Fascinating video of an air drop of retardent on the "Rim Fire" in Yosemite. (6:51 min vid)

[A HERETIC I AM]

Cockpit view of the Rim Fire, approach, turn on final and drop, being guided by a spotter plane flying ahead, though I could not find out what type and he is too far out front to make out. The audio is interesting as well, conversation between the pilot and the spotter plane driver as well as other controllers, etc.

This is a "MAFFS" or Modular Airborne Firefighting System mounted in a C-130 Hercules from the 146AW of the Channel Islands National Guard.

The turn on final and drop starts at the 4:00 mark, if you want to skip ahead, but mind that this is entirely out the cockpit window footage. Also be warned that a ground proximity warning repeats ad nauseum (!) saying "Landing Gear" repeatedly because the aircraft is close to the ground, going slowly and the pilot has not extended the gear. The on-board computer is just trying to remind him he may have forgotten something!

If you are interested in this type of video then I highly recommend viewing this on YouTube then clicking the uploaders profile and looking at his other, similar videos.

If you are an aviation enthusiast you may be interested in this website I found that has aviation news, photos and videos relating to private, commercial and military aviation that provided me the link to this video. Somewhere on their website I was able to sign up for their weekly Email subscription, (but for the life of me, I can't find a link for that to give you!!!). Edit: DOH! Here it is

http://flightaware.com/

[petronius]

1. Absolutely fascinating, thanks for posting... (nt)

[A HERETIC I AM]

2. No prob, man!

[Poll_Blind]

3. That was...intensely interesting to watch. Thank you! nt

PB

[A HERETIC I AM]

4. Glad you liked it. It was cool, wasn't it? n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. The scouts deploy the smoke the VLATs and other bombers

Use as marker. Watching this ground side is always fascinating. Not surprised MAFS is being used at Rim

[SalviaBlue]

6. Wow!

I've been seeing those planes going out of FYI. That is facinating and scary (landing gear, landing gear). Its really smokey in Fresno today.

You post the best videos!! Thanks.

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. Thanks for the compliment.

I don't mean to be posting the best videos!!! LOL....I just stumbled across a couple recently that I thought the community would enjoy.

I have been all through Central Cal and up into the mountains as well as through Fresno dozens of times. I can imagine the smoke. You have my sympathies.

BTW, here's what I post when I put effort into it!;


http://www.democraticunderground.com/115725947

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1157&pid=20926

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1157&pid=21425

http://www.democraticunderground.com/115725947

And my most recent;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1157&pid=29945

[IDemo]

8. Smoke plane roaring over my house as I watched this video

NIFC, the National InterAgency Fire Center has been busy this afternoon. I saw a pyrocumulus cloud (similar to the one pictured below) on the horizon as I left work an hour ago. Very impressive.