Boaters playing chicken with firefighting air tankers
- Thread starter agentaqua
- Start date
In a perfect world - you could train the drone operators to harass the boaters and create a landing strip for the bomber! **** - only in the movies, eh?...
Three other points against the Mars, that a pilot told me: It takes a unique type of fuel that is not commonly available, it requires an enormous amount of maintenance, and the parts needed to repair and maintain it are unique and obsolete. It's a historic, but obsolete aircraft.
sly_karma
Crew Member
Those little Fire Boss planes do a great job in certain situations, especially initial attack. The aircraft itself and their tactics (pack attacks in groups of 3-4) were developed by forest fire professionals. They can deliver a constant series of attacks on multiple locations when a fire is spotting ahead of the main front and help prevent a serious breakout. Their agility and flexibility allows them to attack in locations where larger aircraft cannot. They can fly from short gravel bush runways or land and skim on lakes. They can tank up with retardant or water. Far more versatile and much cheaper to operate per litre dropped than the venerable Mars. That old girl has had its day, let her rest. And don't be fooled by the media notion that if the Mars isn't flying then the province isn't doing everything it can to attack the fire. Chuck Coulson feeds them that line every year and the chumps go for it. It's exactly the same as demanding that the province willingly waste our money.
sly_karma
Crew Member
Odd how little smoke effect we have here in Penticton this past week. We've had mostly northerly winds which should be pushing the smoke right onto us, but it's much better than last year when the fires were further away yet you couldn't see from one side of the valley to the other. Sure it smells a bit smoky outside, but not bad. I cringe when the national media talk about the 'massive' fires in the Okanagan, these are tiny compared to last year's beast in the central interior.
Aces
Well-Known Member
Looks like the problem is still happening.
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/firefighter-planes-can-t-scoop-water-in-okanagan-due-to-boaters-1.4032725
I think the government should hire one of the 747 supertankers for a couple of days and drop a few thousand gallons of water on those idiot boaters. Maybe that will dampen the boater's enthusiasm a bit.
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/firefighter-planes-can-t-scoop-water-in-okanagan-due-to-boaters-1.4032725
I think the government should hire one of the 747 supertankers for a couple of days and drop a few thousand gallons of water on those idiot boaters. Maybe that will dampen the boater's enthusiasm a bit.
For anyone still hoping for Martin Mars to make another appearance this fire season, this article pretty much closes the door on the fabled aircraft.
Martin Mars unlikely to see firefighting action in Port Alberni.
Water bomber ‘isn’t anywhere ready’ for fires burning in its Vancouver Island backyard.
https://www.castlegarnews.com/news/martin-mars-unlikely-to-see-firefighting-action-in-port-alberni/
Martin Mars unlikely to see firefighting action in Port Alberni.
Water bomber ‘isn’t anywhere ready’ for fires burning in its Vancouver Island backyard.
https://www.castlegarnews.com/news/martin-mars-unlikely-to-see-firefighting-action-in-port-alberni/
I think you meant F-18's - unless you are still wrapped up in the Top Gun nostalgia?
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Coulson's have moved on to next generation of air tankers already in service with Coulson USA. The cool thing is the new planes can have a removable tank, so can be used as dual use aircraft. The planes are retrofitted in Port Alberni. I was an advocate from the Mars as I know what is in them from actually being there. The navionics are state of the art and some improvements have been made to there tank system . But fact remains even though they have spare parts and can make them it needs to retire. It's time is over and BC won't ever use again as I believe Wayne pushed too hard. The forestry service seems to love Conair for some reason. The main issue is not the structure it is the engines. Now if we could but new engines on it that would be cool. But it is not going to happen. I would love to see a new version of the Mars built but again dont think it will happen.
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Yes, at 2016 Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Coulson admitted that the Mars had reached the end of it's career. To add injury to the end life of the Mars. A couple of days later while doing a demo, they had an engine problem and when the aircraft had to set down on the lake, the underbelly of the fuselage struck a rock and tore a hole. Luckily they were able to pump it out and patched the hole. The Mars did return to show a few days later, but I think it was only flyby demos only.
I have to agree on Coulson pushing too hard over the years. He was outspoken to a fault and I am sure he did not make any new friends with the government of the day.
As for the engine refit. If I recall - and I may be subject to correction, the reason why this was never done was due to cost as compared to the value of the aircraft.
In regards to the state of art avionics, for those who may not have seen the cockpit.
Last I heard, Coulson was shopping the aircraft around for sale or trying to have it placed in a museum in the states?
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
The museum thing fell through for Philippine with Pensecola I am not sure if it still there. The Hawaii had the accident. Britt does a good job in video, and that is what it looks like. He lives and breaths this stuff. I don't blame Wayne for trying but it is good they had the backup plan with the air tankers and the helicopters.
Thanks, I should have mentioned that there are 2 Mars bombers as you pointed out.
I think that although the Mars are now retired, they will always have an iconic presence in the annals of BC wildfire fighting history. Also Wayne Coulson should be commended for keeping those old aircraft flying well past their prime.
Question for @SpringVelocity. Did you work for the Coulson Group?
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Yes. Used to help as independent contractor at Port at Aircrane division for a few years. Also got to visit San Bernardino where the first Hercules was retrofitted with the new tank system. It didn't work out for me with the back and forth living in south island.
