- Title:
-
Operational Performance of the S-64F Aircrane Helitanker
- Date:
- December 2004
- Organisations
- DSE
- Authors:
- H. Biggs
- Location:
- Victoria, VIC, Australia
Overview
During the period of extended dryness in the build-up to the 1997–98 fire season, the Victorian Government recognised that additional aircraft resources were needed to supplement the contracted fleet of 17 specialist firefighting aircraft normally used in the State. Amongst others, the additions included an S-64F Aircrane—a heavy-lift helicopter with vertical-lift capabilities.When it is operating as a helitanker, a 9,500-litre firebombing tank is attached under the fuselage of the Aircrane. The tank is fitted with a snorkel that allows it to self-fill from a range of water sources while the helicopter is hovering. The hover-fill system can draw 9,000 litres of water in less than 40 seconds. The retardant delivery system is controlled by a microprocessor that enables the pilot to select multiple drops as well as the volume and coverage level of each drop, providing a variety of options for efficient suppression of wildfires.
The S-64F Aircrane Helitanker combines the ability to deliver large volumes of fire retardant with a helicopter’s versatility, performance, manoeuvrability and quick turn-around times. During the 1997–98 season, the Aircrane Helitanker was successfully deployed nine times and flew a total of 50 hours in firefighting operations within the State. It delivered a total of 2,347,458 litres of water injected with foam concentrate on wildfires in a variety of topographic and vegetation types. It was used for direct attack on wildfires in highly flammable coastal vegetation, various classes of eucalypt forest and in pine plantations and for the protection of assets on farmland and at the forest–private land interface. On one occasion, with an average load of 8,500 litres, it delivered 162,000 litres in one hour to contain a very high-intensity wildfire in a pine plantation.
The helitanker was effective in directly attacking the edges of going fires, hot spots and spot fires, in providing valuable support to the ground firefighting resources and in working with both the fixed-wing and other rotary-wing firebombers from the Department’s contracted specialist aerial firefighting fleet. Its ability to quickly deliver large volumes of fire retardant in potentially threatening situations under extreme fire danger conditions was well demonstrated. The large volume carried and the ability to split the load also allow it to deliver separate drops to several locations without the need to reload, reducing some of the urgency and pressure in the decision-making processes and enhancing the safety and effectiveness of firebombing operations.
By directly attacking high-intensity fires the Aircrane Helitanker was credited with several significant saves where high-value assets were under threat.
