ex- ADF Blackhawks for NSW Fire Fighting

[Old Fella]

NSW fire service buys Black Hawk choppers | Daily Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-5872593/NSW-fire-service-buys-Black-Hawk-choppers.html)

What a shame we did not convert a number of C130H's to operate as Fire Fighters instead of gifting them
to the Indonesians.

[isaneng]

Hmm, fatigue index, water bombers, wing-clap, no thanks.

[chevvron]

I hardly think a C130 could fulfil the role envisaged for the Blackhawks unless you want to train firefighters to parachute with all their firefighting gear.:rolleyes:
Plenty of retired '146s in Arizona; they've been adapted as water bombers in the past.

[sycamore]

Paradrop is a `first response` in very remote areas...

[Old Fella]

Hmm, fatigue index, water bombers, wing-clap, no thanks.

The "Wing Clap" C130 I assume you are referring to was an A model with unmodified centre wing section which had in an earlier life been in USAF Service. I was referring to the C130H model which had been in service with the RAAF. Incidentally, the RAAF has been operating C130's for sixty years and has never lost an airframe. It took the Indonesians less than a year to fly one of the ex-RAAF C130H's into the ground. The RAAF has an enviable record of C130 operations which is a compliment to both the operating crews and the maintenance personnel. In fact, a number of the C130E's used by the RAAF are still serving in the Pakistan Air Force.