Boeing 737 waterbomber deployed to battle Newcastle bushfires in world first
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A Boeing 737 modified for use as a waterbomber has been used to fight bushfires for the first time, as the Rural Fire Service battles to save homes in the Newcastle area.
Key points:
The Gaia aircraft is a passenger 737 converted to fight fires
It is valued at $7.3 million and can carry more than 15,000 litres of fire retardant
It was used to fight fires for the first time in the world yesterday, in Newcastle
The 737, known as Gaia, dropped several loads on two fires in the Hunter region yesterday, assisting firefighters on the ground.
NSW Rural Fire Service spokesman Chris Garlick said the RFS was pleased with effectiveness of the plane, which can carry more than 15,000 litres of water or fire retardant in a single load.
"It has been tested in other situations to demonstrate its effectiveness, but this is the first time in the world a 737 has been used to fight fires," he said.
"We're stoked with how it went."
Gaia is one of four large air tankers being used by the service during this year's bushfire season, and is permanently based in NSW.
The 737 and two fixed-wing scanning aircraft were purchased by the RFS from $26.3 million in funding by the NSW Government to bolster the service's firefighting fleet.
Mr Garlick said different aircraft in the service's firefighting fleet took on different tasks according to their different capabilities.
Due to the size of the aircraft, he said the 737 was particularly useful in laying retardant lines for containment and dropping longer loads.
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See a video of the 737 in action, and read more at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-23/boeing-737-deployed-in-newcastle-to-fight-bushfire-world-first/10547636
I continue to be perplexed that we don't get the waterbomber kits for the RAAFs C130s. Not only would it massively increase our firefighting capability, it would give an excuse to the RAAF to get more flight hours for pilots.
I cant imagine what it must feel like to fly somthing that big, with such a heavy load, that suddenly vanishes. I mean look at those wings flex, Its pretty awesome to behold.
Pilot flying for the first time will probably think "weird flex but ok'
The 747 Supertanker is even bigger
RAAF has tried to go this way with their retired models of the Herc (E and H models) but the government wouldn't provide funding for it.
There was a push by Pauline Hanson to have firefighting aircraft at every Air Base in Australia but that never went anywhere
That's so cool, I do wonder how much the pilots that do this sort of thing get paid.
Whilst we're posting tanker videos, always a throwback to this magnificence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ijLcDz_W0
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