US firefighting agencies have unveiled plans to sign deals worth $66 million to replace 33 multi-engine airtankers with 119 smaller aircraft - but the disposal of the large airtanker fleet on the eve of the wildland fire season has angered lawmakers.
"We all know what's going to happen in the next few months," says Senator John McCain, referring to the annual summer explosion of wildland fires across the western states. "At the same time, an extremely valuable asset has been taken from the inventory."
But a top federal official has defended the 11 May decision by the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to cancel the seasonal contracts for large airtankers, which include mainly Lockheed P-2 Neptunes, Lockheed P-3A Orions and Douglas DC-7s.
"The smaller aircraft and helicopters provide increased flexibility in their use than large tankers," says US Department of Agriculture under-secretary for natural resources and environment Mark Rey.
Since the 11 May decision, the US Forest Service - which Rey oversees - and the Bureau of Land Management have added two Bombardier CL-215s, 46 single-engine airtankers and 71 medium- and heavy-lift helicopters, raising the total airtanker fleet to more than 700 aircraft this summer.
Source: Flight International
