No Result
View All Result
AerialFire
  • Articles
    • Columns
    • Cover Stories
    • Drone/UAS
    • Feature Stories
    • Fire Regulations
    • Government
    • Ground Ops
    • Helicopter
    • International Operations
    • LAT
    • Press Release
    • Retardant
    • SEATs
    • Technology
    • VLAT
    • Wildfire
  • Store
  • Current Issue
  • Contact Us
Subscribe
AerialFire
  • Articles
    • Columns
    • Cover Stories
    • Drone/UAS
    • Feature Stories
    • Fire Regulations
    • Government
    • Ground Ops
    • Helicopter
    • International Operations
    • LAT
    • Press Release
    • Retardant
    • SEATs
    • Technology
    • VLAT
    • Wildfire
  • Store
  • Current Issue
  • Contact Us
Subscribe
AerialFire
No Result
View All Result
Home Aerial Fire News

Additional aircraft join CalFire roster, with more on the way

by AgAir Update Staff
August 3, 2021
in Aerial Fire News, Helicopter, LAT
Reading Time: 2 mins read
Additional aircraft join CalFire roster, with more on the way
A dozen extra firefighting planes and helicopters joined CalFire last week. Each has taken to the air since in what's shaping up as California's worst fire year ever.
The air assets, a mix of planes and choppers, aren't exactly new, but state officials brought the privately-owned craft on early this year, based on predictions. Positioned at small airfields around California, they are part of CalFire's mission to get aircraft to a fire within 20 minutes of the first report.
These aircraft aren't the ones that put the fire out. All they do is slow it down and buy time for the ground crews to get there.
Stu Sprung is Chief of Flight Operations at CalFire. He said quick response times allow firefighters on the ground before 95 percent of fires reach 10-acres.
Sprung says helicopters are equally valuable. Their slow speed helps pilots make accurate drops. Most can descend and scoop water from a lake and make multiple drops in the time it takes a plane to return to base, be refilled with retardant and make another run.
And Calfire is in the process of converting seven Coast Guard C-130s---the big military air freighters---into firefighting aircraft. They should be coming on line in the months ahead.
"They're tailor made for these kind of rugged missions. These are cargo planes, they are designed to drop thousands of pounds out of their cargo door, so much similar to what we do with our tankers. The C-130s we'll be getting will be dropping 4,000 pounds of retardant, he said." They can also take off and land on shorter runways, meaning they can be positioned closer to fire-prone areas and reach them faster.
Read more on this story at KCRB.com
Tags: Aerial FirefightingC-130CalFireCoast GuardMAFFS

AgAir Update Staff

Related Posts

TBM 960 Aircraft Deploys for First Wildfire Season

TBM 960 Aircraft Deploys for First Wildfire Season

by AerialFire Staff
May 28, 2025

ABBOTSFORD, CANADA (May 27, 2025) – Conair Group Inc. (Conair) has deployed two Daher TBM 960 Air Attack aircraft for...

Entrol Strengthens Pilot Training with the Delivery of S-64 FTD Level 6 Simulator to Korea Forest Aviation Headquarters

Entrol Strengthens Pilot Training with the Delivery of S-64 FTD Level 6 Simulator to Korea Forest Aviation Headquarters

by AerialFire Staff
May 27, 2025

● Simulator based on the complex S-64E helicopter, designed for specialized firefighting training. ● Equipped with complete ENWALL LED technology,...

Tabula and Plane Finder Partner to Deliver ADS-B In Capability for Enhanced Cockpit Awareness

Tabula and Plane Finder Partner to Deliver ADS-B In Capability for Enhanced Cockpit Awareness

by AerialFire Staff
May 23, 2025

Mosgiel, NZ, May 23, 2025 - Tabula, a leading provider of job management and fleet tracking solutions for aerial operations, has...

Avincis Secures Firefighting Contracts in Spain for 14 Aircraft

Avincis Secures Firefighting Contracts in Spain for 14 Aircraft

by AerialFire Staff
May 22, 2025

ALICANTE, Spain – May 22, 2025: Avincis, Europe’s leading provider of emergency aerial services, has been awarded new wildfire response...

Trending News

No Content Available
TBM 960 Aircraft Deploys for First Wildfire Season
Press Release

TBM 960 Aircraft Deploys for First Wildfire Season

by AerialFire Staff
May 28, 2025
Entrol Strengthens Pilot Training with the Delivery of S-64 FTD Level 6 Simulator to Korea Forest Aviation Headquarters
Aerial Fire News

Entrol Strengthens Pilot Training with the Delivery of S-64 FTD Level 6 Simulator to Korea Forest Aviation Headquarters

by AerialFire Staff
May 27, 2025
Tabula and Plane Finder Partner to Deliver ADS-B In Capability for Enhanced Cockpit Awareness
Aerial Fire News

Tabula and Plane Finder Partner to Deliver ADS-B In Capability for Enhanced Cockpit Awareness

by AerialFire Staff
May 23, 2025
Avincis Secures Firefighting Contracts in Spain for 14 Aircraft
International Operations

Avincis Secures Firefighting Contracts in Spain for 14 Aircraft

by AerialFire Staff
May 22, 2025
AerialFire

© 2025 AerialFire, a Marsayl Media Publication. All rights Reserved.

Navigate Site

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Store
  • Current Issue
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us

© 2025 AerialFire, a Marsayl Media Publication. All rights Reserved.

Skip to content
Open toolbar Accessibility Tools

Accessibility Tools

  • Increase TextIncrease Text
  • Decrease TextDecrease Text
  • GrayscaleGrayscale
  • High ContrastHigh Contrast
  • Negative ContrastNegative Contrast
  • Light BackgroundLight Background
  • Links UnderlineLinks Underline
  • Readable FontReadable Font
  • Reset Reset