T-134 is on a Cal Fire contract (Coulson) this year and will be training pilots @ Ramona AAB for the next month who now fly the S-2T for Cal Fire under contract by Dyn-Corp. It will respond as requested by Cal Fire just like any other aviation resource.
Pretty sure I just saw a new CF tanker launch from Monterey Regional Airport. Flight info shows it as a helicopter so that interesting
A couple of months ago, a C130 in CF livery was doing extremely low passes over KGOO runway. I wonder what that was about?
The day has come.
https://x.com/CALFIRE_CHIEF/status/1828061613171368179?t=CPoJTajdIcPRVjlaEBtZvg&s=19
GJ, You are the very best informed! I always appreciated you at the HRAAB Tower. The best!
What air bases will accommodate the 130’s? (RON and reload etc.)
I know that the C130 bases include MCO and Chico in North OPS
Each of the following get 1 C139 at full deployment
Ramona
Paso
Fresno
Sacramento
Chico
The remaining 2 will be
Training platform
Maintenance spare.
All 7 are supposed to be in service by fire season 2025.
Thanks bud!
STS can reload and refuel the C130s.
For a very long time CF/CDF’s exclusive use/agency aviation fleet (Fixed and Rotor) was heavy on the IA side with smaller AC. It’s been incredible watching them shift to heavy AC on both rotor and fixed. This obviously not only boosts IA capability but large fire support. I know a lot of folks over the last 20+ yrs have been working on these ideas. Well done all.
Having a T1 Rotorwing fleet is only getting better and growing. The additional 18 T1, T2, T3 EU Helicopters with the additional EU LAT’s has been a game changer the last 2 years. Now with 2-3 T1 EU Helitankers available from noon-midnight and beyond with a dedicated EU T3 helico has been a game changer this year on many fires. Coupled with our LG partners and they’re NVG rotorwing. It’s been common to have up too 3 T1 Helicopters on night flying missions this year.
One can only imagine with the conditions of the fuels, and observed fire behavior during July. What “might have been different” W/O the night flying aircraft. I personally observed several fires in the south that were held in check, or even stopped all together because of the night flying Helicopters. LAC, VNC, SBC, BDF & ANF had fires that were kept in check with these game changers.
Great description of the on the ground reality of this effectiveness EHoss…Will be interesting to watch the use of these assests unfold as we enter in to off shore wind season in the next month or so two.
Watching The Guardian tonight I noticed 1708 was in one of the beginning scenes. 1708 is registered as N464DF which is now T-116 under Cal Fire.
Just curious if they’ve dropped on a fire yet, it was dispatched to the Two fire in LNU but they got cancelled
Also dispatched to a fire in SCU the day before…didn’t drop there either. AFAIK, haven’t dropped on a fire yet.
CAL FIRE’s Tanker 122, our first fully operational C-130H, has successfully completed its inaugural firefighting mission! This aircraft delivered 8000 gallons of retardant on the Record Fire in Riverside County, marking a major milestone in our mission to protect California. With its 4,000-gallon tank and cutting-edge retardant delivery system, the C-130H will help provide the crucial support our ground crews need to contain wildfires, protecting communities across the state. The addition of this remarkable aircraft to our fleet takes our firefighting capabilities to new heights.
Outstanding…We are very lucky to have this new addition to our Air Force.
