Helitack 406: A Firefighting Helicopter in California

While on a routine recreation patrol near Hollister, Calif. last weekend, Telstar Logistics happened upon a California Department of Forestry (CDF) firefighting helicopter that had just touched down at the Bear Valley Helitack Base. We pulled over to the side of the road to investigate.

When the rotors stopped turning, we meekly introduced ourselves and received permission to do a walk-around tour of the helicopter, a UH-1H Huey. Even better, the chopper's pilot turned out to be a friendly gent, and he provided us with a detailed overview of the ship and the tactics he uses to battle California wildfires. In Executive Summary form, here's what we learned about Helitack 406:

• This particular helicopter, N498DF, was built in 1970. It flew for almost 20 years with the US Army, before it was acquired as surplus by the state of California.
• Helitack 406 has been ugraded with an engine from a Super Cobra attack helicopter, making it a "Super Huey."
• The belly tank under the main cabin holds 325 gallons of water.  The water tank is typically refilled in ponds and lakes using a snorkel hose that hangs below the helicopter. The snorkel can refill the water tank in as little as 20 seconds. Both the water tank and the orange snorkel hose are clearly visible in this photo:

• The helicopter often carries a fire crew in the main cabin that can disembark to fight fires on the ground while the helicopter continues to drop water from above. (You can see a photo of Copter 406 hard at work here.)
• When battling large fires, CDF helicopters work together in teams, flying in tight "daisy-chain" patterns, one after the other, to lay down a steady line of water.

Lots more photos via the link below.  Many thanks to the pilot at the CDF's Bear Valley Helitack Base (shown below) who extended the friendly welcome!

LINKS:
Helitack! A CDF Helicopter at Bear Valley (Photoset by Telstar Logistics)

UH-1H Super Huey Helicopter (pdf datasheet by the California Department of Forestry)

CDF Air Program (Official website)

PREVIOUSLY:
DC-10 Fire Tanker Joins the Fight Against SoCal Blazes

Hovercraft Save California Island from Raging Wildfire

DC-10 Airliner Attacks Big California Wildfires

(Photos: All photos above by Telstar Logistics)

Comments

[nomiSimple]

Very cool

[Edward]

Is the hose big enough to fit a scuba diver? How long could the scuba diver live in the tank before being deposited unaware in the middle of a forest fire?

[pqbon]

The airport in Hollister:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Hollister+Airport&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=51.488837,73.212891&ie=UTF8&ll=36.894003,-121.405363&spn=0.025638,0.035748&t=h&z=15&iwloc=C

houses a whole CDF unit. I noticed CDF fireplanes and choppers there this weekend.

[bob]

The snorkle hose is a 6 inch hose, but this is the fastest filling type 2 inthe world

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