Beriev Be-200.
This one is serving as a water-bomber for firefighting.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
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4 comments:
Nice flying to keep it exactly on the step and still get the water!
Purpose built as a water bomber, unlike the various ragtag old planes that we fly here in the USA. Would make sense to buy a bunch of them for handling all these wildfires we're having out here in the West, but ain't happenin'. Russia, y'know. Not Invented Here. And so forth.
They could buy some CL-215Ts, but the same "not made in 'Murrica" issue exists.
The Be-200 will hold twice as much water as the Bombardier 415 (the CL-215T you were referring to). But something has to be done because the rag-tag collection of antiques that they're using for water bombing here in California are grounded more often than they're flyable. The only water bomber that Cal-Fire has with the capacity of the Be-200 is a 40 year old DC-10. It can't use rugged airstrips, it can't refill from lakes, and otherwise is nowhere near as capable as a purpose-built water bomber.
I suppose part of the problem is funding. Cal-Fire basically has been "gifted" with most of their aircraft after their service life was over with the military or after being phased out for civilian use due to noise and fuel economy issues (the DC-10). Buying a new fleet of water bombers would cost money that could be used to buy another F-35. Guess we need that single F-35 more than we need that fleet of water bombers that, like, are actually flyable most of the time. SIGH!
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