Martin Mars headed down under?
Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:22 am
Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:24 pm
Can you think what the Gas bill will be 
to fly to the land of down under 
to fly to the land of down under
Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:44 am
Given the low water state of our fresh water lakes and reservoirs (and therefore clear runs of deep water for scooping?), and the typical inland location of our bush fires (I assume the MARS does load salt water if required) I am not sure of the feasibility of using such a large water bomber in Australia.
We had a trial of the Canadair 215 some years ago that lead no-where, today we temporarily import some Skycranes to augment smaller helicopters with bucket lifts, and landplanes such as agricultural sprayers (Australian Warbird Identity Col Pay was recently killed in trials of a water scoop pickup by a land based agricultural sprayer for aerial bombing purposes.
I hope however a MARS does visit as it would be an awesome aircraft to see up close or in the air, and may result in CL215/415's also being re-considered? for Australian use.
We have had a Neptune imported into Australia many years ago for fire bombing that has not yet operated in that role? and other than trial of a RAAF Hercules I am not aware of any other heavy lift fixed wing operations ever undertaken?
For some reason the use of propliner etc firebombers has never caught on like it has in the US, Canada, Portugal and South America , despite our extensive plantations and forests and the residential/farm/social, agricultural, wood stock and flaura/fauna damage that occurs in Australia when we do have a bad fire season.
Perhaps our extensive vounteer ground resources are too efficient? and cheaper alternatives?
regards
Mark Pilkington
We had a trial of the Canadair 215 some years ago that lead no-where, today we temporarily import some Skycranes to augment smaller helicopters with bucket lifts, and landplanes such as agricultural sprayers (Australian Warbird Identity Col Pay was recently killed in trials of a water scoop pickup by a land based agricultural sprayer for aerial bombing purposes.
I hope however a MARS does visit as it would be an awesome aircraft to see up close or in the air, and may result in CL215/415's also being re-considered? for Australian use.
We have had a Neptune imported into Australia many years ago for fire bombing that has not yet operated in that role? and other than trial of a RAAF Hercules I am not aware of any other heavy lift fixed wing operations ever undertaken?
For some reason the use of propliner etc firebombers has never caught on like it has in the US, Canada, Portugal and South America , despite our extensive plantations and forests and the residential/farm/social, agricultural, wood stock and flaura/fauna damage that occurs in Australia when we do have a bad fire season.
Perhaps our extensive vounteer ground resources are too efficient? and cheaper alternatives?
regards
Mark Pilkington
Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:48 am
The Coulson Mars can use salt water, but prefer fresh, for obvious reasons.
www.martinmars.com
Mark, I think you may have hit the nail on the head with your last post. While the Mars can lift a lot of water and get it to the fire, I don't think it fits the Australian bushfire requirement, much as I'd love to have Mars protection! Aussie bushfire response is utterly different to the US model, and very different to the Canadian; and the lack of large bodies of fresh water (although there are some) is another major difference.
It's a long way to fly from Sproat Lake to (say) Sydney, but I'd wager it's a lot less distance than people might think. It's perfectly viable for a Mars to fly here; it's one (very big) ocean.
Every few years the Mars operators make these kind of PR 'fishing' proposals, so people know they are available. California was offered Mars support on several occasions, but it took too long and was clearly over circumscribed.
Cheers,
www.martinmars.com
Mark, I think you may have hit the nail on the head with your last post. While the Mars can lift a lot of water and get it to the fire, I don't think it fits the Australian bushfire requirement, much as I'd love to have Mars protection! Aussie bushfire response is utterly different to the US model, and very different to the Canadian; and the lack of large bodies of fresh water (although there are some) is another major difference.
It's a long way to fly from Sproat Lake to (say) Sydney, but I'd wager it's a lot less distance than people might think. It's perfectly viable for a Mars to fly here; it's one (very big) ocean.
Every few years the Mars operators make these kind of PR 'fishing' proposals, so people know they are available. California was offered Mars support on several occasions, but it took too long and was clearly over circumscribed.
Cheers,
the aussies typically let fires burn..
Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:36 am
JDK wrote:The Coulson Mars can use salt water, but prefer fresh, for obvious reasons.
www.martinmars.com
Mark, I think you may have hit the nail on the head with your last post. While the Mars can lift a lot of water and get it to the fire, I don't think it fits the Australian bushfire requirement, much as I'd love to have Mars protection! Aussie bushfire response is utterly different to the US model, and very different to the Canadian; and the lack of large bodies of fresh water (although there are some) is another major difference.
It's a long way to fly from Sproat Lake to (say) Sydney, but I'd wager it's a lot less distance than people might think. It's perfectly viable for a Mars to fly here; it's one (very big) ocean.
Every few years the Mars operators make these kind of PR 'fishing' proposals, so people know they are available. California was offered Mars support on several occasions, but it took too long and was clearly over circumscribed.
Cheers,
in the outback and only fight them close in to populated areas which are typically on the coast so this to me seems like a real possibility.