ScanDiego.com

Just heard they're ordering the DC-10 tanker for the Horse fire. It can drop 18,000 gallons of retardent at a time. It's going to be used on the south rim of Hauser Canyon.

Did the DC10 ever come in? I heard they had ordered it, but never heard if it showed up.

Yes, it made a drop this morning. It came back this afternoon, but there seemed to be some problem with it dropping on CNF land, and I'm not sure if it actually made a drop. I couldn't tell for sure by listening to the radio traffic.

according to cdf, the pilot had a personal emergency and was forced to bail after the first drop. the tanker should be back tomorrow.

Thanks guys. Yeah I read in the paper today that he had some type of family emergency. I'm going to drive out today and see if I can get any pics. I heard that the heli base is now off of Buckman Springs.

According to the news last night, the only bad thing about the DC-10 is that Ramona's airport is not big enough (runway long enough) so it has to fly to San Bernardino to reload & refuel. It only takes 8 minutes to reload with whatever, but the commute round trip must be about an hour.

This might be a good example of why a second large airport in San Diego would be a good thing. Perhaps one of the retired NWA DC-10's can be purchased, outfitted, and based in San Diego.

Most type 1 tankers like the, (P3, DC7 & C-130) at 3,000 gallons have to refill at larger airports. The Converted DC-10 Tanker 910 is currently based at
Southern California Logistics Airport (SCIA)(Formerly George Air Force Base)
CDF has ordered the tanker three times.
On its debut, Tanker 910 was called to San Bernardino on the Heart-Millard Complex fire, CDF paid about $50,000 for the two 12,000 gallon passes on the fire. On Monday it fought fire in Central California on the Rico Fire? Three runs. And on Tuesday it was back at work on the Horse fire with two passes CDF is using it right now for large-line building against the advancing head of the fires, The tanker can lay down a longer and thicker line. In one pass it can lay down the same amount of retardant that a S2T can in 10 drops. That’s not to say that the DC10 can do the same kind of work that the S2T can do. So if it’s a big fire tanker 910 might get the call, But the question remains whether the tanker is worth the cost. The CDF is still doing a cost-benefit analysis, Tanker 910's competitor, an Arizona-based 747 called the Evergreen Supertanker, has a 24,000-gallon tank, but it is in maintenance right now, and has not yet been used on a fire. And in other parts of the world they have the Martin Mars at 72,000 gallons.

Steele