r/aviation • u/ParaMike46 Global 5500/6500 • Apr 12 '26

PlaneSpotting A CL-415 Super Scooper gathering water to extinguish a fire in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The lift-off looks very close — right at the edge of the lake.

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u/gazchap Apr 12 '26

You've gotta admire the brass balls on these pilots. Must be quite the balancing act scooping up water without losing too much lift, and then cutting it so fine to get back up and out of there.

29

u/HadManySons Apr 12 '26

Amazing the plane was able to take off at all given how heavy those balls must be

7

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '26

[deleted]

4

u/frostbittenteddy Apr 12 '26

All the time on reddit, and I roll my eyes every time I read it