Aeronet Helps Deliver Replacement Part to Chile for Fire-Fighting SuperTanker
The worst wildfires Chile has ever suffered from are now largely under control. This welcome news came directly from the country’s President Michelle Bachelet, who officially announced an end to the state-of-emergency that has beset the South American nation for over two weeks. Although the devastation and tragedy caused by the fires leaves no room for celebration, the resolution to this mega-emergency may not have possible without the help of the Global SuperTanker known as The Spirit of John Muir, the deployment of which Aeronet Worldwide had a small hand in.
As of the first week of February, there were 70 active blazes raging within Chile. The fires have “incinerated more than 2,300 square miles in Chile since the [fire] season began last July.” They have at least 11 people dead and the cost in damages in estimated to be around $300 million.
Horrifying as it is, the damage and death toll could have proven even worse if it hadn’t been for The Spirit of John Muir; the Boeing 747 SuperTanker aircraft which came to the rescue.
Manned by a 12-person crew, the B747-400 is “capable of delivering payload drops aggregating over 19,000 gallons of water, fire retardant, or suppressant.” Its ability to release its payload at variable rates (via pressurized tanks) allows for a tailored response to wild fire emergencies which would take other aircrafts multiple attempts to achieve the same results.
The rescue mission which provided the SuperTanker was underwritten by a donation form the Walton Family Foundation. The SuperTanker and its crew made the journey to Chile all the way from Colorado Springs, and not a minute too soon.
However, there was a snag in the operation, as the SuperTanker had to be grounded due to a maintenance issue. A replacement dump valve was needed before it could return to the skies, which is where Aeronet stepped in.
Aeronet received a message from one of its clients, Logistics Air Inc., regarding an “aircraft down in Chile”. Logistics Air Inc., who specialize in urgent air cargo, contacted Vice President of International Business Development for Aeronet, David Gibson, about transporting the replacement dump valve from Arizona to Chile.
Aeronet arranged the delivery, which was made by air. The part was shipped from Arizona to Chile in 3 days – a stunningly quick time compared to standard non-emergency deliveries of that kind—and sure enough, the SuperTanker was back in the air, delivering much needed relief to the fire ravaged countryside of Chile.
As Chile now undertakes the difficult process of recovery, massive thanks must be given over to the brave men and women involved in the relief efforts, both on the ground in in the sky.
