I must commend FarmerPete for his excellent and very knowledgeable input and comment on this thread!
I am sure that the views that he expresses will promote and accelerate the achievement of the optimum airborne fire suppression and extinguishing capability that the fire-challenged States of Australia so desperately need.
Some years down the track Australia will have a capable and reliable airborne fire fighting capability...and future generations will not be able to imagine a time when that capability did not exist.
Pioneers with the imagination and intelligence...mixed with the requisite amount of commonsense...are required now to make that so...