BRAVO — For a job never really done.

[rookiepilot]

Firecrews.

Yellowknife, Kelowna, Shuswap…….and probably a ton more places this year in Canada.

Thank YOU to our firebomber crews….and our firefighters. Always answering the call.

You guys totally, friggin ROCK! Heroes.

Well done. (I hope this year — my wife’s families house made it through, and they are back home)

[TeePeeCreeper]

Firecrews.

Yellowknife, Kelowna, Shuswap…….and probably a ton more places this year in Canada.

Thank YOU to our firebomber crews….and our firefighters. Always answering the call.

You guys totally, friggin ROCK! Heroes.

Well done. (I hope this year — my wife’s families house made it through, and they are back home)

Although we weren’t dispatched to those areas…

It’s a tough job. *extends a cold beer in salute*

TPC

[Old fella]

Firecrews.

Yellowknife, Kelowna, Shuswap…….and probably a ton more places this year in Canada.

Thank YOU to our firebomber crews….and our firefighters. Always answering the call.

You guys totally, friggin ROCK! Heroes.

Well done. (I hope this year — my wife’s families house made it through, and they are back home)

Well said and totally correct. Going way back several decades ago and my PBY-5A aka Canso days, 8000lbs of water, trying to be strategic where to unload. The early morning departures, flames jumping across tree tops. One engine failure, other precautionary shutdowns, a dump door stuck down . A very serious runaround cable snap, both Captains rudder pedals fell to the floor, one float that wouldn’t come up. Ears ringing constant full power(R-1830-92 P&W, off the water, arm the dump system, check hydraulics, back to METO power. Those were some of the days…. and of course made time for beer bash.

[PilotDAR]

Yes, it is an awesome job these crews have done!

I can remember looking at a several hundred yard wide wildfire front coming at us, and seeing a tree or two explode, I can't imagine what it looks like when the entire horizon is coming at you on fire! For the 28 years I was an active volunteer firefighter, I was "well paid" compared to other departments I knew - I earned, by the hour, one fifth of my normal hourly pay for the regular job I left to fight fires. When you look behind the scenes, you'll generally find that firefighters do a lot after hours, for which they really are not paid!

Taxpayers need to remember that "Tax" in and of itself is not a bad word. Sometimes it mean that you're paying the wages of someone who is going to do a [yukky] job, that desperately needs to be done, but you don't want to do. Other "tax" goes to paying for desperately needed equipment needed to do the job.

The one time I borrowed a friend's (newly painted) airplane to spot one of our wildfires for a few hours instead of using my own, I got too close, still a thousand feet up, and splattered it with ash! Fortunately, no damage, it all washed off. But on that fire, my spotting saved a pumper and four crew, who would have been caught if I hadn't called them to leave that area urgently.

[Tbayer2021]

Firecrews.

Yellowknife, Kelowna, Shuswap…….and probably a ton more places this year in Canada.

Thank YOU to our firebomber crews….and our firefighters. Always answering the call.

You guys totally, friggin ROCK! Heroes.

Well done. (I hope this year — my wife’s families house made it through, and they are back home)

Well said and totally correct. Going way back several decades ago and my PBY-5A aka Canso days, 8000lbs of water, trying to be strategic where to unload. The early morning departures, flames jumping across tree tops. One engine failure, other precautionary shutdowns, a dump door stuck down . A very serious runaround cable snap, both Captains rudder pedals fell to the floor, one float that wouldn’t come up. Ears ringing constant full power(R-1830-92 P&W, off the water, arm the dump system, check hydraulics, back to METO power. Those were some of the days…. and of course made time for beer bash.

Can't imagine the number of stories you must have. The Catalina/Canso has always been one of my favorite designs.

[Old fella]

Firecrews.

Yellowknife, Kelowna, Shuswap…….and probably a ton more places this year in Canada.

Thank YOU to our firebomber crews….and our firefighters. Always answering the call.

You guys totally, friggin ROCK! Heroes.

Well done. (I hope this year — my wife’s families house made it through, and they are back home)

Well said and totally correct. Going way back several decades ago and my PBY-5A aka Canso days, 8000lbs of water, trying to be strategic where to unload. The early morning departures, flames jumping across tree tops. One engine failure, other precautionary shutdowns, a dump door stuck down . A very serious runaround cable snap, both Captains rudder pedals fell to the floor, one float that wouldn’t come up. Ears ringing constant full power(R-1830-92 P&W, off the water, arm the dump system, check hydraulics, back to METO power. Those were some of the days…. and of course made time for beer bash.

Can't imagine the number of stories you must have. The Catalina/Canso has always been one of my favorite designs.

It was 45 yrs this year that I started as a green copilot, I had about 1000hrs mostly instructing time with a multi engine rating and float endorsement of course. I had a Senior Commercial licence, however Instrument rating wasn’t required for copilot as it was all VFR. Initial training was about 20 hrs , emphasis on water work , touch and go, water pickups and water stop, taxi and take-off- that was interesting for sure. There were emergency drills as per usual, the Canso was notorious for hydraulic issues, for example gear lowering manually. We went through that drill in the hanger. It was hard physical flying on operational fires, draining at times. I did it for 3 seasons and moved on.

I have a small bit of CL-215 time but not typed on it and no operational flying, just ferry for winter storage, those flights were considered training. I do have a few stories but won’t bore.

PS thanks Rookie for the thread, brings back fond memories in another life.

[rookiepilot]

Well said and totally correct. Going way back several decades ago and my PBY-5A aka Canso days, 8000lbs of water, trying to be strategic where to unload. The early morning departures, flames jumping across tree tops. One engine failure, other precautionary shutdowns, a dump door stuck down . A very serious runaround cable snap, both Captains rudder pedals fell to the floor, one float that wouldn’t come up. Ears ringing constant full power(R-1830-92 P&W, off the water, arm the dump system, check hydraulics, back to METO power. Those were some of the days…. and of course made time for beer bash.

Can't imagine the number of stories you must have. The Catalina/Canso has always been one of my favorite designs.

It was 45 yrs this year that I started as a green copilot, I had about 1000hrs mostly instructing time with a multi engine rating and float endorsement of course. I had a Senior Commercial licence, however Instrument rating wasn’t required for copilot as it was all VFR. Initial training was about 20 hrs , emphasis on water work , touch and go, water pickups and water stop, taxi and take-off- that was interesting for sure. There were emergency drills as per usual, the Canso was notorious for hydraulic issues, for example gear lowering manually. We went through that drill in the hanger. It was hard physical flying on operational fires, draining at times. I did it for 3 seasons and moved on.

I have a small bit of CL-215 time but not typed on it and no operational flying, just ferry for winter storage, those flights were considered training. I do have a few stories but won’t bore.

PS thanks Rookie for the thread, brings back fond memories in another life.

I recall encouraging CWE awhile back to write some of his stories. He’s a good story teller.

There’s a wonderful book here somewhere. A bunch of you guys could even each write a chapter, firebombing, Africa, up north in the Arctic, ferrying aircraft back in the day, it would sell itself.

[Blowin' In The Wind]

Well said and totally correct. Going way back several decades ago and my PBY-5A aka Canso days, 8000lbs of water, trying to be strategic where to unload. The early morning departures, flames jumping across tree tops. One engine failure, other precautionary shutdowns, a dump door stuck down . A very serious runaround cable snap, both Captains rudder pedals fell to the floor, one float that wouldn’t come up. Ears ringing constant full power(R-1830-92 P&W, off the water, arm the dump system, check hydraulics, back to METO power. Those were some of the days…. and of course made time for beer bash.

Can't imagine the number of stories you must have. The Catalina/Canso has always been one of my favorite designs.

It was 45 yrs this year that I started as a green copilot, I had about 1000hrs mostly instructing time with a multi engine rating and float endorsement of course. I had a Senior Commercial licence, however Instrument rating wasn’t required for copilot as it was all VFR. Initial training was about 20 hrs , emphasis on water work , touch and go, water pickups and water stop, taxi and take-off- that was interesting for sure. There were emergency drills as per usual, the Canso was notorious for hydraulic issues, for example gear lowering manually. We went through that drill in the hanger. It was hard physical flying on operational fires, draining at times. I did it for 3 seasons and moved on.

I have a small bit of CL-215 time but not typed on it and no operational flying, just ferry for winter storage, those flights were considered training. I do have a few stories but won’t bore.

PS thanks Rookie for the thread, brings back fond memories in another life.

If you wrote it, I’d certainly read it!

[Old fella]

Can't imagine the number of stories you must have. The Catalina/Canso has always been one of my favorite designs.

It was 45 yrs this year that I started as a green copilot, I had about 1000hrs mostly instructing time with a multi engine rating and float endorsement of course. I had a Senior Commercial licence, however Instrument rating wasn’t required for copilot as it was all VFR. Initial training was about 20 hrs , emphasis on water work , touch and go, water pickups and water stop, taxi and take-off- that was interesting for sure. There were emergency drills as per usual, the Canso was notorious for hydraulic issues, for example gear lowering manually. We went through that drill in the hanger. It was hard physical flying on operational fires, draining at times. I did it for 3 seasons and moved on.

I have a small bit of CL-215 time but not typed on it and no operational flying, just ferry for winter storage, those flights were considered training. I do have a few stories but won’t bore.

PS thanks Rookie for the thread, brings back fond memories in another life.

If you wrote it, I’d certainly read it!

Naw Blowin, it would be the ramblings of a three quarter century old fool long past. In my proceeding time('80s) dedicated to Air Ambulance , full 10 years of it actually, quoting Gord Lightfoot " If you could read my mind, what a tale my thoughts would tell....." A few stories there I can say

[iflyforpie]

Firecrews.

Yellowknife, Kelowna, Shuswap…….and probably a ton more places this year in Canada.

Thank YOU to our firebomber crews….and our firefighters. Always answering the call.

You guys totally, friggin ROCK! Heroes.

Well done. (I hope this year — my wife’s families house made it through, and they are back home)

Although we weren’t dispatched to those areas…

It’s a tough job. *extends a cold beer in salute*

TPC

Hahaha.. all of my friends and family think I'm a hero when most of my summer was spent in frivolous pursuits.

[TeePeeCreeper]

Firecrews.

Yellowknife, Kelowna, Shuswap…….and probably a ton more places this year in Canada.

Thank YOU to our firebomber crews….and our firefighters. Always answering the call.

You guys totally, friggin ROCK! Heroes.

Well done. (I hope this year — my wife’s families house made it through, and they are back home)

Although we weren’t dispatched to those areas…

It’s a tough job. *extends a cold beer in salute*

TPC

Hahaha.. all of my friends and family think I'm a hero when most of my summer was spent in frivolous pursuits.

Ah yes. Ample amounts of downtime spent drinking beer!

Not sure who you are flying for but in my case, 250 hrs of firebombing makes me long for those first snowflakes!

[mmm...bacon]

Although we weren’t dispatched to those areas…

It’s a tough job. *extends a cold beer in salute*

TPC

Hahaha.. all of my friends and family think I'm a hero when most of my summer was spent in frivolous pursuits.

Ah yes. Ample amounts of downtime spent drinking beer!

Not sure who you are flying for but in my case, 250 hrs of firebombing makes me long for those first snowflakes!

It says right in his handle who he flies for…Pie..

[iflyforpie]

Although we weren’t dispatched to those areas…

It’s a tough job. *extends a cold beer in salute*

TPC

Hahaha.. all of my friends and family think I'm a hero when most of my summer was spent in frivolous pursuits.

Ah yes. Ample amounts of downtime spent drinking beer!

Not sure who you are flying for but in my case, 250 hrs of firebombing makes me long for those first snowflakes!

180 hours or so.. but only 100 day contract. Long term machines seemed to get the most work this year as well as anyone in Northern Alberta.