Did you see that jet-liner drop on the Post Fire?  That DC-10 was one (if not THE) major component that made the effort of over 800 firefighters a success; keeping the over 1,300 acre blaze from becoming another Day Fire or Station Fire.  It may have been the key to saving Frazier Park.  No homes were lost.  The jet is owned and operated by a private enterprise called 10 Tanker Air located in Adelanto near Victorville.

10 Tanker Air's specially equipped DC-10 can carry 12,000 gallons of retardant, gel, foam, or water in its constant flow external tank system. It is able to drop its load in a swath 3/4 of a nautical mile long and 50 foot wide at a coverage level specified by firefighters on the ground.  CEO Rick Hatton says this is over and above what 6 - 10 more traditional fire aircraft can do because it is delivered all at once without overlaps and ciritical time lost to repeated landing and refilling while the fire continues to grow in between drops.

On the Post Fire, 10 Tanker Air was able to deliver 60,000 gallons of retardant in 5 drops.  The jet was able to "hop" over to George AFB in Victorville, reload / refuel within 15 minutes and return for another massive delivery within 1 hour total.  The tanker is able to drop more than any aircraft currently on the planet.  "Its a game changer" said Hatton.

Many were surprised to see the large jet maneuver into line behind its lead plane.  Rick Hatton, a former Marine Corps pilot, says "Size has nothing to do with maneuverability."  Citing the planes ability to bank in at 45 degrees, he said many fire agencies were skeptical initially too.  After 355 missions on 50 fires in 4 years, demand for 10 Tanker Air is now international.  Their DC-10 helped fight a major fire in south Australia.

California spends 10 million a year for an exclusive contract with Hatton's company for our fire season from mid June to mid October.  One of 2 DC-10's remain on-call with an accompanying lead plane for the state during that time.  That's money well spent.  I wish that were so for all of our state budget items.

DC-10 on the Post Fire

Video: Fire Departrment Network News

Click here to visit the 10 Tanker Air Carrier website.