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| A VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker) dropping retardant on the Ten Mile Canyon Fire, July 9, 2015 |
This blog is cooperatively maintained and posted by those Central Oregon Agencies involved in emergency response, to serve the communities information needs.
That single smoke doesn't have a chance!
ReplyDeleteHow much did that cost?
This drop was made where there were values at risk.
ReplyDeletehttp://fireaviation.com/2013/08/17/vlat-vs-p2v-comparison-of-cost-and-effectiveness/
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.
ReplyDeleteGreat information. Thank you Ms. Kern.
ReplyDelete