| We have used many types of aircraft to fight | | | | costly too, but if you had the right pilot, it could |
| fires; helicopters, WII vintage Aircraft and now | | | | work. Proof of concept would be most fascinating |
| we are going to try a 747, that's right a Jumbo | | | | and of course a way to slow down the aircraft to |
| Jet? Wow, that will be something. And definitely | | | | approximately 110 knots would also be quite good, |
| something Airbus will not try with their new A380 | | | | all this can actually be done by way of |
| wing tip vortices "trench digger" as the wingtips | | | | modification. And think of how many of these |
| hang past the width of the runway. We have | | | | planes are parked in the desert in Tucson, you |
| seen in the news and aviation journals lately that | | | | could probably extinguish a whole volcano? If you |
| they will use Schlumberger 747s to do this? This | | | | could only fly thru the ash without having all four |
| article piqued not only my curiosita, but also many | | | | engines quit? |
| other aviator types. This is a most interesting | | | | Once you put these things in a 747 capable of |
| ideas submitted by Schlumberger. Using 747's | | | | flying itself with Zero/Zero visibility you could in |
| which could certainly haul the loads and with the | | | | fact have yourself a giant firefighting UAV, |
| flaps and slats down a heavy could in fact slow to | | | | robotic, gigantic aircraft. Robotics are coming very |
| 190 knots release 1/3 the load and come back | | | | fast and today Aircraft can practically fly |
| twice more and do so safely. And talk about a | | | | themselves in zero/zero visibility. Fly right thru the |
| payload, more than a B-52. Now that would in | | | | smoke. The fact is as things get better and |
| fact be interesting to watch and a lot safer than | | | | better and we are able to align satellites with |
| a WWII vintage B-17, which would need nearly | | | | lasers, and get better accuracy soon you can |
| 100 passes to do the same. | | | | count on a perfect landing, no need for pilots. |
| It might take a while to fill up the 747, like 4 | | | | Auto mated fire aerial Jumbo Jet Fire Fighting; Film |
| hours and you would have to be dead center on | | | | at 11:00. It is fully possible to add some of the |
| the fire, but one drop in front of a fire and no | | | | latest technology into our aircraft fire fighting |
| fuel would be burnable that direction. Of course | | | | efforts. Sounds like science fiction, but it will not |
| there are environmental issues with that much | | | | be long now; Think about it? |
| material. If you miss, it would be a big deal and | | | | |
