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Old 14th May 2007, 13:11
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Heli_Sticktime
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Cape Town
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More background

Here is some more background info on the aircraft from another forum

The WORKING ON FIRE programme has added a SA321JA Super Frelon to its fleet of airborne fire fighters, when the sole flying example in South Africa (and arguably the only civilian operated in the world) was delivered to Stellenbosch Airfield shortly after 17h00 today.

This Super Frelon, ZS-HTN (c/n 169) is operated by Executive Hedlicopters, which has its main base at Culembourg, near the Cape Town harbour. It was once acquired as the personal helicopter for the erstwhile Zairean President, Mobuto Sese-Seko where it briefly operated as 9T-SPF.

It was eventually withdrawn from use and found its way to the South African Air Force, but never entered service because it was said it would not be feasible to bring it up to the same standard as the SA321L Super Frelons then still in use by the SAAF. The airframe soon found itself with the SAAF Museum, but was then disposed of to a civilian company called ANCOM JET, where the intention was to use it commercially mostly in the heavy lift role. This operation did not take off and the helicopter lingered on at Cape Town International airport for quite a while before it was restored to airworthy condition and flown to Lanseria Airport.

Once again it failed to fly commercially, and once again stood around the airfield for several years without flying, before being acquired by a Cape Town helicopter company, and meticulously restored to flying condition.

It flew again in November 2005, appeared briefly at the Ysterplaat Air Show validation day a month later, and then flew sporadically, until it joined the WORKING ON FIRE programme early in December 2006. It will be based at Stellenbosch airfield for the duration of the Cape Fire season after the Stellenbosch municipality agreed to allow WOF helicopter operations from this airfield. Like the MI 8 MTV-1 previously used, water will be dropped from a 3000 litre Bambi bucket.
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