Gap Fire photos online...

[flightlevel1951]

...no, I am not trying to sell photos. In fact, they're already sold to Pro Pilot, and they'll be published in either the October or November issue. But I am curious about one thing: Since this article is aimed squarely at both the readers/members of this forum, as well as at Those Whose Wings Don't Move, which would you pick?

The article will cover the operational and maintenance as well as logistical issues of a major wildfire incident, from the viewpoint of rotary-winged operations.

They're at www.amundsen-staats.com/fire (http://www.amundsen-staats.com/fire)

...and no, you can't buy them.

[allyn]

...but I didn't understand your question...

It's really amazing how big the wildland firefighting effort is now....and every year it seems to hit California like bad weather...

[S.M.S]

Great pictures.... :D:D:D:D

[KrisRamJ]

I'd pick one 3 or so of the S-64, especially one of it coning like crazy and creating tip vortices on the blades, they're awesome & would be suitable for a Vertical magazine poster IMO. I rather liked the Sheriff AStar with the bambi bucket too (1197). Cobra with the FLIR is cool too, I take it that's a spotter or something, they could write a bit about that. The distant shots in the haze would make a nice title page for an article, the S-64 sunset shots would make a nice closing image. Obvious choices I guess but I'm a pilot, not an editor!

[MikeNYC]

On the topic of fire photos, here are images from the Zaca Lake fire last year taken by my boss:

Zaca Lake Fire (http://vincentlaforet.com/Zaca)

All were shot from a 206B3 and a 206L3 over two days.

Enjoy!

[brushfire21]

It was a nice surprise to see Rialto L67 in the pics! Gonna miss that little airport when it closes sometime in the next few years. Seeing the airport brings back some nice memories of Western Heli, Mercy and San Berdoo S.O. ships.

[flightlevel1951]

...yeah that's SBSD George Karcher in the USFS Huey and BJ Meeker in the AStar. Meeker upgraded from paramedic to pilot in the last year or two. I think, but am not sure, that Rialto may close to fixed wing but the SBSD may keep their facility open due to proximity to Prado and the CDC Hotshot crews...

[flightlevel1951]

...and I wish that Pro Pilot had the budget that National Geographic has, but they don't, so we didn't rent a 206B3/L3 for a couple days, much less bring along an aerial photo technician to hand us lenses and memory cards. We walked a lot... ...but we did spend about a half hour's worth of the money we'd have to spend for that 206 time on a great dinner (and three very good bottles of wine) with 744s maintenance crew. Now THAT will make an interesting expense report.

And while Mr. Larforet's photos are pure genius and delight, Mr. Theissen's shots tell the real story. Helicopters don't fight fires, Mr. Misler. Pilots (and maintenance techs, and schedulers, and hotshot crews, and controllers, and logistics guys, and cooks and a host of others) do. That's what the pictures (and coincidentally, the story) is and are about.

I am, and always will be, one of the little guys, and proud of it. Thanks for reminding me.

[MikeNYC]

flightlevel1951,

I don't disagree with you and didn't mean to discount anyone else's hard work. I just wanted to share additional fire photos, and this looked like an applicable thread. Budgets aside, these are just two different viewpoints at fire fighting operations. Mark is a fantastic photographer, and shows yet another side of things.

[Gordy]

Here are a bunch more pictures and comments about the life of one helicopter in fire--NOT sold to NG or Pro-pilot...NO fancy cameras, NO expensive lenses, NO color correction..... Just a cheap ass point & shoot camera, a kickass helitack crew, real people, fire, helicopters, family. Real life on a firefighting crew.

Adventures of "LaFawnduh" (http://www.chickenwingscomics.com/forum/index.php?topic=889.0)

Helicopters don't fight fires, Mr. Misler. Pilots (and maintenance techs, and schedulers, and hotshot crews, and controllers, and logistics guys, and cooks and a host of others) do.

Hmmmm no disrespect to the cooks et al--but they do NOT fight fire---they SUPPORT the fire fighting effort. If you don't smell of smoke at the end of the day--then you are in a supporting role, (and yes it is an integral part of the operation---just hard to agree with your overall comment).

[22clipper]

So there I was, scrolling though the Gap thumbnails, picking the occasional one for the enlargement box to get a closer look at some vortices or whatever. Having a good time I was, like when you rake through a box of chocolates selecting out your favourites.

About a third of the way in I clicked once too often. Wires in front of the SkyCrane snorkelling in the dam! Actually felt my gut tighten up & it's only a pic for Gods sake! Suddenly lost my appetitie for any more.

Woe is me, chopper piloting has marked me for life. Wires, most days up there you're never more than 1 minutes flying time away from a set. Like finding a woofers egg in your bax of Cadbury's assortments.

[Gordy]

Wires in front of the SkyCrane snorkelling in the dam! Actually felt my gut tighten up & it's only a pic for Gods sake! Suddenly lost my appetitie for any more.


Welcome to the world of fire:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j35/helokat/LaFawnduh%2008/_IGP301557Zwestclark08.jpg

[206Fan]

Excellent shots..