FIRE BOMBERS GROUNDED

Air Classics, Nov 2004 by O'Leary, Michael

Bureaucratic boondoggle continues

On 12 August, the US Forest Service stated that it could not guarantee the safety of one-third of its heavy fire fighting tankers and would ground the entire fleet this season. In announcing the Department of Interior's decision to keep the tankers on the ground, Undersecretaries Mark Rey and Rebecca Watson said they did not have enough information about the planes to allow them back in the air (also, since they have no experience with or knowledge of, such aircraft one has to wonder what their judgments are really worth).

Lockheea Martin is expected to conduct an engineering analysis on the tankers to determine their airworthiness. A spokesman said the $500,000 study could take up to four months. Only then, long after the end of the western United States' fire season, will the Forest Season re-examine whether to allow the tankers back in the air.

At the same time, the agency said it would allow two P-2 Heptanes to return to service on an experimental basis. Jhe aircraft will submit to added inspections, will be outfitted with real-time safety monitoring devices and will not be allowed over populated areas, Key stated.

In July, seven Lockheed P-3 Orions operated by Aero Union, Chico, California, were cleared for service.