Originally Posted by
TBM-Legend
The notion here is that we ask the government/s to pay do everything. Re the AFAP cry, those making the statements that Aussie fires should be fought by Aussie crews and assets simply do not understand the intense training and experience required to operate large air tankers in the fire zone.
There’s nothing stopping our current government from starting to develop that skill set and operational knowledge base now. We’ve had public run or government contracted services like Coastwatch, Maritime Search and Rescue, Police Air Wing, military etc in this country, and it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of possibility for a National Aerial Firefighting Service to be created, either fully government run or a private contractor supplying Australian aircraft and crew under Australian Government control, and brought up to operational standards within a period of time (drawing on the knowledge base of local and overseas experts).
With
Northern Hemisphere Fire seasons extending as late as December and
Australian bushfire seasons now starting as early as August the use of foreign assets can’t be sustained long term. Yes it’ll take a few years to get it up and running but it isn’t like this problem is going to go away. It just takes some political will to get it started, which doesn’t exist at the moment.