Aerial Firefighting

[Evoman]

I had this idea come to mind the last time there was a thread post for civilian aircraft. While it would be good to have more variety of aircraft in DCS I don’t think the typical civilian aircraft would be an ideal fit for DCS’s uniqueness of tactical and mission planning anytime soon.

However DCS would be ideal for another civilian sector, Firefighting! Instead of dropping munitions you could drop water and fire retardent’s on wildfires. That is something that would actually go along with DCS’s style of a combat simulator that has a target and mission planning except the player would be combating wildfires. I could already see using a firefighting variant of the Heuy already found in DCS to go drop water on the burning site and after the drop you fly to the nearest lake to refill or to the base and fly back out again until the fire is controlled. Then it would be cool to use other fixed wing aircraft such as the C-130 that Razbam is considering developing.

I would imagine that DCS could potentially attract far more new pilots if it featured firefighting aircraft and associated missions than just regular civilian flight of which there are already plenty of other competing sims for that. But next to none that I know of that are worth mentioning feature fire fighting aviation. Its an untapped market!

 

 

My vision of firefighting in DCS is as separate missions intended only for firefighting in the civilian sector or as the air national guard that has been called to aid in a forest fire.

This would also allow the ability to plan different missions as scenarios. I could see this becoming very popular with various firefighting organizations looking to train and prepare them selves better.

 

 

Edited September 16, 2018 by Evoman

[Mr_sukebe]

+1

Would be a great mission type type have.

[pepin1234]

Will be fun. I will buy a module for this kind of mission for sure.

[Santus]

+1

[ebabil]

+1

[Mig Fulcrum]

Normally i dislike civil operations in DCS but this is actually a pretty nice idea. +1

[Evoman]

Two of my favorite fixed wing firefighting tankers I would like to see in DCS someday are actually variants derived from former naval anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft the P-3 Orion and the Grumman S2 Tracker.

The great thing about having these particular aircraft in game is that they could be used in regular combat or wildfire missions.

 

In this video you can see them in action along with other fixed wing aircraft that are used as Aerial Firefighting tankers.

 

 

 

 

Surprisingly I found the P3 as being quite capable in military form. This may very well be a good candidate for DCS.

 

Lockheed P-3C Orion Armament:

 

Bombs: 20,000 lb (9,000 kg)

Missiles: AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-84E SLAM, the Standoff Land Attack Missile, AGM-65 Maverick

Sonar-buoys: 48

Torpedoes: MK-46 and MK-50

Miscellaneous: mines and depth charges

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2018 by Evoman

[hornblower793]

+1 for the experience

 

 

 

I know it will never happen, but the Martin Mars flying boat tanker would be an awesome experience

[Evoman]

Here is a interesting video that shows how aerial firefighting is coordinated and executed. They also present some of the hazards pilots face.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fjF2KQ75TY

[sc_neo]

+1 Any non combat technical scenario would be very welcome, including firefighting or sea rescue operations. Imagine...bad weather, and you have to fly out to sea and hover over a sinking ship lifting out seamen or picking up emergency pods or such. And I believe those scenarios would not be that heavy on development resources either, but would add much to the existing mission profiles.

[Airj247]

Absolutely 100% recently had one a few hours away from where I live, would love to see this happen. They could make a C-130 which would be very versatile. It could have a variant to fight forest fires/ transport/ airdrop/ or aerial refueling. Just a thought!

[Evoman]

Here is a great video of the first female helicopter pilot to fly firefighting missions. It shows just how demanding this type of flying really is.

 

 

 

[Xilon_x]

I'm sorry if I ask you this question but I'm curious.

 

 

extinguish fires with helicopters or aircraft what purpose does it have in DCS? because if it has no purpose, it is useless.

[Evoman]

I'm sorry if I ask you this question but I'm curious.

 

 

extinguish fires with helicopters or aircraft what purpose does it have in DCS? because if it has no purpose, it is useless.

 

 

I have seen plenty of comments on these forums and others of people that are not really interested in flying combat missions in combat aircraft. But they do recognize that DCS is one of the best simulators out there. So why not bring to market something different to the Civilian sector of aviation that no other simulator offers right now to attract new people.

 

So to answer your question this means more sales and business for DCS that also means more money to support DCS efforts to keep improving the simulator that we all love.

If you step back and look at it from a pure business prospective it has a lot of PURPOSE! Plus it would not be that hard to implement it by using the caucasus map and Huey because they are already part of DCS to see how well it does. Everyone stands to benefit from it in some way even if they are not interested in firefighting.

Edited September 16, 2018 by Evoman

[ebabil]

it is useless to you, it is useful and fun to us.

this is wishlist section and we are telling our wishes

[Xilon_x]

for purpose that there must be a beginning and an end.

 

we talk about DCS a game of war ... to burst a big fire it takes BOMBE to NAPAL and here in dcs I do not see them.

NAPAL was used in VIETNAM.

-Turn off a fire in a wood could help the motorized infantry to continue the advance.

-extinguishing a fire at the airport could allow the planes to take off.

but in the game the infantry also survives in the fire.

 

in the real war in VIETNAM did the fires burn off?

 

you must understand where and how the fire develops.

 

 

the fire increases where there is more forest or where there is inflammable liquid gasoline or where there is a powder magazine where there is gunpowder.

Edited September 16, 2018 by Xilon_x

[Airj247]

for purpose that there must be a beginning and an end.

 

we talk about DCS a game of war ... to burst a big fire it takes BOMBE to NAPAL and here in dcs I do not see them.

NAPAL was used in VIETNAM.

-Turn off a fire in a wood could help the motorized infantry to continue the advance.

-extinguishing a fire at the airport could allow the planes to take off.

but in the game the infantry also survives in the fire.

 

in the real war in VIETNAM did the fires burn off?

 

you must understand where and how the fire develops.

 

 

the fire increases where there is more forest or where there is inflammable liquid gasoline or where there is a powder magazine where there is gunpowder.

 

I do not know what your trying to say, but I believe your talking about how there is no napalm in the sim. If I recall correctly ED was looking into it (I could be wrong). I'm pretty sure people want a versatile aircraft, one that has many roles including aerial firefighting, say a helicopter that has a combat version and a firefighting version. Or an aircraft that in the loading menu, you could take supplies or logistics, or water to fight fires. I don't want an aircraft that's only role is forest fighting, but one that CAN do the task of putting out/containing fires.

[Xilon_x]

What is the use of extinguishing fires in DCS where the quantity of burning places is very low? fire fighting aircraft are used when we have km and km of forest to be turned off.

[Evoman]

I kind of understand your confusion now. My vision of firefighting in DCS is as separate missions intended only for firefighting in the civilian sector or as the air national guard that has been called to aid in a forest fire.

This would also allow the ability to plan different missions as scenarios. I could see this becoming very popular with various firefighting organizations looking to train and prepare them selves better.

[Airj247]

I wouldn’t want a pure firefighter aircraft. But rather an aircraft that has multiple roles, firefighting being one. I read that the Grumman S-2 tracker has a firefighting variant designated S-2T. The Tracker was a carrier capable anti submarine and anti ship aircraft. Also the S-2 had an awacs and cargo variant designated E-1 Tracer and C-1 Trader respectively. All three saw service in Vietnam. It’s just an idea that we could get an aircraft that has the capability to firefight but not only firefight.

[Evoman]

I have also been looking more into these Grumman models because it's one of the few airplanes that could be useful in various roles. The S-T2 Tracker would be the perfect starter tanker because of its size. Plus like you said the AWACS E-1 Tracer variant would be far more feasible to replicate because its systems are obsolete and declassified. Plus all of the other variants except for the S-T2 are capable of operating off carrier decks.

 

 

[Johnny_Rico]

+1 to this great idea (I tried to script it, but limitations of DCS stop this from working)

 

We could have this now if a couple of changes were made to DCS

 

1. Allow big fire/smoke to to switchable, as in we can start them and al STOP them via scripting

(also needs to work in MP as well)

 

2. The clear objects in radius, if this were scriptable we could clear areas of forest to simulate

them being burnt as we move smoke/fire across the forest

[Xenovia]

This would be fun to do +1

[Johnny_Rico]

 

 

this is a close as we could get using current DCS limitations

[Evoman]

That is a pretty good start to get the ball rolling! I hope DCS makes the necessary changes so these missions could be improved or better yet lure a 3rd party to develop some well planed missions and support for fire fighting in DCS.

 

These type of missions would attract the attention of many including myself to buying helicopters. Now I just need to buy a helicopter to try this out.