Mars plane: Ignore the "facts" much?

[logicalview]

like the confederate flag?

sure. Along with the Nazi flag and the USSR's Hammer and Sickle. All symbols of oppression.

[maryjane48]

i agree myself that bring mars bomber back is a waste of money if we could acquire more efficient canadian built water bombers . i say it is just christy trying to look like a leader , but failing again

[logicalview]

*removed*

[maryjane48]

*removed*

[Jx3]

*removed*

[Hassel99]

i agree myself that bring mars bomber back is a waste of money if we could acquire more efficient canadian built water bombers . i say it is just christy trying to look like a leader , but failing again

its pretty simple folks.

it was old and expense and not as useful as many would think due to mountains and its capacity. They retired it and opted for more modern aircraft that was easier to use in the mountainous regions. We have had one of the worst fire months in recent memory, all recourse are stretched thin. Due to the high volume of work required they brought the Mars out of retirement to supplement the current fleet during this crisis.

That thing you told her to do "buy more efficient water bombers" has been done. Mars coming out of retirement is in addition to those new ones.

I would like to point out that this info has already been posted in this thread. I am not surprised you chose to ignore it while rambling about flags with no relevance.

[maryjane48]

clearly it has not been done if they are contracting it here

[Hassel99]

clearly it has not been done if they are contracting it here

That makes no sense at all, par for the course i guess.

[Gone_Fishin]

Province's former bomber boss now on Conair payroll

ERIC PLUMMER / ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
JULY 29, 2014 12:00 AM





The Abbotsford company that beat the Mars bomber out of a provincial firefighting contract now has the province's former air tanker program head on its payroll.

Conair is also a big supporter of the reigning Liberal party, donating $92,750 to the B.C. Liberals since 2006. That's over 10 times the $8,450 given to the Liberals by the losing bid opponent Coulson Flying Tankers.

After years of dousing forest fires in British Columbia, the province did not renew a contract with Coulson Flying Tankers to use the Hawaii Mars water bomber this summer. Instead four smaller Fire Boss planes were chosen from Conair to provide firefighting crews with air support.

Conair has worked with the province to fight forest fires since 1969, and this connection included a top-level government employee moving his experience over to the Abbotsford company in 2013 - the same year the province decided to begin contracting Conair's Fire Boss planes. After a 36-year career of handling fires with the B.C. Forestry Service, Jeff Berry joined Conair to become manager of business development. From 1996 to 2013 Berry was head of the province's air tanker program.

Conair did not provide comment on the political contributions or the hiring Berry by the Times' press deadline, but the company's website explains Berry's experience before joining the aviation company.

"Jeff lead a team of fire professionals in developing what is now considered a benchmark centralized air tanker program," reads a message on Conair's website. "As a result of his work, and on behalf of his team, Jeff accepted the Aviation Space Technology Laurel Award for operations in 2004."

Alberni-Pacific Rim MLA Scott Fraser questioned the legality of Berry's sudden move to the private sector. The NDP elected representative said that senior managers in the provincial government are restricted from joining private companies immediately after leaving the public service, according to B.C.'s Public Service Act. Fraser has brought up the issue in B.C.'s legislature.

"Government's response to me was that he was not considered a senior manager," said Fraser. "If the Public Service Act is that loose - that someone who is in a decision-making position can then just move right over to the private sector - then they need to change that law."

Fraser noted that while it's common for private companies to donate money to political parties, the amount given by Conair brings "the potential appearance of a conflict" with the province's decision in awarding the Fire Boss contract.

According to the BC Liberal Party, all laws were followed in accepting Conair's contributions over the years.

"The BC Liberal Party follows all rules as set out by Elections BC around the disclosure of political donations," read a statement by the party.

Although the Mars bomber has been contracted by the province since 2007, B.C.'s Wildfire Management Branch said the Fire Boss planes best suit its needs for this forest fire season. Last fall the province put out a request for proposals for the services of four amphibious air takers and one smaller bird dog plane for support.

This is exactly what Conair had to offer, and the contract was award to the Abbotsford company.

In a detailed fact sheet released last week, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations defended the decision to contract the Fire Boss planes instead of the Mars bomber.

"Over the past six weeks the new Fire Boss aircraft have actioned more fires than the Martin Mars did in six years," stated the ministry. "The new Fire Boss aircraft are versatile, efficient and effective in suppressing B.C.'s wildfires. As of July 21, the Fire Bosses had flown 230 hours suppressing fires in B.C., dropping more than 2 million litres of suppressant on wildfires."

Like the more than 18,000 names on a petition sent to the premier requesting that the Mars bomber be back into service, Fraser wonders why the massive plane isn't being used this summer.

"We're training young people so that we can drop them into fire zones in this province. It's a very dangerous job, often they're students," Fraser said. "We need all the tools, because the ultimate sacrifice in not having those tools will be those young people that we put into harm's way."

Coulson Flying Tankers CEO Wayne Coulson opted not to comment on the issue.


© Copyright 2015 Alberni Valley Times
- See more at: http://www.avtimes.net/news/local-news/ ... 6K1Bo.dpuf

[maryjane48]

minister said tonight that the mars bomber wont be used on steep hills so whats that leave ? grand praire ?

[Dizzy1]

It's like listening to people arguing it would be better off trying to find a store somewhere and buy some bottles of water instead of using the bucket right in front of them to douse the campfire.

The very, very, very simple fact is that our forests are burning more than ever and the fire crews need every drop of water they can get and they need it now.

[Gone_Fishin]

You're missing one simple fact Dizzy. Many of these fires should be allowed to burn if they aren't threatening property. Our forests are doing their best to cleanse themselves and we're doing all we can to stop that natural process, and by doing so, are creating larger and more difficult fires to control.

[Dizzy1]

You're missing one simple fact Dizzy. Many of these fires should be allowed to burn if they aren't threatening property. Our forests are doing their best to cleanse themselves and we're doing all we can to stop that natural process, and by doing so, are creating larger and more difficult fires to control.

That could very well be. But one could argue that at this point they aren't a threat, but what happens 2 weeks down the road when the fire gets to a point where it can become a threat - at that point it would be harder to contain requiring more resources.

From my understanding, fires are being prioritized but even with the ones where the fire is a threat or becoming a threat, the resources we have to combat those fires are stretched as is.

I agree though, if a fire isn't a threat and is unlikely to become a threat and was started by natural causes - by all means - let it burn.