Little Bear's Adventures of Planes: Fire & Rescue

***Little Bear's Adventures of Planes: Fire & Rescue*** is the second and final upcoming Little Bear/Planes crossover to be made by Hiatt Grey. And it is the sequel to *Little Bear's Adventures of Planes*.

## Plot

Since winning the Wings Around the Globe Rally, Dusty Crophopper has had a successful career as a racer. Unfortunately, his engine's gearbox becomes damaged because Dusty routinely operates the engine beyond its design limits. With that particular model of gearbox now out of production and not available anywhere, Dusty's mechanic Dottie fits a warning light to his control panel to ensure that he does not overstress it further.

Frusterated with being unable to race and faced with the possibility of returning to his old job as a crop duster, Dusty goes on a defiant flight and tests his limits. In doing so, Dusty is forced to make landing at Propwash Junction airport, causing a fire. The residents put out the fire with some difficulty, but the accident leads government inspector Ryker to condemn the airport for inadequate firefighting protocols. Aggrieved at his actions, Dusty offers to undergo training to be certified as a firefighter for the airport's reopening.

The next day, Dusty travels to Piston Peak National Park, where he meets a fire and rescue crew under the command of a helicopter named Blade Ranger. The leader of an efficient unit, Blade is initially unimpressed by the small newcomer and Dusty's training proves to be a difficult challenge.

Maru, the team's mechanic, replaces Dusty's original undercarriage with two pontoons fitted with retractable undercarriage wheels for his new role as a single engine air tanker firefighter. From other crew members, Dusty learns that Blade was formerly an actor who played a police helicopter on the TV series CHoPs but left for unknown reasons. Later, Dusty is devastated by a call from his friends at Propwash Junction, telling him that they've failed to find a replacement gearbox, meaning that his racing career is over.

Lightning in a thunderstorm over a forest near Piston Peak starts several spot fires which unite into a serious forest fire. The team fights it and seems to have extinguished it; but later, during the grand reopening of the park's lodge, visiting VIPs fly too low and create air eddies that blow embers about. This creates a larger fire, forcing the need to evacuate the lodge.

A depressed Dusty's education in the midst of the large fire falters, much to Blade's frustration. Things come to a head when Dusty makes a forced landing in a river while trying to reload his tanks against orders and is swept through the rapids with Blade trying to extract him. Eventually, the pair make it to land, and Dusty confesses his physical disability. Blade advises Dusty not to simply give up. They shelter in an abandoned mine while the fire passes. Blade is severely damaged, airlifted and grounded for repairs. Maru tells Dusty that Blade's co-star Nick "Loopin' " Lopez from CHoPs was killed during a stunt gone wrong on set that Blade was helpless to stop, prompting Blade to became a firefighter to save lives for real.

When the wildfire threatens the lodge, the national park's superintendent Cad Spinner selfishly diverts the entire water supply to the roof sprinklers to prevent the lodge from burning, which hinders the team from firefighting. With only their pre-existing tank loads, the firefighters instead manage to help the evacuees escape the fire.

Dusty is alerted that two elderly campers named Harvey and Winnie that he met earlier are trapped on a burning bridge deep in the fire zone. He races to the scene and pushes his engine to the maximum to climb vertically up a waterfall for a refill, as the only other water source is simply inadequate. Simultaneously, Blade shows up and assists Harvey and Winnie by hooking up Winnie, preventing her from falling. Dusty successfully eliminates the bridge fire, allowing the campers to escape just before it collapses. Dusty's gearbox blows out, and he crashes.

Unconscious, Dusty is airlifted back to base where he wakes up five days later to find that park ranger Jammer has replaced Cad. Maru tells him that not only has his structure been fully repaired but he has built a superior, custom-refurbished gearbox for his engine that allows Dusty full performance once again. Impressed at Dusty's skill and heroism, Blade certifies him as a firefighter. Propwash Junction is reopened with Dusty assuming his duty as a firefighter, celebrated with an aerial show with his new colleagues from Piston Peak.

In a mid-credits scene, Cad is seen working as a Death Valley National Park ranger.

## Trivia

* Team Griffin/Eeveelution, the Griffin Family (Peter Griffin, Lois Griffin, Chris Griffin, Meg Griffin, and Stewie Griffin), Glenn Quagmire, Cleveland Brown, Joe Swanson, Mitzi, No Feet, Tutu, Roger Smith, Bender Bending Rodríguez, Minerva Mink, Fifi la Fume, the Belcher Family (Bob Belcher, Linda Belcher, Tina Belcher, Gene Belcher, and Louise Belcher), Ami Onuki, and Yumi Yoshimura guest star in this film.