September 19, 2020 | 7:55 p.m. MDT
The view of the Comet Fire from Tanker 871 in Nevada, August 6, 2020. From video by Jim Watson.Ride with Jim Watson, the pilot of Single Engine Air Tanker 871, as he sizes up and then drops retardant on the Comet Fire near Ely, Nevada, August 6, 2020. You won’t actually see the retardant because it comes out of the bottom of the aircraft. The SEAT is owned by GB Aerial Applications.
4 Comments
Wow, great video! 650 gallons of retardant that should have taken care of this fire. What is the purpose of using a SEAT on an extended attack fire, unless there was twelve assigned.
SEATs have a lot of value. Fires are rarely fought by running retardant around the perimeter and calling the fire good. Retardant is used strategically and tactically to do everything from catch spots to fill gaps to support hand and dozer lines or to work ahead of men and equipment, to prevent fire from hooking around the end of a line. SEATs frequently work to stop fire from breaking through lines, work in tight places, and yes, also to build line. SEATs are frequently located closer to the fire and often have shorter runs and turn time, require less time and resources to get set up on a drop, and are frequently dropped in groups. They can be used in that manner to contour the fire with tighter radius, to get into places where other aircraft cannot get, and are often used for operating closer to personnel. SEAT drop height is lower, which has some benefit in the wind. SEATs are used on large and small fires, extended and initial attack, just like any other resource. Given that aerial retardant delivery is there for the specific needs of the incident, which are very seldom simply drawing a line around a fire (or drawing it once), and given that SEATs make up the largest number of tankers in the fleet, no need to be so dismissive about their effectiveness or role, or use over the fire.
if you are after high litres, sorry gallons, per hour then a team of SEATs operating from a local airbase will deliver.
also while you cant see the drop you can see the Perspex hatch being sucked open by the air flowing in to replace the retardant as it flows out the bottom of the hopper
On the subjects of SEATs a new aircraft is in the works. Pacific Aero Space in conjunction with Argus Fire is starting to manufacture a SEAT that has the capability to haul jumpers, deliver water/ retardant and refill from any water source a half mile in length all on the same sortie. The ram-induction-system (R.I.S.) seen on some of the heavy lift helicopters has been around since 1963.
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