11 September 2012, a large and new firefighting aircraft has been seen flying in and out of Pocatello airport (Pocatello Tanker Base) the past few days. It’s a British Aerospace (BAe) 146 flown by Neptune Aviation of Montana (leased from Tronos in Canada).
Click pics (by AAron B. Hutchins) to make bigger:
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- BAe 146 Neptune Aviation tanker 41 taxis in Pocatello Airport, 11 September 2012.
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- The 146 has been proposed to replace the decades old aircraft used by private aviation firefighting companies in the U.S.
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- Staged for takeoff run. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.
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- See ya!
The use of the BAe 146 has been delayed in the United States, due to complaints filed by U.S. aviation companies that do not want the competition from the 146. The disputes are being reviewed by the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO).
The latest update is that Neptune Aviation’s tanker 41 has been given a contract to help fight the fires, from 01 September to 09 November 2012.
IDAHO WILDFIRE UPDATE, 10 SEPTEMBER 2012:
….and tanker 40. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.
CANADA JOINS THE FIGHT AT POCATELLO TANKER BASE!