Very large air tankers under contract this year

Bill Gabbert
March 18, 2010

Cal Fire and the U. S. Forest Service are finalizing their contracts for very large air tankers for this year. Here is what we have been told by the two agencies.

DC-10 air tanker dropping — DC-10 drops retardant during a test last week near Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Photo: Bushfire Co-operative Research Centre.

The two DC-10’s, operated by 10 Tanker Air Carrier

Cal Fire will have one on an exclusive use contract, and one on a call when needed (CWN) contract. The USFS will have one on a CWN contract. One of these DC-10’s is currently on a contract in Australia, but it should be ending soon. It has only been used on one fire so far this Australian summer.

747 air tanker dropping — 747; Evergreen photo

747 operated by Evergreen

The USFS will have it on a CWN contract. It appears that Cal Fire will also have it on a CWN contract, but this is not yet certain.

Martin Mars air tanker — Martin Mars. Photo: Coulson Flying Tankers.

Martin Mars operated by Coulson Flying Tankers

At this time neither Cal Fire nor the USFS have any plans to contract for this aircraft this year. Last year the USFS had it on an exclusive use contract for 2-3 months, stationed at Lake Elsinore in southern California.