scirel
Dec 6, 05, 1:36 am
This is an old story, but I couldn't find it with search. Thought some FTers might get a chuckle out of it.
As a former wildfire fighter, I think this idea is simply crazy. The cost alone makes it prohibitive. And the only place it would get proper coverage of slurry (the red stuff they drop to deter fires) would be long, flat areas -- although the areas that need tankers the most are the mountainous places that this plane can't go.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002133575_supertanker29.html
Since first taking off in 1969, Boeing 747s have carried 3.6 billion people and flown the equivalent of 74,000 round trips to the moon....
Now, federal officials are exploring whether the venerable humpbacked jet should perform still another task: putting out really big fires.
As a former wildfire fighter, I think this idea is simply crazy. The cost alone makes it prohibitive. And the only place it would get proper coverage of slurry (the red stuff they drop to deter fires) would be long, flat areas -- although the areas that need tankers the most are the mountainous places that this plane can't go.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002133575_supertanker29.html
Since first taking off in 1969, Boeing 747s have carried 3.6 billion people and flown the equivalent of 74,000 round trips to the moon....
Now, federal officials are exploring whether the venerable humpbacked jet should perform still another task: putting out really big fires.