Lawmakers May Be Giving Up For The Season

It could well be a sign that Neptune Aviation's backers in Washington are giving up the fight for the rest of the season. At least three members of Congress say they're working on plans to get the Montana-based tanker company back in the air again -- next year. And, according to the Missoula Missoulian newspaper, the talks have nothing to do with finding a way to recertify the company's P-2Vs.

"Perhaps the Forest Service is trying its hardest, but the FAA is really the one that does civil aviation inspections," said Montana's sole US Representative, Republican Denny Rehberg. "I'm more interested at this point in this fire season, in getting those airplanes back in the air."

Neptune President Kristen Schloemer is clearly frustrated. The Forest Service apparently wants a new engineering study done on Neptune's fleet. Thursday, Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Rey announced that Neptune and another aerial firefighting operation, Minden Air of Nevada, would both be allowed to fly one aircraft equipped with sensors to detect structural stress.

"There's no reason why we can't be fully operational while they acquire additional data," Schloemer said. "The more data you gather, the more accurate it will be. And we're already looking at the tail end of fire season."

Neptune's eight P-2Vs were among 33 aging tankers grounded by the Forest Service last Spring after the NTSB strongly suggested we need a new way to test the structural integrity of those aircraft.

In the meantime, Washington negotiators are considering three options, according to a report in the Missoulian. First, the FAA could simply take back the inspection and certification duties assumed by the Forest Service. Second, classify the tankers as "unusual aircraft" so they can be governed by the part of that agency which handles high-stress planes. Finally, there's talk of putting the tankers under the Defense Department's certification program.

In the meantime, Neptune's aircraft sit on the ramp, waiting for assignments that, so far this year, have failed to materialize. The company's not making any money from those aircraft. It could be Monday before the Forest Service decides whether they'll remain grounded.

FMI: www.neptuneaviation.com