Posted by Walt (67.126.201.237) on November 30, 2009 at 20:29:47:
In Reply to: FYI article: Forest Servicece eyes night flying agsinst fires posted by Connie on November 30, 2009 at 17:28:25:
HVFS evaluated 1st Gen NVGs (from an Aztec in flight, and playing hide-and-seek with Vern and Pete Fahm around the hanger on the ground) in 1971. Those didn't appear appropriate at the time for a SEAT (TBM). Things have come a long way. We need to constantly---and intelligently---re-evaluate ideas and hardware that can SAFELY improve our EFFECTIVENESS and EFFICIENCY if we don't want to join the buggy whip in a museum.
The public wants to know why we can't provide 24/7 protection. If commercial fixed-wing airtankers can't figure out a way to do it (SAFELY, EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY), or give them an intelligent reason why not, maybe someone else (like rotor-wing &/or military) will.
So, do we stick our heads in the sand (or some other dark place), or work on it?
Walt Darran