Where the heck did Stampy go??

[Stampy]

Brothers & Sisters

Well It has been a busy few weeks, with no time to do anything wood related or this forum for that matter.

Every spring see's me returning to my real job of flying waterbombers in central Canada.

For the last 3 weeks I have been undergoing my yearly training, testing and generaly getting the rust off from a winter of not being at the controls of a 40,000 pound airplane.

I do have a couple of weeks off now before fire season kicks in but I doubt that I will be taking on any wood projects of any size while at home. Maybe a couple of cutting boards for gifts to some of the great mom's I know.

Any way just stopped in to say hi and see what was shaking in the forums.

Hope your all well and still have all your fingers.

Stampy

aka Scott

[mlehikoinen]

Now, THERE's a job! Nice!

[Texfire]

I'm one of those ground pounders hoping that you don't drop that red stuff on me. Seriously, never a better sight when you're losing a fire than a tanker making it's approach.

[mdoering]

As someone who grew up in Southern California, I remember watching these dropping red stuff or water on the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley. You Canadians being the nice folk you are had loaned us two or three of those planes back in the 90s... But I gotta tell you... Anytime I see planes that put out fires I always think of the movie "Always" lol

[Stampy]

I'm one of those ground pounders hoping that you don't drop that red stuff on me. Seriously, never a better sight when you're losing a fire than a tanker making it's approach.

No worries Tex, as we drop water not mud. But if you want 12,000 pounds of water delivered to your location just say the word.

I play an online game with a guy who used to be a smoke jumper in Montana. He had a Tanker drop a load of mud on him and his crew when they were pinned down by a runaway flank that climbed a mountain side to trap them. The load threw him into a snag and he broke his back. He was the only one to survive when a dozer driver risked his own life to try to get to the crew and almost ran right over him.

Quite a story.

Be carefull out there brother.

Stampy

[Stampy]

A pick from the birddog

[Texfire]

No worries Tex, as we drop water not mud. But if you want 12,000 pounds of water delivered to your location just say the word.

I play an online game with a guy who used to be a smoke jumper in Montana. He had a Tanker drop a load of mud on him and his crew when they were pinned down by a runaway flank that climbed a mountain side to trap them. The load threw him into a snag and he broke his back. He was the only one to survive when a dozer driver risked his own life to try to get to the crew and almost ran right over him.

Quite a story.

Be carefull out there brother.

Stampy

I'm a municipal firefighter, so most of my wildland is done from a structural protection task force, or a brush truck strike team. I have real respect for those who put boots on the ground and face the fire with nothing more than a Pulaski and chainsaw. I'd say that I don't take much risk at all, but just had a wreck this week where the vehicle I was driving at a fire was totalled when I had a close encounter with a local brush truck. Fortunately everyone walked away without injuries, but we all face some sort of risk in these situations. You keep safe and make sure you only have planned landings please.

[Stampy]

Roger that Tex.

A good friend of mine is on his way down to Del Rio to help with the brush fires in Mexico.

He flies the largest piston water bomber in the world.

Make sure you duck if you see this bad boy coming. It throws out 60,000 pound of water.

Stampy

[Texfire]

I thought that was called the Spruce Goose!

I just cleared the Wildcat fire near San Angelo and we had at least one Sky Crane working the same fire, along with a C-130 MAFFS and the DC-10 which carries a max payload of 12000 gallons. I didn't see any of it's drops, but I heard they were impressive.

[Stampy]

Its called a Martin Mars. I think it competed for the same contract that the Spruce Goose was going for.

The wing on the Mars has a gangway down to the engines so they can be serviced in flight. Very cool.

[jHop]

But I gotta tell you... Anytime I see planes that put out fires I always think of the movie "Always" lol

Ditto.

And as a spouse of a paramedic who is on the corporate Disaster Response team, I also want to add my thanks in. You guys make it safer for the next round of responders to arrive and get people back on their feet.

Quick question: how many hours a year do you need to get to keep your license? or is it pretty much given you'll get enough responding to an emergency?