A video is making rounds on the Internet where you can see a firefighting plane releasing the red-tinted retardant onto its target, all the while heading for a crash into a mountain. The plane, luckily, did not crash into the mountain and at the very last moment, flies up clear of the mountain. However, many have questioned the flying capability of the pilot, stating that this was a risk that didn’t have to be taken.
So, what really happened? A pilot was flying the BA 146 firefighting plane and almost crashed into a mountain last month. This happened because the pilot was focused on his target; the fire. We all know that wildfires can be quite devastating. They can rage on for days and even weeks, as long as they are getting fuel, oxygen, and heat.
The pilot has been receiving tons of comments that question and criticize his flying skills. However, a colleague has said that this pilot is a very talented pilot. That makes sense, though; the plane did not crash into the mountain. In fact, you can actually see the dust from the earth dispersing as the pilot pushes the throttle upwards and misses the ridge of the mountain – that is quite a feat of flying if you ask us.
The pilot flying the firefighting plane was focusing his aim at the wildfire while releasing bright red retardant onto the fire – as can be seen in the video. The red substance is a chemical retardant that is comprised of phosphate fertilizer. However, the pilot has admitted that he was only focusing on the target and made a bad judgment call. Luckily, no one was injured, and the pilot was able to clear the mountains with only a few inches to spare. What do you think of this incident? We believe that the pilot should have been more focused on his surroundings as well, don’t you?
