Not entirely true. Forest Service will not accept them for any retardant
tanker work. I believe some of the C-130As were used this summer, but
outside
the country.

I know people who retrofit C-130s and they are saying many will soon be beer
cans. The water bomber crash was bad for the C-130, but good for
Bombardier.

And again, not entirely true

They are two different aircraft that would be best in two different
environments. In big wide open areas with lots of lakes, like much of southern
Canada, and Minnesota, those scoopers are great.

But in the western states, the scoopers would not be near as useful. Alpine
lakes surrounded by mountain peaks at around 10,000 MSL are not very good
places to be trying to scoop water, especially during a summer day.

There will always be a need for the heavy tankers with retardant..Might be less
of them in the future, but there will always be some around.

The ones to benefit the most from the probably elimination of C-130A and
PB4Y-2, will be companys and make and or operate SEATs, Single Engine Air
Tankers, like Air Tractors, Thrushs, Dromadiers.

I dont even think the USFS/OAS is going to card any additional P-2s, SP-2Hs for
retardant tankers..


Ron
Tucson AZ
C-421 air ambulance