![]() After the plane discharges its load, and returns to an air tanker base, it can be refilled and airborne again in less than 20 minutes. The retardant covers an area one-quarter of a mile long and 60 feet wide. The C-130s drop retardant from an altitude of about 150 feet through a discharge tube located in place of the left rear paratroop door of the aircraft.Ī MAFFS unit can discharge its load - 3,000 gallons weighing 28,000 pounds - in less than five seconds. It takes about two hours to load a MAFFS unit onto the C-130. This allows the units to be loaded on short notice. MAFFS units fit inside C-130 airplanes without requiring structural modification. ![]() MAFFS is a mission that highlights interagency cooperation. ![]() When all other air tankers are activated but further assistance is needed, the Forest Service can request help from the Air Force's MAFFS units. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. The Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, Program provides emergency capability to supplement existing commercial tanker support on wildland fires.
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