DC-10 firefighting OMG

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Discussion

Speed 3

Original Poster:

4,481 posts

118 months

Monday 18th July 2016
quotequote all
I know these guys are at the edge of the envelope but that is proper scary eek



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgdmW-Q7ZCI

(video found courtesy of ralphrj's post in the GIF thread)

knight

5,204 posts

278 months

Monday 18th July 2016
quotequote all
Strewth, that did look close! yikes

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 18th July 2016
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https://youtu.be/WPedHJNQNUM

YouTube has a few of these guys in action.

tdm34

7,365 posts

209 months

Monday 18th July 2016
quotequote all
Speed 3 said:
I know these guys are at the edge of the envelope but that is proper scary eek



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgdmW-Q7ZCI

(video found courtesy of ralphrj's post in the GIF thread)
same aircraft, different fire.. bloody hell!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHu2EnbR03A#t=62.8...

devonlad

19 posts

116 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
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heck thats close

markmullen

15,877 posts

233 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
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Awesome, it's like no one has told them they're in a DC10 and they're driving it like a much smaller more agile aircraft.

Top work.

FourWheelDrift

88,375 posts

283 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
Speed 3 said:
I know these guys are at the edge of the envelope but that is proper scary eek



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgdmW-Q7ZCI

(video found courtesy of ralphrj's post in the GIF thread)
If there's a failure in the release mechanism there's a much heavier aircraft trying to pull up and avoid the mountain. One of the Martin Mars flying boats was lost that way.

Eric Mc

121,769 posts

264 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
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I often wonder how the airframes stand up to such treatment. These aeroplanes were not really designed to be hauled through such manoeuvers at low altitude. We had the wing come off an old C-130 a few years ago.

Speed 3

Original Poster:

4,481 posts

118 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
I often wonder how the airframes stand up to such treatment. These aeroplanes were not really designed to be hauled through such manoeuvers at low altitude. We had the wing come off an old C-130 a few years ago.
Yup, even though a lot of the fleet is ex-mil its transport stuff that wouldn't be designed for a lifetime of those manouvres. Lots been lost over the years, especially when you add in low-vis from smoke. The converted DC-10 and the 747 must have some very specific restrictions and customised ops manuals alongside mods. Only takes an engine surge or hydraulic glitch to take out the very slim margins, especially in hot, swirling air. Probably as easy to get life insurance as having BASE jumper on your cv .....

Speed 3

Original Poster:

4,481 posts

118 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
FourWheelDrift said:
If there's a failure in the release mechanism there's a much heavier aircraft trying to pull up and avoid the mountain. One of the Martin Mars flying boats was lost that way.
I had the pleasure of the Mars owner's company a decade ago when he invited me back to his house for dinner. A spectacular location on the elbow of Sproat Lake on Vancouver Island but unfortunately I didn't get to see any of the Mars. He'd selected all the timbers for the house individually from the local forest, quite a place. I did see their helicopter fleet which were mostly loggers with some fire fighting duties for the US & Canadian forestry services. Logging's another area that abuses the aircraft and puts pilots on slim margins. Compared to what we were doing on offshore oil it was something else and those guys were pretty skilled at maintaining as well as flying the aircraft. He also owned a very early Piasecki tandem rotor which I think he later donated to the Smithsonian. It sat in the reception of their facility, still leaking oil after many decades on the ground.

Charlie1986

2,016 posts

134 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
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We have been watching the french fight some local forrest fires in the vidaban region using 2 twin engined aircraft. and when they come over the villa you can make out the details there that close. The Helicopter virtually drags the water/powder dispenser through the top of the trees. But would like to see the DC-10 doing it!

Speed 3

Original Poster:

4,481 posts

118 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
Charlie1986 said:
We have been watching the french fight some local forrest fires in the vidaban region using 2 twin engined aircraft. and when they come over the villa you can make out the details there that close. The Helicopter virtually drags the water/powder dispenser through the top of the trees. But would like to see the DC-10 doing it!
Yup, those are purpose built CL-415 water bombers, based at Marseilles-Marignane, used to see them regularly when I was visiting Eurocopter.


lufbramatt

5,317 posts

133 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
Speed 3 said:
FourWheelDrift said:
If there's a failure in the release mechanism there's a much heavier aircraft trying to pull up and avoid the mountain. One of the Martin Mars flying boats was lost that way.
I had the pleasure of the Mars owner's company a decade ago when he invited me back to his house for dinner. A spectacular location on the elbow of Sproat Lake on Vancouver Island but unfortunately I didn't get to see any of the Mars. He'd selected all the timbers for the house individually from the local forest, quite a place. I did see their helicopter fleet which were mostly loggers with some fire fighting duties for the US & Canadian forestry services. Logging's another area that abuses the aircraft and puts pilots on slim margins. Compared to what we were doing on offshore oil it was something else and those guys were pretty skilled at maintaining as well as flying the aircraft. He also owned a very early Piasecki tandem rotor which I think he later donated to the Smithsonian. It sat in the reception of their facility, still leaking oil after many decades on the ground.
One of the Martin Mars flying boats has been flown over the last few days, some stunning photos and videos on Kermit Weeks' facebook page.

wolfracesonic

6,940 posts

126 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
Speed 3 said:
Yup, those are purpose built CL-415 water bombers, based at Marseilles-Marignane, used to see them regularly when I was visiting Eurocopter.

Here's a vid of it's predecessor attempting to land, on land, with the pilot having forgot to put the landing gear down. Unfortunately for him it was filmed as part of Discovery's 'Ice pilots' series. Oh dear!

markmullen

15,877 posts

233 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
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wolfracesonic said:
Here's a vid of it's predecessor attempting to land, on land, with the pilot having forgot to put the landing gear down. Unfortunately for him it was filmed as part of Discovery's 'Ice pilots' series. Oh dear!
It was quite elegant, but for the lack of landing gear

Simpo Two

85,147 posts

264 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
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lufbramatt said:
One of the Martin Mars flying boats has been flown over the last few days, some stunning photos and videos on Kermit Weeks' facebook page.
I happened to be at Sproat Lake last July when the Mars not only flew right overhead, but made a test water drop right in front of my 300mm lens. Now that's what I call a scoop! biggrin


Re the ice pilot, why didn't he haul it back up the monment he touched? Must have known what had happened...

Speed 3

Original Poster:

4,481 posts

118 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Re the ice pilot, why didn't he haul it back up the monment he touched? Must have known what had happened...
He did belatedly.....longer video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hDgtyIbD-M

Yertis

18,015 posts

265 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
I happened to be at Sproat Lake last July when the Mars not only flew right overhead, but made a test water drop right in front of my 300mm lens. Now that's what I call a scoop! biggrin
Well let's see it then, with custard tin, etc... ;-)

DaveH23

3,230 posts

169 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
I seen a video like this years ago and after dropping the waters the wings fold in on themselves and the plane simply falls to the ground.


Will try find the video.

DaveH23

3,230 posts

169 months

Tuesday 19th July 2016
quotequote all
I seen a video like this years ago and after dropping the waters the wings fold in on themselves and the plane simply falls to the ground.


Will try find the video.