CAL FIRE
Fresno Hemet-Ryan
McClellan
McClellan 2010
Porterville
Ramona
CAL
FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) -
Formerly California Department of Forestry (CDF)
Hemet-Ryan Air Attack
and Helitack
Base
May 14, 2009
Assigned Turbo
Tracker S-2T Tanker: 72, 73
Assigned OV-10A Bronco: 310
Assigned UH-1H Huey: 301
S-2T Tankers on site: 75, 80
OV-10A Broncos on site: 310
UH-1H Hueys on site: 301
This was the first CAL FIRE location I
stopped at on my trip to California in May of 2009. Just as I was
arriving the Huey and Bronco started up and departed. After they
returned 30 minutes later and everything was put away and made ready for
the next call, I was able to go on a 45 minute tour of the facility,
which as you can see from the photos below included being able get in
the one of the Trackers and the Huey. I was also able to go up in
the tower and take some nice aerial shots of the aircraft from this
location.
Taxiing out for the call that came in just
as I arrived.
After engine stop on the return.
The Huey returning. These photos were
taken from the viewing area CAL FIRE has set up at the perimeter of the
ramp.
Note the apparatus under the Huey.
This is a special snorkel, pump and tank for sucking water out of rivers
and lakes to spread on a fire. This is one of two Hueys that has
this system rather than using buckets to obtain water and then drop on
fires. This is due the the dense population in this area and is
used for safety reasons.
The cockpit of Tanker 80.
This Huey is used as a training device.
Note the rubber snorkel and the pump at the
end of it. This will dropped down to suck up water to be stored in
the the tank.
The front of the tank with the water line
coming in. The tank has doors on it that open to drop the water on
a fire.
CAL FIRE
Fresno Hemet-Ryan
McClellan
McClellan 2010
Porterville
Ramona
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