Seen on the street in Kyiv.

Words of Advice:

"If Something Seems To Be Too Good To Be True, It's Best To Shoot It, Just In Case." -- Fiona Glenanne

“The Mob takes the Fifth. If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?” -- The TOFF *

"Foreign Relations Boil Down to Two Things: Talking With People or Killing Them." -- Unknown

“Speed is a poor substitute for accuracy.” -- Real, no-shit, fortune from a fortune cookie

"If you believe that you are talking to G-d, you can justify anything.” — my Dad

"Colt .45s; putting bad guys in the ground since 1873." -- Unknown

"Stay Strapped or Get Clapped." -- probably not Mr. Rogers

"The Dildo of Karma rarely comes lubed." -- Unknown

"Eck!" -- George the Cat

* "TOFF" = Treasonous Orange Fat Fuck, A/K/A Dolt-45,
A/K/A Commandante (or Cadet) Bone Spurs,
A/K/A El Caudillo de Mar-a-Lago, A/K/A the Asset., A/K/A P01135809

Sunday, September 3, 2017

Your Sunday Morning Turboprop Noise

CL-415s refilling their water tanks:


The video title says "idiot boaters", but unless they changed the COLREGS since my day, seaplanes have the right-of-way over nothing.
Posted by on or about 06:30
Labels: ,

8 comments:

LRod said...

Trying to figure out who the "idiot boaters" are.

That's a big fookin' lake. What's the problem?

(L)Rod
ZJX, ORD, ZAU retired

9/03/2017 12:21 PM
dinthebeast said...

The firefighters have been using repurposed P2V Neptunes (they retire them next year),a smattering of mid-sized prop and jet powered tankers, including a new-ish C-130, a pair of DC-9's and as of today they are flying two DC-10's and the 747 supertanker. And the sky-crane helicopter with a siphon for picking up water from sources close to the fires.
This is all very interesting, but not that comforting to my friend Zsuzs as the Railroad Fire bears down on her house near Yosemite.

Here's a Juan Browne video talking about the air tankers in use from the Chico Air Attack Base that explains them way better than I can:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYh-pSBr79w&t=331s

-Doug in Oakland

9/03/2017 2:57 PM
Anonymous said...

LRod, the bay they're scooping from has steep sides. Each bomber will pick up 3 tons or more of water (6 tons if the fuel tanks are close to empty). Once loaded the bombers cannot climb over those hills, they have to fly down the channel on the left as they accelerate and climb. There is also the time factor, fire-fighting is a race against the clock and the fuel gauges. Longer circuits between the water and the fire mean less drops.

Comrade I'm not sure what COLREGS are but I do know that in Canada water bombers have the right of way over all powered craft, boats under sail are given more leeway but are supposed to "endeavour" to get out of the way. You wouldn't get in the way of a firetruck, right? The same principle applies.

Al_in_Ottawa

9/03/2017 3:36 PM
Comrade Misfit said...

Al, they are the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Seat. Seaplanes are at the bottom of the pecking order.

9/03/2017 6:57 PM
Anonymous said...

The key words there are 'International' and 'at Sea'. I'm not sure what the rules are in Croatia but in Canada, while the floatplane is taxiing it is a power boat and the normal right of way rules apply. When the floatplane is on the step taking off or landing it has right of way. There are also designated 'water aerodromes' where boats and windsurfers are not allowed. I believe the laws are similar in the USA.

Have you thought of getting your floatplane endorsement to your private licence?

Al_in_Ottawa

9/03/2017 8:34 PM
CenterPuke88 said...

Al, the COLREGS are to be applied in a similar manner in both international and domestic waters. Countries model their domestic laws after the COLREGS simply because it could be catastrophic to have differing laws/rules in nearby bodies of water. Generally, a seaplane is the "same" as a power boat, despite less ability to maneuver. In the U.S., FAR 91.115 makes it clear that the responsibility to avoid boats is on the pilot. Canada's rules appear the same, and I've found no reference to a "right-of-way" for being on the step. That being said, if an area or body of water is designated as a water aerodrome, the aircraft appear to have the right of way.

The COLREGS, in general, place the burden on the seaplane, until it maneuvering on the water as a powered vessel, at which point standard rules apply.

9/05/2017 10:45 AM
jon spencer said...

One of our SOP's was to have Law Enforcement and their boats on scene and to keep the area clear for aircraft operation.

9/05/2017 8:50 PM
BadTux said...

There's right-of-way, and then there's the right way. Interfering with water bombers who are trying to put out fires is not right regardless of what laws and regulations say you can legally do.

It's like going around calling people the N-word and throwing Hitler salutes and stuff like that. Sure, you have a legal right to do that kinda crap. But you're an asshole if you do it. What's legal, and what's right, are two different things altogether. One is about law, and the other about morality.

9/07/2017 7:25 PM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)