Stead Air Attack

[Leo]

With all the fires north of Reno, it's busy days at Stead. This was Sunday. There were 3 Bae's, 4 SEATS, the P-2, a Chinook, a Skycrane, an HH-53 (?) and a Kaman working the fires. The fuelers and slurry crews were seriously humping! Word was 2 more P-2's, more Bae's and 2 C-130's were coming in Monday but I haven't been able to stop by. The burn stood at 40,000 acres this morning.

[Desertdawg]

Re: Stead Air Attack

[QUOTE=Leo;129230]With all the fires north of Reno, it's busy days at Stead. This was Sunday. There were 3 Bae's, 4 SEATS, the P-2, a Chinook, a Skycrane, an HH-53 (?) and a Kaman working the fires. The fuelers and slurry crews were seriously humping! Word was 2 more P-2's, more Bae's and 2 C-130's were coming in Monday but I haven't been able to stop by. The burn stood at 40,000 acres this morning.

Leo,

In watching KTVN news last night, they showed a retardant drop at Pyramid Lake and it looked like the jumbo DC10 air tanker.
I had to wonder were that was based at?

[Fence Sence]

Re: Stead Air Attack

I drove out to Pyramid Sunday morning and it looked like they had their hands full out at Sutcliffe. There was retardant everywhere including all over the "town". Fortunately there's not much more than sagebrush to burn out there and it looked like they saved all the structures.

[GregS]

Re: Stead Air Attack

If the DC-10 said "10 Tanker" on it, they're based out of Albuquerque during winter anyway.

[GRNDP51]

Re: Stead Air Attack

Up in SOCal we had the Sand Fire burning about a week and a half ago and a lot of those planes were up here (wonder if they're the same ones). The P-2 is AWESOME! Easily the best sounding of them all, makes me think of the BEARRRR

And the DC-10's were out here too, what I understand is they are based out of Victorville and McClellan since those are the only 2 airbases which can service them. Those are pretty cool to see as well

[Leo]

Re: Stead Air Attack

McClellan makes sense for Reno.
I don't think Stead has the facilities to service it.

[badman]

Re: Stead Air Attack

I've seen the DC-10(s) flying out of McClellan recently - like the last 2 weeks or so. Never was close enough to see the numbers on them to know if it's just one I see repeatedly or two different ones?

[Leo]

Re: Stead Air Attack

Biggest I've seen at Stead are the P-2's, the Bae's and last year the MD's. Back a while they had DC-4's flying out of here also. I know that Friday the P-2 was using every inch of the runway for a takeoff in the evening and it was empty, headed for Battle Mountain area. Density altitude was over 10,000 feet.
You have to hand it to those guys. Hot, smoky and right now, verrrry long hours for the ground support.

[Fence Sence]

Re: Stead Air Attack

There was also an AW-138 with a bucket out at Pyramid. I had my wife try to get a pic.

[Race5]

Re: Stead Air Attack

I've seen the DC-10(s) flying out of McClellan recently - like the last 2 weeks or so. Never was close enough to see the numbers on them to know if it's just one I see repeatedly or two different ones?

There are three DC-10 tankers, all operated by 10 Tanker Inc. They are tail numbers 910, 911 and 912. 912 had a ground prang recently and may not be back in service yet.

[ChrisMX105]

Re: Stead Air Attack

Close to 20 yrs ago I was fuelboy at Stead during a fire near Verdi, DC-7, DC-6, DC4, P2V(Multiple) P3, C-130, S2(With Recips) PB4Y. It was beyond epic.........Sold 35k Avgas and 15k Jet-A in 2 days.

Best part was getting to hang out in a DC-6 while they were taxiing to a maintenance pad.

On a side note DC-4 Tanker 65 is now sitting in Wendover.