One item that IC hasn't touched on is the type of bucket. Most Oz operators have Bambi's, which are well proven and reliable, albeit with some weak points.
HeliPro brought over some Spray (?) buckets for their 117 and Huey, which had a bottom fill, and variable drop, both of which proved quite valuable. Whilst the fill time was considerably longer than a Bambi, the amount of water taken up was always the maximum achievable for the weight and conditions, not always achievable in the Bambi. Watching the Huey drop a full or partial load was easily as efficient and effective as the 205 with a belly tank. Both HeliPro machines worked a medium/long line, but the one area which the Spray bucket wasn't too good at was hover drops. The manner in which the water flowed around the bottom valve spread the pattern such that a solid vertical soak into a smoker was nigh on impossible to achieve.
Comparative pictures: the HeliPro vertical drop is one of Neville's pictures, you can see how the spray pattern leaves a "hole in the middle":
This shot is from inside the BK117 with a vertical drop onto a smoker, with a Bambi Bucket. Note the "tighter" vertical stream of water, 900+ litres straight down the throat of the tree:
Bambi weak points:
always have a box of spares. There aren't many parts in a Bambi, but if you don't have a spare solenoid when yours fails, you are history as a bomber. Purse strings (the parts, not the bean counters
) are often overlooked, as are the cables and bladder seal. End of day post flight may highlight increased wear, especially those days of 100+ drops, but an hour's attention will reward itself with faultless performance the next day. Equally, end of season cleaning and maintenance is worth the effort.
In the same fashion, SEI Industry's Sacksafoam units are very reliable, but need a bag of spares in the field, plus routine maintenance. There are other foam injection systems around, all of which will need the same attention.
Long line/bucket on the hook? I'm on holiday, skiing; I'll think that one over for another day
