by the National Interagency Fire Center and activated through the U.S. Northern Command, based on an agreement with the Department of Defense. The most recent MAFFS mission was mobilized in June 2008.
UPDATE April 22, 2010:
The Herkybirds.com site, which is devoted to C-130’s, has more information about the benefit of pumping the retardant out the side paratroop door, rather than out the back. According to “Maxtorq”:
The glory part about the system is hardly any clean up after flights . With the old system it would just cover the tail section , beaver tail, elevators and mist inside the ramp doors. All of our birds after so many hours had to be sent to depot to have the aft end of the aircraft removed and stripped and painted.
After MAFFS during the fire season it would come home for aircraft wash, the ramps floor deck would all have to come out along with D/Rails to be cleaned.
