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Converted 747 now largest fire-fighting tanker plane
It can deliver nearly 20,000 gallons of water or fire retardant per flight, almost twice the capacity of the next-biggest tanker. Bigger is always better... (www.avweb.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I was up at Ft. McMurray 5 years ago when there were fires north of Ft. Mackay and the Syncrude and Suncor tar sands oil fields. Many evacuees of those fires were in Ft. McMurray at that time. Smoke was heavy in the air more often than not and there were times the sun was almost blocked out. They sure could use this tanker's help as at last estimate, there were over 210,000 acres on fire.
This morning reports are talking of 1500 square km, with double that a distinct possibility over the weekend. That would mean 740 000 acres! Most of it will be out in uninhabited forest areas, but still, that's huge!
But it is shutting down the oil sands, almost 1.2M barrels per day, half of Western Canada's output. The companies do not expect to be back on line until June. The price of oil is going up with this loss.
The winds keep shifting and new tentacles reach out frustrating efforts to shut it down. The CL415's are flying but the post about the 747, while a nice thought would have to utilize runways in Edmonton or CFB Cold Lake. The scoopers might actually be more efficient but tough on aircrew flying continuously.
The winds keep shifting and new tentacles reach out frustrating efforts to shut it down. The CL415's are flying but the post about the 747, while a nice thought would have to utilize runways in Edmonton or CFB Cold Lake. The scoopers might actually be more efficient but tough on aircrew flying continuously.
I guess it's hard on the people and the equipment. Two days ago there were 22 scoopers at work, more on the way. 4 from Quebec were stationed at Lac LaBiche.
Agreed. They need it NOW!!
Instead of doing flybys maybe they should send it up to Canada to do what it's meant to do...
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-wildfire-fortmcmurray-idUSKCN0XU2D8