I believe that currently there are five active Very Large Air Tankers.
One is the converted 747-400 in the video you linked, and four are converted DC-10s operated by 10 Tanker.
While the 10 Tanker conversions were done in California, the company headquarters is currently here in Albuquerque, and, especially in off-season, it is common to see one or two out on the tarmac if you take a passenger flight in or out of our airport.
Aside from these active VLATs, there were at least three previous ones that have long ago retired. Two were older model 747s converted by Evergreen, one 747-100 and one 747-200. One never flew against a real fire, and the other did not get much work and was retired. Evergreen also did the original work on the 747-400 currently operating as the Global Supertanker, which is now operated by a corporation of the same name.
10 Tanker's first conversion was of a DC-10-10 and did fly against some fires but retired in 2014. The currently operating fleet of four were all made from DC-10-30 models. Early on contracts were off-again on-again, but these days they seem to be getting an adequate run of business. Some seasons, more than one member of the fleet serves in Australia, as their fire season is conveniently offset from the North American one.
Tiny a company as 10 Tanker is, one of their non-flying staff has a house just over the fence from my church. My pastor has spent too much time hanging around with volunteer firemen, and struck up a conversation. Somehow that means I have a 10 Tanker gimme hat on my shelf.
I'm on the East Coast of the US and some people can see the smoke, I'm too far South of the center line for it to get to me enough for that right now. But it is also going to get cooler for me again this week hopefully it means cooler weather, and some rain, for California and Oregon too!!
I'm on the East Coast of the US and some people can see the smoke, I'm too far South of the center line for it to get to me enough for that right now. But it is also going to get cooler for me again this week hopefully it means cooler weather, and some rain, for California and Oregon too!!
California forecast, 73mph winds, 100+°F due to a high pressure center, the beginning of traditional fire season.
I'm on the East Coast of the US and some people can see the smoke, I'm too far South of the center line for it to get to me enough for that right now. But it is also going to get cooler for me again this week hopefully it means cooler weather, and some rain, for California and Oregon too!!
I'm in the mid-west just outside of Chicago and we've seen a slight hazing for at least two weeks. It seems to be most noticeable at night when the sky should be clear of clouds. The moon is normally a bright white, but recently it is a mild yellow in color. One day the smoke haze was so thick with no clouds in the sky that you could stare at the sun with no protective eyewear at 4:00 pm in the afternoon.
Here too, the weather is changing. Cooler is definitely better for us, and I hope it will also help with the fire situations out west, and reduce if not eliminate the severe drought they've had to endure.
Gary Charpentier wrote:More
I believe that currently there are five active Very Large Air Tankers.
One is the converted 747-400 in the video you linked, and four are converted DC-10s operated by 10 Tanker.
While the 10 Tanker conversions were done in California, the company headquarters is currently here in Albuquerque, and, especially in off-season, it is common to see one or two out on the tarmac if you take a passenger flight in or out of our airport.
Aside from these active VLATs, there were at least three previous ones that have long ago retired. Two were older model 747s converted by Evergreen, one 747-100 and one 747-200. One never flew against a real fire, and the other did not get much work and was retired. Evergreen also did the original work on the 747-400 currently operating as the Global Supertanker, which is now operated by a corporation of the same name.
10 Tanker's first conversion was of a DC-10-10 and did fly against some fires but retired in 2014. The currently operating fleet of four were all made from DC-10-30 models. Early on contracts were off-again on-again, but these days they seem to be getting an adequate run of business. Some seasons, more than one member of the fleet serves in Australia, as their fire season is conveniently offset from the North American one.
Tiny a company as 10 Tanker is, one of their non-flying staff has a house just over the fence from my church. My pastor has spent too much time hanging around with volunteer firemen, and struck up a conversation. Somehow that means I have a 10 Tanker gimme hat on my shelf.
https://earthobservatory.nasa
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147324/bobcat-fire-scorches-southern-california
Richard
Kavanagh
I'm on the East Coast of the US and some people can see the smoke, I'm too far South of the center line for it to get to me enough for that right now. But it is also going to get cooler for me again this week hopefully it means cooler weather, and some rain, for California and Oregon too!!
mikey wrote:Kavanagh
California forecast, 73mph winds, 100+°F due to a high pressure center, the beginning of traditional fire season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwhd9j8-1HA
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/09/28/wildfire-erupts-near-st-helena-evacuations-underway-in-neighborhoods-near-silverado-trail/
mikey wrote: Kavanagh
I'm in the mid-west just outside of Chicago and we've seen a slight hazing for at least two weeks. It seems to be most noticeable at night when the sky should be clear of clouds. The moon is normally a bright white, but recently it is a mild yellow in color. One day the smoke haze was so thick with no clouds in the sky that you could stare at the sun with no protective eyewear at 4:00 pm in the afternoon.
Here too, the weather is changing. Cooler is definitely better for us, and I hope it will also help with the fire situations out west, and reduce if not eliminate the severe drought they've had to endure.
Proud member of the Old Farts Association
Happy New Year everybody!
Happy New Year everybody!
Seti Classic Final Total: 11446 WU.
RandyC wrote: Happy New Year
Happy New Year to you and your family too RandyC!!!
Randy C Take it away, You are
Randy C Take it away, You are the winner. (first post after the Bobcat fire was out)
Happy New Year to all of the
Happy New Year to all of the Einstein crunchers!!
...albeit a day and a half late, and I hope that this year will be absolutely much better than last year.
Proud member of the Old Farts Association
George wrote:Happy New Year
That's a very low bar to hurdle.
New game will be up as soon as I can get to my computer. Probably sometime tomorrow.
Moderator, please lock thread.
Seti Classic Final Total: 11446 WU.