"True Heroes"

..is the best way to describe the men and women who fly in the legions of wildfire suppression "fire-bomber squadrons" located across the country. Waging their constant battle with nature to protect our valuable resources, the pilots of these tankers risk everything on every mission. There is no "easy time" when they are in the air.

This image, taken during the afternoon of June 22, 2001, shows the crew of Tanker 160 laboring off the hot and windy runway at the Reno-Stead Airport during the first day of the 2001 Reno National Championship Air Races Pylon Training School.

Deft timing by the race pilots, the Air Boss and the tanker crews keeps things running smoothly during race operations when, it seems, there is always a fire to be fought. Deft hands at the controls of the tankers keeps things running smoothly on-board these fire bombers.

The angle of this photograph belies the actual height above ground of Tanker 160. Straining against Stead's already high altitude, made worse by normally very high density altitudes during the hot fire season, these heavily loaded airplanes are never eager to leave the runway. You simply have to be good to do this job.

Having a set of very large "one's" does not hurt either.

Our hats are off to the fire bomber pilots and crews of the Reno-Stead Airport!

Photo © 2001 Wayne Sagar -all rights reserved-

Former Pictures of the Week

06-11-01 "Jet Racin' Reno Style" CLICK HERE	06-18-01 "Reno Blackjack" CLICK HERE	06-25-01 "Need For Speed" CLICK HERE