Posted by Jim Barnes (76.103.28.250) on November 19, 2009 at 16:52:58:
In Reply to: Re: cowboys posted by ODiM on November 17, 2009 at 12:30:46:
Hi OdiM,
Sorry if I offended anyone. The fact that the public’s perception of an aerial firefighter must reflect today’s reality doesn’t diminish those great pilots who gave so much to aerial firefighting.
In a way we are standing in their shadow because many of them were bigger than life war heroes, rugged individualists and great men.
Wade’s message conveys to me that we need to present the image of professional, disciplined aviators instead of the image of John Goodman plowing down trees and Richard Dryfuss running out of gas just before he gets back to the tanker base.
Like you I came from the toxic culture flying junk airplanes, doing off scheduled landings because all four engines quit, scud running and the list goes on.
Because of a lot of hard work most tanker companies have come out of the stone age of tanker flying and become very progressive regarding maintenance and training.
If we don’t work equally hard at presenting the image of professionalism nobody is going to trust $30,000,000 aircraft to pilots that are perceived to be “devil may care” no apparent fear of death” barnstormer types”.
Jim Barnes