Friday, July 10, 2015

VLAT Drop on the Ten Mile Canyon Fire

A VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker) dropping retardant on the Ten Mile Canyon Fire, July 9, 2015

4 comments:

  1. That single smoke doesn't have a chance!
    How much did that cost?

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  2. This drop was made where there were values at risk.
    http://fireaviation.com/2013/08/17/vlat-vs-p2v-comparison-of-cost-and-effectiveness/

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  3. VLAT drops cost about $30,000 - which sounds like a lot. But the cost is actually less than getting 4 drops from a standard heavy tanker (which could run over $32,000). By not having to spend the time having the plane fly back and forth for reloading, we save money. So in situations where we estimate we'll need multiple drops, we can consider the VLAT. As you can see, it's less maneuverable so we have to consider "how" it drops as well. It's great for long lines but less so for shorter runs.

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  4. Great information. Thank you Ms. Kern.

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