FYI Cal Fire early station opening

[Redmt]

If it can be said that something good has come from all the recent CA wildfires, it would be that pressure has been put on the powers that be to open all the Cal Fire seasonal fire stations by Wednesday. We have fought for years to get our Sweet Water station 25 open year round. Not only are they the only emergency service within 600+ sq.miles, it also could mean that homeowners fire insurance will become available to those that have previously been denied.

 

[BenP]

I've worked on some of Cal Fire's C-130s, in fact some used to be Coast Guard birds that we overhauled for them.

Some crazy stress they put on those planes, makes a mechanic nervous especially since some of our structure inspections started because of the fire fighting C-130 whose wings folded up like a bird.

 

[Redmt]

I've worked on some of Cal Fire's C-130s, in fact some used to be Coast Guard birds that we overhauled for them.

Some crazy stress they put on those planes, makes a mechanic nervous especially since some of our structure inspections started because of the fire fighting C-130 whose wings folded up like a bird.

I understand that Cal Fire bought 7 of them but only has 1 in service. Cal Fire PIO gets pretty defensive if you ask any really pointed questions.

 

[BenP]

The modification to the planes are painstakingly slow, you know contractor wins a bid from the government and then takes twice as long and double the money to get it done. It's pretty cool when they add the bomb bay doors for the retardant dispersal, way different than general configuration for what I work on.

 

[Redmt]

I would imagine it's probably near a CC complete teardown and reconstruction. Remember the MARS Bomber? They wore them out to the point of not even being airworthy.

 

[BenP]

I haven't been to the place they are doing the mods but for sure there are a lot of things that are redone structurally that take months. Hopefully the rest go faster than the first.

Yeah they fly them to death literally.