I attended the 2024 Reno Air Show and had the opportunity to walk around inside the MAFFS 8 C-130 flown by our local heroes in the Nevada Air National Guard. Our men and women of the High Rollers are among the very few units across the nation to operate specially modified fire-fighting C-130s designed to serve as aerial tankers - aka fire bombers. MAFFS is an acronym standing for Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System which is what the aircraft labeled "8" (in international orange) carries on board. This system is actually owned by the U.S. Forest Service who has partnered with the DoD to provide military aerial assistance when civilian aircraft are stretched too thin over too many fires. Each system can be loaded in under 12 minutes, can discharge in under 5 seconds, hold 3,000 gallons, and cover a quarter mile by 100 foot area in a single drop. In 2017, our National Guard became the proud operator of one of the newest MAFFS aircraft to join the broader MAFFS fleet - number 9. However, I'll always have a special affinity for number 8.
Ok enough fun facts. Now for the rules. Watch the following two videos for clues to help you solve the final numbers needed to complete these coordinates: N 39° 30._ _ _′ W 119° 46._15′.
Video 1:
https://youtu.be/poecZG3b61w?si=3bx5RpCwgVufgM0B
Video 2:
https://youtu.be/0UaywJd3C1w?si=w7DlPq5b5Ztg_GXh
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.
