For the first time in about 50 years, single-engine planes are being used again in California to fight wildfires. That’s according to Juan Brown, a pilot out of the Nevada County Airport, where the Grass Valley Air Attack Base is located…
But Brown says single-engine planes have still been used in the rest of the country. He believes the ban is due more to arcane language in Cal Fire’s fixed wing airtanker contract…
Brown says the planes are similar to cropdusters, with great maneuverability in tight spaces, like the Yuba River canyon, and carry about 800 gallons of retardant. He says they’re especially effective in keeping small fires small.
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