Fixed wing Water Bombers

[Nafenn]

if i had the money i would buy one of the Oz Jet 737's and convert it to a wather bomber fire fighter, i reckon it would be the best thing for WA

Big is not always better. Slow reload times, limited use in urban interface areas (they dont used the fixed wings near built up areas even) etc.. The helicopters are alot more flexible.

The next problem would be whether the government would give out the money to be able to operate the aircraft, as in the past in other states aircraft have been privately owned and the government has refused to operate them as it would be too expensive.

[fire&rescuetraining]

if i had the money i would buy one of the Oz Jet 737's and convert it to a wather bomber fire fighter, i reckon it would be the best thing for WA

Big is not always better. Slow reload times, limited use in urban interface areas (they dont used the fixed wings near built up areas even) etc.. The helicopters are alot more flexible.

Agree with fastlane' comments. I must however say that I, as incident control, have ordered drops by fixed wing on houses in built up areas a few times over the years. Sometimes if it is all you have and you want to stop it spreading to other houses...... there is always an exception in this line of work!

[Fastlane]

Agree with fastlane' comments. I must however say that I, as incident control, have ordered drops by fixed wing on houses in built up areas a few times over the years. Sometimes if it is all you have and you want to stop it spreading to other houses...... there is always an exception in this line of work!

indeed.. however for some reason they dont like it much, since one 'dropped in' un-announced in Maddington several years ago.

[WPXZBP]

I've updated the "One Stop Shop" to reflect the aircraft info. If you have a correction please PM me to have it fixed.

[newbie]

Fixed wings are DEC operated so in the past they were used by FESA on request to DEC, you'll find they don't use fixed wings in the built up areas as much now days simply because now FESA has the Helitacks so it is simpler and quicker for them to get the Helitacks (as well as better for smaller fires)

[offroada99]

These two were in Geraldton last week.

Managed to get these pictures while they where filling

and they were both in Bunbury yesterday. I remember the numbers while filling them. Here a pic I took of two others refueling after we filled them. Over the course of the day the avgas at Bunbury Airport ran out so they were being filled from drums on the truck till the tanker arrived later in the afternoon.

Skippers Aviation (in the background, behind the aircraft) ???

[WPXZBP]

Nope - Dunn Aviation. They have the 2010-2011 contract for the fixed wing aircraft.