I really wasn't complaining, I was happy to do my part to help them
out. It was more just an observation that it didn't seem to make a lot
of sense to make me move out of the top of the smoke cloud back to the
airport for a landing where they were taking off and landing from.

Brian


(Lennie the Lurker) wrote in message . com...
There is a good reason. Those guys are putting their lives on the
line everytime they make a run. They're low, the air is anything but
smooth, and they're carrying max loads every time. They don't need to
have to even think that there may be someone else in the area, and how
high you are doesn't matter. They've got all they can do to
concentrate on delivering the load of retardant to the target without
worrying about turning someone else into ground meat. I think calif
has or had a law about overflying a forest or brush fire anyhow, but
don't have any way of looking it up. That was more than 40 years ago.

(Brian Case) wrote in message . com...
I did this one a couple years ago in Sun Valley, Idaho. A grass fire
had started on the hill just before I launched. Had a great Thermal
right in next to the smoke. Was climbing throug 15,500 when the Tower
called me and told me I had to leave because the Fire Bombers were
inbound. One would think that at 15,500 I would be out of the way of
any Fire Bombers but I had to leave anyway as I watch the 1st bombers
(Single Engine, Crop Dusters) make the 1st few passes at 500 AGL or
less.

Brian


(Lennie the Lurker) wrote in message . com...
"Scott" wrote in message ...
Is that fire producing a nice thermal out there? It is a tragic event, but
why not make some use of it?

Because there may be nasty things like patrol aircraft and fire bombers in the area.