sea king & fire ??

[S.M.S]

Hi all…. Please I want to ask can we use the sea king for fire fighting??. If yes any idea or country using it, and if we want to train our crew for fire fighting techniques where is the best company??

[Sailor Vee]

Try this (http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/jau/jau_a070.html), should give you a heads-up.

[rcapiloto]

SMS

Do you require the above info on the Sea King (Military aircraft) or on the Sikorsky S-61 (Civil aircraft)??? The differences on operating either of those aircraft are substantial...

[Tallsar]

UK mil SAR SKs have access to underslung fire buckets (particulary in the Falkland Islands) for use in tackling fires (The UK AB412's based with 84 sqn in Cyprus have a similar capability). UK Mil SAR SKs also work closely with some UK Fire Brigades who have created MIRGs (Maritime Immediate Response Groups) who are teams of local firemen equipped and trained to tackle fires on board ships off the UK coast. Otherwise, Mr Carson's ac (US civ S61) come equipped with an attached belly tank for filling with water to be used in fighting overland fires.

[S.M.S]

Sailor vee many thanks sir very good site :ok:

[S.M.S]

yes sir i need infoon the Sea King (Military aircraft) and how much we can take on that belly tank ??

[Phil77]

Like Tallsar said, Carson Helicopters developed the "Fire King":

http://www.carsonhelicopters.com/wildfire.htm

Carson's S-61 FIRE KING

Aircraft Performance
• 22,000 lb Max Gross Weight
• 11,000 lb*External Load
• 14,000 ft Service Ceiling - 12,000 ft Take Off & Landing
• 131 Knot Cruise Speed
• 450 Nautical Mile Range
• 3.5 Hour Endurance with 30 Minute Reserve

Equipment
• Composite Main Rotor Blades
• 15 Passenger Interior
• Fire King 1,000 Gallon Fixed Belly Tank
• Goodrich Hoist (600 lb)
• Stokes Litter
• Rescue Basket
• Rescue Strop
• Rappel Anchor
• Rope Assisted Deployment Anchor (R.A.D.)
• 11,000 lb Cargo Hook
• 63" Sliding Cargo Door
• 900 Gallon Variable Flow Water Bucket
• 150', 100' & 50' Synthetic Long Line

...quite impressive.
Unfortunately there was a tragic accident in august involving a S61 fighting fires in California: http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/338189-cnn-report-nine-people-presumed-dead-helicopter-crash-california.html?highlight=carson+crash

Disclaimer: I'm in no way affiliated nor can I elaborate about performance etc. - I don't even know if my post here would be considered as an advertisement; its merely intended for information purposes!

[S.M.S]

ok folks can carsonhelicopter upgraud our Military sea king, to be a

firefighter a/c ???

[[email protected]]

Mr Carson can improve the lifting capability and performance of your Sea King with new blades, TR, MRH etc but as for the belly tank, who knows? Pick up the phone and ask him.

[Gordy]

Firefighting, Fishin--you name it, its beeing done:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j35/helokat/LaFawnduh%2008/DSC01681.jpg

This one is able to lift 3744 lbs, (450 gallons), of water at 8,000 ft, 20 deg C, with 255 gallons of Jet A. Obviously as the fuel burns it can lift more water. This dip site is actually 8,600 ft, just inside Montana on the continental divide--the Willow Fire.

[S.M.S]

UK mil SAR SKs have access to underslung fire buckets (particulary in the Falkland Islands) for use in tackling fires (The UK AB412's based with 84 sqn in Cyprus have a similar capability). UK Mil SAR SKs also work closely with some UK Fire Brigades who have created MIRGs (Maritime Immediate Response Groups) who are teams of local firemen equipped and trained to tackle fires on board ships off the UK coast. Otherwise, Mr Carson's ac (US civ S61) come equipped with an attached belly tank for filling with water to be used in fighting overland fires.


Tallsar many thanks for the info, but how can i get contact to the UK mil SAR SKs to see the underslung buckets? and do you have a photo for that sea king with fire buckets ?? thanks.:ok:

[Cabe LeCutter]

SMS

You don't say where you are. 202 Sqn at Boulmer and 1564 Flt in the Falklands both use the Simms Rainmaker for firefighting, both RAF outfits. Other types use the Bambi Bucket or a belly tank. No great training required as long as you are used to underslung loads and use a modicome of common sense when you start. I am not saying that it is easy, it easy to put yourself in a bad situation but build up experience slowly.
Leopold Bloom may be able to help.

Head Down look out for the flack

[Phil Kemp]

There are a number of military, parapublic and commercial operators using the Sea King and commercial derivatives for fire fighting. There are a couple of different approved tank systems, in addition to the various bucket systems. It is interesting to see the military use the Simms buckets, as they have never been seriously used by commercial operators - who spend a major part of their lives fighting fires.

All commercial operations are conducted using bubble windows (or no windows, when it is hot). I have previously posted a number of picture of the Carson machines with tanks and they can be installed on any variant of Sea King/S61 except the "L" model - due to hull configuration.

If you want more information on configuring a machine, feel free to contact me. If you have the time and motivation, come to the Sea King Symposium at the end of the month and there will be a whole buch of people there who can tell you anything you might want to know!