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Here in Sonoma County [Tubbs fire, kincade fire, LNU Lightning fires] PG&E has had 2-3 contracted helicopters out pretty much every day doing line maintenance/c

Here in Sonoma County [Tubbs fire, kincade fire, LNU Lightning fires] PG&E has had 2-3 contracted helicopters out pretty much every day doing line maintenance/checking. I watch flightaware pretty constantly, so it's easy to see their contracted helicopters up in the area. Point being, they are trying -- I think people also fail to understand just how huge and rural Northern CA is.

rasz 6y ago
3 x brand new ROBINSON R-44 ~$1.5mil. 3x pilot salary, lets be generous ~$400K. $220/hour operating cost includes insurance and amortized overhaul, flying 5 hours a day = ~1200 hours per year, 3x $250K. $2.7 million all in all. they make >$500mil a year, they can afford to try harder.