Coolidge,
AZ, USA - 29/01/2009
The
last stop-off point on our
Arizonan adventure came when
we finally arrived at Coolidge,
despite the best efforts of
the sat-nav to dunk us in
a canal and bringing us to
more than one dead end!
As
we pulled up we could see
a Hercules taxying to the
end of the runway and a quick
ask of one of the guys on
the ramp if we were ok to
take pictures resulted in
an affirmative response, so
we made the most of the opportunity!
On
wandering back towards the
ramp and building we were
greeted by Travis and Bill
Grantham who invited us inside
to have a look at their great
facilities there. This was
International
Air Response , a company
with seven former USAF C-130A
Hercules on their books (albeit
with only three current flyers
in that).
IAR
specialises in firefighting,
agricultural spraying, cargo
hauling, paratroop training,
as well as flight test programs
conducted by the United States
Department of Defense.
Hanging
on one of the walls in their
offices (all suitably adorned
with spectacular photography
of them at work) was a signed
print from the Blue Angels,
thanking them for their assistance
when Fat Albert, the Blue
Angels own support aircraft,
had become unserviceable one
weekend.
We
were told to make ourselves
at home and given a free rein
of their hangar and ramp space.
Residing
at the other end of the ramp
was this stunning DC-7B -
N4887C, still airworthy, and
a former workhorse for the
company.
Sincere
thanks are extended to Travis,
Bill and everyone else at
AIR for making us so welcome.
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