Posted on 05/18/2004 9:49:26 PM PDT by Stoat
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1133164/posts
If you would like to learn more about the amazing Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft and it's long history of worldwide successes in battling massive wildfires, be sure to go to:
www.waterbomber.com
One of my best friend works in office that sell these planes and others. They get harsh snap to reality of "free" market and bribery in US. Seem that one excuse is that planes use to much water...to fight fire...insanity.
That it is.
Talk about an international air-fair.
"insanity"
Can you really expect sanity from the kind of person who would be in the Forest Service today?
And given the all-round superiority -- and availability -- of the Russian plane, bribery looks very plausible.
It's the U.S. Forest Circus.
http://www.forestcircus.com/
Funny. Like your tag line.
Well, duh.
I didn't mean to say that your tag line was funny.
I meant to say "I like your tag line."
Sorry.
And then I addressed the post to myself instead of the person I was talking about. Duh twice.
The Forest Service turned down many offers of free heavy equipment and operators too. I offered a dozer and know of others who did the same.
Is your name???? - oh never mind - I think I know your
name. You were published in Slate or World Net Daily with
that D-9 problem you had with the Forest Service, yes?
At any rate, if you like your news in viddy and not
reading all the time, DenverChannel has kindly put the
clip up so you can watch it. The video portion is from
AirShows DownUnder, March, 1995, where I first worked
with the Russians. What a hoot that was, and intimidating
too.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/index.html
Can you imagine going into an airshow tent with a bunch
of cosomonauts and test pilots staring at you - you not
knowing a word of Russian? And I was supposed to be working
for THEM?
Or how about going to a Russian party on a new jet
plane from Ilyushin, the IL-96, http://www.qsl.net/5ocean/il96-i.jpg
which President Putin uses, for a PARTY!
That's right, a PARTY for all the special people who
helped make the Russian presentation at that airshow
the success that it was.
The Metropolitain(?) of the Russian Orthodox Church of
Australia was there and there were the appropriate ceremonies. A real hoot! (But seriously, folks, quite an
honor and a priviledge.)
Channel 7 Melbourne was shocked - SHOCKED that when
I asked to bring them onboard to that party, the Russians
said 'sure' and they came aboard, cameras and all!
Hello everyone, thanks so much for all of your great comments, insights and links..it's those sorts of contributions that make Free Republic the Best site on the internet :-)
I should let you all know that we're extremely lucky to have among us JohnA, who is a Partner in Global Emergency Response and is contractually linked with Air Routing International, now a partnership
out of Houston, and Total Corporate Aviation Services Ltd, a private federal corporation, of
Canada, HQ in Calgary. JohnA is an expert in matters pertaining to wildfires, air tankers, and relevant Government policy.
In my experience it's been quite rare that a "definitive source" such as someone in JohnA's position is available in a public forum such as this and is able to field your questions. If you have friends or aquaintances who are either involved with or merely interested in wildland firefighting, air tankers or Government policy (and the accompanying shenanigans, abuse, corruption and political game-playing) I would urge you to send them over to this thread, as this is an opportunity to get definitive answers to your questions and comments.
Be sure to visit the Global Emergency Response website at:
www.waterbomber.com
Thanks again, Stoat.
Yes - please do visit our website.
We know Boeing has been hitting it up - hard -,
especially the videos, in May.
Boeing has captured 80% of sales of a/c to the
CIS and has $1.3B invested in Russia, last time
I looked. Among their closer associations is the
strategic alliance with our joint venture partner,
Ilyushin Aviation.
Okay, so what's the status?
Is common sense ever going to defeat the Forest Circus and get some Ilyushins over here?
My sense is this will take more campaigning.
Not too much more though.
No, I wasn't the D-9. I didn't hear about that one. I am certain that the numbers were legion.
Yes, it's "Colorado" of course ;-)
I wish this administration would do some serious house cleaning in the USFS and NPS. Their incompetency knows no bounds.
Is there a bureaucracy that *doesn't* need a top-to-bottom purge?
Dubya has hacked me off on a number of occasions, and one perennial issue is his refusal to clean house.
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