Here is a transcript of the exchange between commissioner McLeod and DSE manager and air attack supervisor on the 7th, Mr Lawlor.
Page 45 of the transcript of 16th Sept. in general they were discussing the Beechworth fire.
Some context, earlier in the week the commission heard from a scientist who said the Beechworth fire started when an electrical line touched a pole which then sparked. He said the line probably broke when hit by a falling tree.
http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/getdoc/60d94c96-6166-442b-85f7-a0cd2e54b5ce/Transcript_VBRC_Day_052_16-Sep-2009-(1)
It is worth reading all of the evidence from Mr Lawlor as it gives more contex to this exchange.
As far as I am aware it is the most explicit exchange during the commission regarding helicopters near powerlines.
Some say the majority of fires on Feb 7th started near powerlines so the fact that the question was raised by one of the commissioners is an indication that they want to get to the bottom of a helicopters capability at dealing with fires near powerlines.
Mr Lawlors response is prefixed thus ---
COMMISSIONER McLEOD: Could I just suggest, while counsel's proposition was a hypothetical one, could I suggest that had an Erickson been at Beechworth ready to be operational, it could have arrived at that fire as quickly
as the two fire tankers had arrived which, with the load of water, it would have had the advantage of being able to use the water on the fire where there were electrical lines insecure in a way that it wouldn't have been possibly for the attended fire trucks to be able to apply water to the fire when it was in a very small area?
---It wouldn't have dropped on the lines.
COMMISSIONER McLEOD:For what reason?
---Safety reasons, would be my judgment.
COMMISSIONER McLEOD:What would be the safety issue with dropping - doesn't it rain occasionally?
---Aircraft don't operate near wires. They are one of the principal causes of fatalities in aircraft operations.
COMMISSIONER McLEOD:But a helicopter of that size wouldn't be down at electrical pole level?
---It has a very long snorkel that it sucks up, so it would have to drop from a long way up and again you are getting the dissipating effect of the winds, but they don't operate on or above electrical lines while they are dropping water or foam.
COMMISSIONER McLEOD: That surprises me, but anyway, I accept your advice.
Could this exchange be used to characterise helicopter activities around fires that
start near power lines as being somewhat limited?
Mickjoebill