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For
safety reason, a "fire chief" is in charge of leading
and combining air and ground forces on the spot. During each intervention
crews are also concerned about safety. First of all they have to
evaluate the priority of their targets. They will give greater importance
to rescue a group of firemen surrounded by fire or to protect remoted
houses or even threatened towns. In these kind of situations it
has already occured that natural protected areas were claimed by
the flames. As a result the Sécurité Civile brought
down the media's wrath upon itself. However, if 4 Canadairs are
able to put a fire out, two are not enough to fight efficiently
against it. It will be a waste of time to divide the group of 4
planes.
Pilots
told us about the ideal fire fighting : In Corsica, where high-risk
areas are not far from the coasts. The various steps, i.e.; scooping
/ dropping, can take place in 4 minutes. You can imagine 4 aircrafts
, 6 tons of water available every minute during 4 hours. The
scooping … is proof of the judiscious conception of CL-215
and CL-415. Their particularity is that their tanks can be filled
up while the aircraft is hydroplanning. This latter comes in contact
with water, ingests in 10 seconds and on a bit more than 600 meters,
6000 litres of water. Between approaching and flying away; 1300
meters are enough. This is the theory, but in reality it is a bit
more complicated!
Fires hardly develop by quiet weather.
Pilots have to consider the lap, the waves and the swell (well-known
by sailors) and of course the wind. The aircraft can land on the
sea when waves are 1.80 meters high. All these combined parameters
can make landing become hard. Sometimes they have to go back to
the base with a broken float. Bad weather conditions are not only
a problem when the aircraft is scooping , they can make other stages
rather difficult. Most of the
time Canadairs are used in mountainous areas more exposed to the
wind. This latter can make the fire burn up. In these conditions
dropping become a real sport. Pilots knowledge and capacities to
adapt to the area are then really important to act in the safetier
manner as possible. Indeed pilots proceed to the dropping at only
30 meters from the ground. Under this altitude, the strength of
water will destroy everything. Some firemen (we seize this opportunity
to salute their courage and devotion) actually died in such conditions.
Above this altitude, the wind and blazing fire would prevent water
molecules to reach the ground. |
However,
it is really dangerous to fly so low, even if pilots do not admit
it. Air movement between the mountains could make a plane of 20
tons crash. In this kind of situation, it is not sufficient to pull
the stick as the plane is attracted by the hill side. The solution
is to increase speed to avoid such a situation, and to follow the
valley. The problem is that these latter are often very short…
The older have
transmitted their know-how to the youngest. They are able to know
each areas they have to keep in all details. According to weather
conditions, they know which way is better to take. Each mission
is different, but working in patrols assures safety and efficient
actions. Those who were used to fly on CL-215 feel now a bit nostalgia
for the past formula, one pilot, and one flight engineer. Indeed
this latter was more précised as he used to know the aircraft
by heart, whereas the pilot was only in charge of piloting. Today
the co-pilot doesn't have the capacity to read all the information
as the flight engineer used to have. He rather intends to look outside,
as the pilot he was ! However his role is essential, even if it
is different from the engineer's one, he has to make flying efficient
and safe. Missions are
particularly difficult. Pilots have to consider a lot of risks.
Their success depends on the cooperation between each member of
the crew. Even if these
former fighter pilots are now flying on huge end slow aircraft which
rather look like a boat, being appointed within the French Sécurité
Civile is a coveted career. Chosen among the best ones, they have
to learn a new job from the beginning. They find a new lease of life
leading them to expect intense moments of flying in rather "manly"
conditions. Caution and
wisdom remain the main qualities to be pilot on Canadair. Instinct
and fire experience will guarantee their efficiency. Our hosts love flying. Their humility and their wisdom will the two points we have learnt from this meeting.
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