P-3 air tanker crashes in Northern California

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 21 Apr 2005, 18:48

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 642D88.DTL

Dangerous work.

gwillie · Post by **gwillie** » 21 Apr 2005, 19:54

Here's their promo VIDEO:
http://www.aerounion.com/article.asp?ar ... av=asdmain

Dangerous work

Indeed. And - it's gonna get worse:
Future applications of the Aero Union's AFFS system include the "delivery of remediation agents to treat nuclear, biological and chemical warfare toxins"

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 21 Apr 2005, 20:05

Here's a (test) URL bringing you up to date on one of the Russian efforts:

http://www.profindpages.com/test/Russia ... bomber.htm

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 21 Apr 2005, 23:22

This, from the most prolific writer on the subject:

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413 ... 27,00.html

regi · Post by **regi** » 22 Apr 2005, 12:35

very interesting articles. It is a combination of words like budget cuts, military surplus, national guard,...
We do not read the word IRAQ. But if the pilots of the planes are on duty in or around Iraq instead off on stand by in California - And there are no military surplus planes because either they are still in active duty or there is no money to convert them -than we read this story as: "California cannot exstinguish bushfires because of the Iraq war."

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 22 Apr 2005, 14:50

Here's an update:

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtri ... ci_2679400

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 22 Apr 2005, 16:57

And an update of a previous post:

http://www.profindpages.com/news/2005/04/22/MN892.htm

gwillie · Post by **gwillie** » 23 Apr 2005, 13:55

NTSB Advisory
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
April 21, 2005
NTSB DISPATCHES TEAM TO INVESTIGATE CRASH OF FIREFIGHTING AIRCRAFT IN CALIFORNIA

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team to begin an investigation into the crash of a firefighting aircraft in California that killed all three crewmembers aboard.
At approximately 6:50 p.m., PDT, Wednesday, April 20, a Lockheed P-3B air tanker, N926AU, owned and operated by the Aero Union Corporation of Chico, California, crashed immediately following a fire retardant training drop near Chico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

According to the company, the accident flight was the seventh flight of the day for that aircraft. The purpose of the flights was to conduct qualification checks for pilots who were scheduled to conduct firefighting operations during the upcoming fire season. The aircraft was manufactured in 1966 and was formerly operated by the United States Navy. It was powered by four Allison T56A11 turboprop engines.

Senior air safety investigator Georgia Struhsaker, from the NTSB's Seattle regional office, will lead the team as Investigator-in-Charge. She will be joined by four NTSB investigators, with assistance from representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, and the Aero Union Corporation. Rolls Royce (Allison) Engines will also be offered party status. NTSB Member Ellen Engleman Conners will accompany the team and serve as principal spokesperson for the on-scene investigation. Paul Schlamm is also accompanying the team as press officer.

The Safety Board issued 5 recommendations (A-04-29 through 33) last year to the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Interior and the Federal Aviation Administration as a result of several accidents involving structural failure of firefighting aircraft (it is unknown at this time if yesterday's accident is related to structural failure). Those recommendations may be found on the Board's web site via the following link:

http://ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2004/A04_29_33.pdf

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 23 Apr 2005, 14:26

Meanwhile, a news conference on use
of the IL-76 waterbomber is scheduled
for later today:

http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyrevie ... ci_2681313

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 24 Apr 2005, 04:19

Field Exercise "Bogorodsk 2002" in Noginsk, Russian Federation

photo, courtesy NATO (opens large)

http://www.nato.int/pictures/2002/020925b/b020925g.jpg

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 24 Apr 2005, 19:05

This just in: http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyrevie ... ci_2682319

Togalock · Post by **Togalock** » 25 Apr 2005, 12:12

Pitty. I saw the P3 flying out of San Bernadino (CA) in 1999.
An extra blow for the reputation of the tankers.

Sad

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 25 Apr 2005, 17:00

Here's a dissertation from John J Nance, pilot and author,
on the subject: http://www.johnjnance.com/aviation/fireflight.htm

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 25 Apr 2005, 19:13

More Geissinger: http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413 ... 04,00.html

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 26 Apr 2005, 17:28

Looks like Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger's onboard for the
Il-76 waterbomber: http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyrevie ... ci_2684909

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 27 Apr 2005, 15:44

Meanwhile, the Forest Service, appearing before the Senate,
is on the hotseat as regards rushing the P-3 back into
service:

http://www.katu.com/team2/story.asp?ID=76767

Here, the Ag UnderSect'y plays the old shell a/c game
with all the (American) aviation assets at his verbal disposal.
Now you see 'em; now you don't

.....Oh, but Senators, we were going into the future with
more choppers all along:

http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyh ... ci_2687804

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 28 Apr 2005, 02:01

update: http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/oped/ci_2687904

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 01 May 2005, 22:46

I just post 'em, folks:

http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyrevie ... ci_2700243

I don't write 'em.

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 02 May 2005, 21:21

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, announced he would make a five-minute speech late Tuesday on the C-Span cable television channel to advocate the use of the Ilyushin Il-76 jets that can carry 11,000 gallons of water.

Reportedly, Rohrabacher has spoken to the IL-76 waterbomber on the
floor of the House of Representatives (US Congress)

JohnA · Post by **JohnA** » 07 May 2005, 18:05

JohnA wrote:

Reportedly, Rohrabacher has spoken to the IL-76 waterbomber
on the floor of the House of Representatives (US Congress)

Here's that speech, together with a letter to a bureaucrat named
Jerry T. Williams, obviously issued before the P-3 went down in
Chico:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin ... sition=all

This is a pdf and will load, but not immediately.