Why don’t the DC10’s reload at Mohave when they are working out of the South East area of Kern County? It has a 12,000+ ft runway.
Perhaps their reloading area is not sufficient to handle the volume.
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Same reason they don’t reload at Fresno, the pit is not set up for it.
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One would think that Calfire or 10 tanker would address that issue. Also, having 944 only be utizling one base is crazy. 2-3hr turn around for South ops drops not really worth it nor operationally effective. Evergreen use to have their pressure systems at Victorville and MCC.
Mojave is a temp airbase as Fox Field in Lancaster is having runway work done. The setup is a temporary base until the runway is back in service.
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944 requires special equipment that it carries on board for them to refill. They transport it when they move from one base to another. After a few years it was found that having 944 at MCC provided the state better coverage as it in the course of flight time is just about even from one end of the state to the other. Also because of the amount of retardant it carries the fill time fills a pit twice as long as one of the DC10’s so at MCC they have a dedicated pit for them that the other aircraft can taxi around.
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Thank you for the info.! I am always amazed at all the great wealth of knowledge this forum has to offer! Thank you again.
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There is talk to make Fresno able to load the DC10’s when the C130’s come on line as that is the purposed locations to put one and reopen the state tanker base.
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Back in mid 2007-10 there was a VLAT operation @ Victorville.
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Is Castle AFB still a reload?
No its not
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Being that 10 tanker is a contracted tanker and Mojave is a temp Fed base, the onus is not on CAL FIRE.
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I believe that the FS could work from there. However there must be a staff there of qualified VLAT ground crews, who have had the agency training.
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Looks like Global super tanker got smart and moved a portable charging unit to SBD.
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