As
all the other Cruise Nights the evening was started off
with a
picnic supper at Riverside Park by the rose garden.
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This
Cruise worked out great as we visited the Air Tanker
base at the
airport. The planes were already in service however
the fire
season had not started so the
pilots had time to talk to us and show us the
various planes.
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Jim Carroll and his wife
Sherry enjoying their
Chubby Chicken before we get started
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Members find time to
visit whether it is around the picnic tables or in the
parking lot.
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Members cars at the airport
With the cars
parked
it was time to head into the operations offices
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Our guide and host was waiting for us where
she expalined
the Fire Control Center and how they go about
dispatching the different
fire crews that are needed for the various fires in the
province and also when the
planes are to be dispatched and where they are to go.
Jim had picked the right night for the
cruise as the air
tankers were in and the fire season had not yet started.
The pilots had time to show us their planes and explain
them to us.
If he had
waited a week we would have been on the outside looking
in through the
fence.
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Conair is the name of the company that owns the
planes |
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This plane is a Commander and it is
used as a "Bird Dog".
This
is the plane the Fire Officer travels in and
directs the air
tankers in regards to their approach to a fire and how
to make
their drops. |
Air Tractors
Small in size but quite quick and practical.
Can carry between 500 and 800 gallons |
Convair
Depending on the model but can carry between
2800 & 3000 gallons |
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The
Air Tractors take on the fires that are close at hand
to an
airport. (When equipped with floats they can scoop
water from lakes).
The Convairs get the fires farther out as they have
the ability
to fly further distances and carry a greater load of fire
retardant.
BC
and Alberta fight their fires with fire retardant whereas
the
other provinces tend to use more water in their fire
fighting. |
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Only way in is up the ladder. |
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Jim Carroll and Niki Bone
visit the cock pit and find out
what it takes to fly an air tanker |
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As you can tell the shadows were getting to be quite a bit
longer meaning the end of the day.
It was a terrific tour for a Cruise Night. |
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