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Putin takes Italian PM for Ride - On a Water Bomber

by sara star | October 24, 2009 at 09:22 pm

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While the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi visited Russia over the weekend, Prime Minster Vladimir Putin took him for a ride on the Russian water bomber, the amphibious aircraft, the Be-200.

See video.

ST. ST. PETERSBURG, October 23 (Itar-Tass) -- Prime Ministers Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi continued to discuss bilateral relations and international issues on Friday, Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. PETERSBURG, October 23 (Itar-Tass) - Prime Ministers

Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi continued to discuss bilateral relations and international issues on Friday, Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

Besides, Berlusconi was shown the Beriyev Be-200 amphibious aircraft the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry uses for putting down wildfires in Europe and other regions. Besides, Berlusconi was shown the Beriyev Be-200 amphibious aircraft the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry uses for putting down wildfires in Europe and other regions. Berlusconi made a flight onboard the Be-200. Berlusconi made a flight onboard the Be-200. The plane took off and landed on water. The plane took off and landed on water.

The Beriev Be-200 Altair is a multipurpose amphibious aircraft designed by the Beriev Aircraft Company ...Marketed as being designed for fire fighting, search and rescue, maritime patrol, cargo and passenger transportation, it has a capacity of 12 tonnes (12,000 litres) of water, or up to 72 passengers.

...Beriev developed unique fire-fighting equipment for the Be-200, allowing it to scoop water while skimming the water surface at 90-95% of takeoff speed.

The world's largest water bomber is the Martin Mars, 2 of these aircraft are left out of the original 7, are owned by BC company. One was used for the California fires. It carries 7200 gallons of water (26.6 thousand liters).

The largest aerial firefighters currently in use include two converted Martin Mars flying boats in British Columbia (one of which was brought to southern California in September 2007 to help battle the wildfires there), carrying 7,200 U.S. gallons of water.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations operates convertible-to-cargo IL-76 airtankers that can carry up to 15,000 gallons but have been operating with 11,000 gallon tanking systems, and a few of Beriev Be-200 amphibians.

Boeing is planning to build an even larger water bomber. Evergreen International Aviation is located in McMinnville, Oregon just outside of Portland, and has had ties with the CIA.

Evergreen International Aviation is developing a Boeing 747 aerial firefighter, known as the Evergreen Supertanker that can carry 24,000 gallons fed by a pressurized drop system.

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QueensHart

at 08:40 on October 25th, 2009

Big Boys gotta have the Biggest Toys! Scary very scary.

sara star

at 09:03 on October 25th, 2009

At least these toys are helping out! Just like the jets that the BC politicians bought one year for themselves.... they ended up converting them into air ambulances. Thank goodness!

Next week my dad will have to go on one of these to get fly 500 miles to Vancouver to have heart surgery. I am glad the big boys decided to play with the jets, now that my dad needs to use one.

Interesting you don't see the women playing with big toys. Maybe they have smaller ones.