If we were to go the dedicated plane route, these would likely be a good fit for NZ:
I think they are about USD2.3m each. About 3000L capacity (but that payload is shared with fuel), and ability to refill on any appropriate waterway:
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If we were to go the dedicated plane route, these would likely be a good fit for NZ:
I think they are about USD2.3m each. About 3000L capacity (but that payload is shared with fuel), and ability to refill on any appropriate waterway:
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Scott3:
In general wildfires seem to be increasing in frequency, so it would make sense for NZ to scale up it's capability.
My understanding is that rural fire has long been the poor cousin to their urban counterparts when it comes to equipment, (not that the urban centers don't have issues with stuff like old / unreliable ladder units). So expensive aerial firefighting planes are going to be challenging to fund.
That said, I understand a bunch of flash new 4x4 rural fire trucks have been delivered over the last few years. (at about NZ$340k each)
One of the below planes (5,300L capacity), runs at about USD30m (about NZD50m).
Even for a single plane, that is a pretty massive opportunity cost. Could buy over 1500 modern 4x4 rural fire pump /tank trucks. like the below:
Or we could look at some of the super flash gear aussie has got in the last while:
Unimog:
Ultra Light (G Class):
agreed.
what people keep forgetting is planes are not there to put fires out. the firefighting is done by ground crews. so 1500 firetrucks is a huge jump in ability than one plane.
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