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An inside look at Cal Fire’s newest airtankers for fighting wildfires Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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CUMMINGS GOT AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE NEW C-130 PLANES. >> WE’RE INTO IT’S NO LONGER NEW NORMAL, THIS IS THE NORMAL. FIRES WITH OVER 100,000 ACRES IS UNFORTUNATELY COMMON. BRANDI: WE’VE WATCHED THEM PLAY OUT. FIRES RAGING. SMOKE BILLOWING MILES IN THE AIR. CAL FIRE DROPPING FIRE RETARDANT. FIGHTING FIRES IS GETTING FASTER, THANKS TO THESE NEW C-130’S. >> THIS IS ACTUALLY GROUNDBREAKING NOT ONLY FOR CAL FIRE BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR THE CITIZENS OF CALIFORNIA. BRANDI: IT’S SO LEADING-EDGE BECAUSE AS CAL FIRE DEPUTY DIRECTOR MIKE MOHLER EXPLAINS CAL FIRE IS NOW THE ONLY FIRE DEPARTMENT AVIATION FLEET IN THE WORLD WITH ITS OWN GROUP OF LARGE AIR TANKERS. >> IT’S GOING TO BE SEEN WORLDWIDE OF WHAT WE’RE DOING HERE WILL POSSIBLY BE MODELED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. BRANDI: THESE PLANES ARE A LOT MORE ELABORATE THAN THE ONES CURRENTLY IN USE NOW. THAT MEANS MORE JOBS TO THE STATE. THIS PLANE TAKES A THREE-PERSON CREW INSTEAD OF THE ONE THAT’S BEING USED NOW. AND TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE, THE S2T’S CURRENTLY IN USE CAN CARRY UP TO 1200 GALLONS OF FIRE RETARDANT. THE SEVEN NEW C130’S CAN EACH CARRY 4000 GALLONS. >> RETARDANT IS DROPPED IN FRONT OF THE FIRE. THE FIRE BURNS UP TO THE RETARDANT AND IT SLOWS IT DOWN. BRANDI: BUT THERE’S STILL WORK TO BE DONE. >> THERE HAS TO BE MODIFICATIONS ON THESE AIRCRAFT. WE CHANGE OUT SOME OF WHAT WE CALL THE WING BOXES. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IF S THE TYPE OF DELIVERY RETARDANT SYSTEM. BRANDI: AND PILOTS HAVE TO BE TRAINED. WE WERE THERE AS PILOT JIMMY FERREIRA AND A FLIGHT ENGINEER WENT THROUGH A FLIGHT CHECK. >> THIS IS JUST THE START AND WE’RE JUST GOING TO KEEP TRAINING PEOPLE SO WE CAN HAVE A FULL FORCE OF PILOTS FOR THIS AIRCRAFT AND MAINTAIN OUR FORCE IN THE S2. BRANDI: ONCE USED BY THE MILITARY, THESE WINGS HAVE A NEW PURPOSE THAT COULD ONE DAY SAVE LIVES AND PROP