Fire Fighting Aircraft Tribute
- Thread starter mjg407
- Start date
Two things:
1. Does CALFIRE have recip S-2s anymore, or have they converted to an all S-2T fleet?
2. Where are the helos?
It's too bad all the old iron was forcibly retired in the 2002-2003 timeframe, although I believe DC-7s are still on some state contracts.
The Bonus section is pretty cool. Sad to see though, the last aircraft shown, the PB4Y-2 Privateer Tanker 123, was the one that suffered the fatal inflight structural failure and wing separation over Colorado in 2002; the final crash that prompted the grounding of the airtanker fleet the following year.
1. Does CALFIRE have recip S-2s anymore, or have they converted to an all S-2T fleet?
2. Where are the helos?
It's too bad all the old iron was forcibly retired in the 2002-2003 timeframe, although I believe DC-7s are still on some state contracts.
The Bonus section is pretty cool. Sad to see though, the last aircraft shown, the PB4Y-2 Privateer Tanker 123, was the one that suffered the fatal inflight structural failure and wing separation over Colorado in 2002; the final crash that prompted the grounding of the airtanker fleet the following year.
mjg407
Well-Known Member
No, they are all Turbinized. They had some of the old recips on Trade a Plane a couple of years ago.
I should have said FF Fixed wing......
The Feds retired all the 4's, 6's, and 7's, but Butler still flies on state contracts in OR, and we sold our 4's to Buffalo Airways in Canada and they use them up there.
Who knows, you talk to Feinstein and the group and they will tell you the P-3 is past due too......
anic:Mike, I thought it was HPs C-130 A in 04 that caused the groundings.....
No, they are all Turbinized. They had some of the old recips on Trade a Plane a couple of years ago.
I should have said FF Fixed wing......
The Feds retired all the 4's, 6's, and 7's, but Butler still flies on state contracts in OR, and we sold our 4's to Buffalo Airways in Canada and they use them up there.
Who knows, you talk to Feinstein and the group and they will tell you the P-3 is past due too......
Mike, I thought it was HPs C-130 A in 04 that caused the groundings.....
H&Ps Tanker 130 and the PB4Y Tanker 123 accidents were within 4 weeks of each other in June/July 2002, the PB4Y being the "final straw" as I understand it.
Pretty much put H&P out of business......sad, since that company was the major economic arm for Greybull, WY, and a longtime established company in the family there.
Good number of 4s and a few 6s still lingering here at AZ airports.
mjg407
Well-Known Member
High_Alpha
Well-Known Member
Very cool!
Wow......
You guys have been a staple of Chico for decades. Bigger facility availability, geographic location, or more reasons?
How are you going to move all the hulk aircaft lingering on your ramp?
mjg407
Well-Known Member
What hulks.... we've already cut them up. CALFIRE is located at KMCC, the USFS has a facility as well
aha. Didn't know that. Haven't been there for over a decade, and I remember the old USN P-2/P-3 hulks laying around engineless, etc. As well as the DC-4s.
