Air firefighters is the use of aircraft and other air resources to combat forest fires. The types of aircraft used include fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as air firefighters, sent to fire by parachutes from various fixed wing aircraft, or rappelling from helicopters. Chemicals used to fight fires may include water, water enhancers such as foams and gels, and specially formulated fire retarders such as Phos-Chek.
Video Aerial firefighting
Terminology
Various terminologies have been used in popular media for aircraft (and methods) used in air firefighting. The term airtanker or air tanker generally refers to a fixed wing aircraft based in the United States; "airtanker" is used in official documentation. The term "waterbomber " is used in some Canadian government documents for the same class of vehicles, although it sometimes has amphibious connotations.
Air Attack is an industrial term used for actual air source applications, both fixed-wing and rotorcraft, on fire. However, in the industry, "air strikes" can also refer to air watchers (usually in fixed wing aircraft) that oversee the process of air fire attack, including fixed wing airtankers, helicopters, and anything else. other aviation resources assigned to the fire. The Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS), often called "air strikes," typically flies at altitudes above other resources assigned to fire, often in fixed wing aircraft but occasionally (depending on the resources assigned or availability of personnel qualified) in a helicopter.
Depending on the size, location, and potential assessed by forest fires, "air strikes" or ATGS persons may be charged with initial attack (first response from firefighting assets to fire fighting), or with extended attacks, ongoing responses to and management large fires requiring additional resources including engines, ground crews, and other flight and aircraft personnel required to control fire and establish a line of control or fire lines in front of the fire.
Maps Aerial firefighting
Tools
Various kinds of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft are used for air fire extinguishers. In 2003, it was reported that "the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management own, lease, or contract nearly 1,000 airplanes each fire season, with annual expenditure of more than US $ 250 million in recent years."
Helicopter
Helicopters can be mounted with tanks (helitankers) or they can carry buckets. Some helitankers, such as Erickson AirCrane, are also equipped with foam cannons mounted in front. Buckets are usually filled by soaking or dipping them into lakes, rivers, reservoirs, or portable tanks. The most popular bucket is the flexible Bambi Bucket. Tanks can be filled on the ground (by water tender or truck-mounted systems) or water can be sucked from lakes, rivers, reservoirs, or portable tanks via suspended snorkels. Popular fire fighting helicopters include Bell 204, Bell 205, Bell 212, Boeing Vertol 107, Boeing Vertol 234 and Sikorsky S-64 Aircrane helsanker, which are equipped with snorkeling to fill from natural or man-made water sources while on a hover. Currently the world's largest helicopter, Mil Mi-26, uses Bambi buckets.
Airtankers
Airtankers or air bombers are fixed-wing aircraft equipped with tanks that can be charged on the ground at an air tanker station or, in the case of airplanes and seaplanes, by filtering water from lakes, reservoirs, or large rivers.
Various aircraft have been used for years for firefighters. In 1947, the United States Air Force and the US Forest Service experimented with a military plane that dropped a bomb containing water. The bombs did not work, and the use of internal water tanks was adopted instead. Although the bombing of World War II and Korean era has long been a mainstay of the firefighting fleet, newly built tankers have since come online. The smallest is Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs). This is an agricultural sprayer that generally drops about 800 gallons of US (3,000 liters) of water or retardant. Examples include the Air Tractor AT-802, which can deliver about 800 gallons of US (3,000 liters) of water or fireproof solutions in every drop, and the Antonov An-2 Soviet biplane. Both of these aircraft can be equipped with buoys that scoop water from the surface of water bodies. Similar in configuration to World War II Consolidated PBY Catalina, Canadair CL-215 and its derivative CL-415 are designed and built specifically for firefighters. The Croatian Air Force uses six CL-415 as well as six AT 802 for firefighting purposes.
Moderately sized aircraft including the Grumman S-2 Tracker (mounted with turboprop engine as S-2T) as used by the California Forestry Department & amp; Fire Protection, and Conair Firecat versions developed and used by Conair Group Inc. from Canada, while Douglas DC-4, Douglas DC-7, Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Lockheed P-2 Neptune, and Lockheed P-3 Orion - and its commercial equivalent, L-188 Electra - have been used as air tankers. Conair also convert a number of Convair 580 aircraft and the Fokker F27 Friendship turboprop into an air tanker.
The largest air fire extinguisher ever used is the Boeing 747 air extinguisher, known as the Global Supertanker, which can carry 19,600 gallons of US (74,200 l) fed by a pressurized pressure system. Supertankers were deployed operationally for the first time in 2009, fighting in Spain. The tanker did its first American operation on August 31, 2009 at Oak Glen Fire. Since then it has been replaced by Boeing 747-400. Another wide jet aircraft currently used as an air tanker is a modified McDonnell Douglas DC-10 operated by 10 Water Tanker Carrier companies as DC-10 Water Tankers. Can carry up to 12,000 US gallons (45,400 liters) of fire resistance.
Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry operates the Ilyushin Il-76 convertible-to-cargo aircraft which has operated with a 11,000-US-gallon (41,600 l) tank system, and several Beriev Be-200 engine amphibians. The Be-200 can carry a maximum charge of approximately 12,000 liters (3,200 gallons US) of water, making a "spoon" in the appropriate water stretches in 14 seconds.
Bombardier Dash 8 Q Series aircraft is the base of new generation new air tankers. Cascade Aerospace has converted two pre-owned Q400s to act as a part-time and part-time bomber for SÃÆ'  © curità ©  © Civile in France, while Neptune Aviation altered the previously-owned Q300 as a prototype to add Lockheed P- 2 Neptune aircraft. The  © curitÃÆ' © Civile also operates twelve Canadair CL-415 and nine Conair Turbo Firecat aircraft. Neptune Aviation also currently operates the British Aerospace 146 jet aircraft converted into an air tanker. BAe 146 can carry up to 3,000 gallons of firefighters. Air Spray USA Ltd. from Chico, California has also transformed the BAe 146 jet aircraft into an air tanker role. Another modern-era passenger aircraft that has now been converted to air fire missions in the US is the McDonnell Douglas MD-87 jetliner. MD-87 can carry up to 4,000 gallons of firefighters. Coulson Aviation launched the future of fire fighting air with Boeing 737-300 in May 2017. Six aircraft have been purchased from Southwest Airlines for conversion of RADS systems that are set to enter service in December 2017. The 737 aircraft is smaller than C -130Q allowing for field wider air to be utilized. Further Britt Coulson explained that the aircraft will be able to maintain the current seat and galai configuration for tanker operations.
Table comparison of fixed-wing aircraft, firefighter
all links, citations, and data sources are listed in the above paragraph. For accident and grounding quotes, see the paragraphs below the table.
Legend categories: Light: below 1,000 US gallons (3,800 L), Medium: under 10,000 US gallons (38,000 l), Weight: under 20,000 US gallons (76,000 L), Super Weight: Over 20,000 gallons (76,000 L )) - currently only used for Supertanker B747.
Other former military aircraft used as US fire-fighting tankers in the US in the past include B-17 and PB4Y-2, B-24 versions.
Leadplanes
The Lead Plane function directs the airtanker activity by the description of the verbal target and physically leads the airtankers at the drop run. The main aircraft is usually referred to as the "Bird Dog" in Canada or the "Supervision" plane in Australia. Skymaster O-2, Cessna 310 and OV-10 Bronco have been used as spotter and lead plane platforms. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has also used Cessna 337. Beechcraft Baron has long been used as a fighter or air strike, but most have retired in 2003; more common now is Beechcraft King Air and Twin Commander 690. Cessna Citation 500 jet belongs to Air Spray (1967) LTd. used by the British Columbia Ministry of Forestry beginning in 1995 and used for two fire seasons to lead the Electra L188 air tanker very quickly to fire. This is the first time a jet plane has been used as a main aircraft or a "bird dog". The Department of Parks and Wildlife in Western Australia operates a fleet of nine American Champion Scouts 8GCBC during the summer months as a reconnaissance aircraft and the Air Attack platform. Provinces of Alberta and British Columbia and the Yukon Territories contracted to supply Twin Commander 690 as a bird dog aircraft for their air tanker fleet. Air Spray has 9 Twin Commander 690 for use as a dog bird airplane.
Fleet base
In the United States, most of these aircraft are owned and contracted by government agencies, and the US National Guard and Marines also maintain a fleet of firefighters. On May 10, 2004, the US Forest Service (USFS) and the Land Management Bureau (BLM) announced that they canceled contracts with carriers of 33 heavy airtank staff. They cited fears of responsibility and the inability to safely manage the fleet after wing failures and resulted in the C-130A Hercules crash in California and PB4Y-2 in Colorado during the summer of 2002. Both old planes broke off in flight due to a fatigue crack crack at the wing roots. Following the subsequent third-party inspection and extensive testing of all heavy air contractors contracted by USFS, three companies were awarded the contract and are now retaining the combined fleet of 23 aircraft.
Flame retard
Borate salt used in the past to fight forest fires has been found to sterilize the soil and become toxic to animals so it is now banned. New retardants use ammonium sulfate or ammonium polyphosphate with attapulgite clay thickeners or diammonium phosphate with guar gum derivative thickeners. It is not only less toxic but acts as a fertilizer to help regrow the plant after a fire. Fire retardants often contain wetting agents, preservatives and rust and red inhibitors with iron oxide or opaque colors to mark where they have been dropped. Brand name fire retardants for air applications include Fire-Trol and Phos-Chek.
Some drops of water carry a tank of guar gum to bolster the water and reduce runoff.
Tactics and capabilities
The helicopter can float on fire and drop water or retardant. The S-64 Helitanker has a microprocessor-controlled door in its tank. The doors are controlled by the area to be closed and the wind conditions. The fixed wing aircraft must make the leap and drop the water or retardant like a bomber. Spotter planes (Air Tactical Group Supervisors) often orbit fire at higher altitudes to coordinate the efforts of smoke jumpers, helicopters, media, and aircraft dropping retardants; while airplanes fly low in front of airtankers to mark the tracks for drops, and ensure overall safety for both ground and air based firefighters.
Water usually falls on fire because the effect is short-lived. A flame retainer is usually dropped in front of a moving fire or along its edge and may remain effective for two days or more. This can create an artificial burn where the terrain is too rough or distant for the ground crew to bypass the line of fire.
Air firefighters are most effectively used in conjunction with ground-based efforts, since aircraft are only one weapon in a fire barn. However, there are several fire cases that extinguished the aircraft long before the crew successfully reached them.
Some firefighters can recharge their tanks in the middle of a flight, flying down to tread on the surface of a large body of water. One example is Bombardier CL-415. This is particularly useful in rural areas where flying back to the air base for refills may take too long. In 2002 the CL-415 Ontario crew was able to recharge 100 times in a 4-hour mission, sending 162,000 US gallons (613,240 liters) or 1,350,000 pounds (612 Â °) of water on fire near Dryden Ontario. {June 1, 2002 Dryden fire # 10 Tanker # 271 civil ident C-GOGE}
Incident
- July 22, 1960: B-25 Mitchell North America, N3446G SN 44-31466, operates as Tanker 66, affecting the earth during a water bombing at Mill Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains at Magic Mountain Fire. The three crew members were killed. June 27, 1969: B-25 Mitchell North America, N9088Z SN 44-30733, operates as an 8Z Tanker, crash landed on a sand dune after a multi-machine failure shortly after takeoff on the Tanana River, near Fairbanks Alaska. All crew members survived unscathed. The plane was discovered in June 2013 and is now in recovery, flying under the name "Sandbar Mitchell."
- August 13, 1994: Lockheed C-130A, N135FF, operates as Tanker 82, impacts on a mountainous area near Pearblossom, California. All three crew members suffered fatal injuries.
- June 21, 1995: Douglas C-54G, N4989P, operates as Tanker 19, and Beech B58P, N156Z, operates as Lead 56 colliding mid-air in Ramona, California. 2 crew members Tanker 19 and pilot Lead 56 killed in a collision.
- crash airtanker 2002: loss of Tanker 130 and Tanker 123.
- July 16, 2003: Lockheed L188 Electra operated by Air Spray Ltd. crashing the plains on the steep ridge side while fighting near Cranbrook BC. Two pilots were killed.
- July 31, 2010: a Convair CV580 operated by Conair Aviation crashed and fought with a fire near Vancouver BC. Both pilots were killed in the crash.
- May 21, 2011: Bell 212 helicopter crashed offshore in Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta, killing the pilot.
- June 3, 2012: Lockheed P2V-7, operates as Tanker 11, falls into a mountain field while fighting fire in Utah. 2 pilots were killed in the accident.
- July 1, 2012: Lockheed C-130 operated by Airlift Wing Wing 145 North Carolina Air National Guard crashed in the Black Hills of South Dakota while supporting efforts to contain White Draw Fire. Four aviators were killed, while two aviators survived the crash but suffered serious injuries.
- October 24, 2013: The modified POML-Mielec M-18A Dromader operated by Rebel Ag crashed after a separate left wing in flight during a waterbombing operation in western Ulladulla, New South Wales, killing the pilot.
- October 7, 2014: witnesses report terrain impacting S2T when involving Dog Rock Fire near Yosemite National Park California
- May 22, 2015: Air Tractor 802F Fire Boss amphibious air tanker, operated by Conair Aviation fell that fights fire near Cold Lake, Alberta, kills the pilot.
- July 10, 2015: Air Tractor 802F Fire Boss amphibious air tanker, operated by Conair Aviation crashed and drowned while scooping water from Lake Puntzi, British Columbia. The pilot was unharmed.
Urban legends about air firefighting
- Legends of the city appear sometimes about water bombers, or helicopters with buckets of water hanging, scooping scuba divers and throwing them on fire sites. Site of urban legend dismantle Snopes.com reported no cases proven to occur in the real world.
In popular culture
- CGI Movie Aircraft: Fire & amp; Rescue describes an air firefighter.
- Steven Spielberg's remake of movie plot in 1989 "Always" centered around a fire fighting air.
See also
- List of wild fire terms
- Smokejumper
- Catching wild fire
- Modular Airborne FireFighting System
Note
References
- Keijsper, Gerard. "Water Bomber Needed!" Monthly Air Force , London: Key Issuance, July Edition 2008.
- Marsaly, Frà © dÃÆ'  © ric and PrÃÆ' © tat, Samuel. "Bombardiers d'eau Canadair Scoopers" Minimonde 76 Edition, May 2012, ISBN 9-782954-181806.
- Pickler, Ron, and Larry Milberry. Canadair: First 50 Years. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1995. ISBNÃ, 0-921022-07-7.
External links
- The Effectiveness and Efficiency of Aerial Firefighters in Australia
- Wolfgang Jendsch: "Aerial Fire Brigade", detailed book on international fire brigades
- Fixed-house Gallery Wildlandfire.com
- wildfirenews.com
- Meet the legendary Bambi BucketÃ,® - 30 years of fire fighting history
- The Aerial Fire Department website. Retrieved 2010-03-12
- Peuch, Eric "Security Firemen in France", Eighth Wildland Fire Summit International, 26-26 April 2005
- Drop Testing Airtankers: Discussion of Cup-and-Grid Methods
- How to Conduct an Aerial Hold Aerial Hold System Static Test
- Fire Flight in Victoria Australia
- CL-215 and CL-415 in action
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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