2019 Western Tour: Cal Fire Bases and Aircraft Displays Are Highlights of Western State Swing

By Fred Harl

Several times each year, The Aero Experience travels west to visit aviation sites outside of our usual Midwest Aviation region. It is important to report on aviation activities performed throughout the nation, many of which are supported by the Midwest Aviation community. With the current wildfire conditions in California at a crisis level, it is a good time to laud the efforts of Cal Fire and other aerial firefighting groups battling the blazes for their heroic efforts to save lives and property. We feature coverage of air assets employed at several of the Cal Fire bases along with visits to other airports and the Strategic Air Command & Aviation Museum in Omaha, NE. We even arrived on the scene of an alien spacecraft that crashed in a field during our journey. Special thanks to the crew at 10 Tanker Base in Albuquerque, NM for access to the two DC-10-30 tankers on the apron. 

10 Tanker Base, Albuquerque, NM

Cal Fire Base, Sacramento, CA

Kirtland AFB, NM

Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, NV 

Cheyenne, WY Regional Airport

Strategic Air Command & Aviation Museum, Omaha, NE