NSW Rural Fire Service Blackhawks

[John Eacott]

The Federal and State governments will cooperate to provide two ex ADF Blackhawks for fire support, apparently to replace the BK117s. It will be interesting to see how ex mil machines will be used for transport and winching on the civvie register; kudos to RFS and Governments for putting this together :ok:



Blackhawks acquired by NSW Government (https://www.pprune.org/151A Lane filtering between slow or stationary vehicles on a motorbike (1)The rider of a motorbike is lane filtering along a length of road if the rider rides the motorbike between— (a)two adjacent lines of traffic travelling in the same direction as the motorbike; or (b)two vehicles (regardless of whether the rider remains within a single marked lane), each vehicle travelling in— (i)the same direction as the motorbike; and (ii)separate, but adjacent, marked lanes.)


(Report and video)

[RVDT]

Can of worms there - Restricted Category Only

aircraft certificated under this Type Certificate are only eligible for agricultural operations defined in 14CFR 137.3,
aerial dispensing of liquids and forest conservation material as defined by 14CFR 137.3, or external loads as defined in 14CFR 133.1(b).

Probably a good tanker though but you would need to do a lot of work on them to convert them to a viable machine for Bushy's use.

Might be time to buy shares in a gold braid company - there is an empire brewing here. :p

[gsa]

Leading Edge Aviation in South Africa have one on there books for Fire fighting so hopefully they can all make them work and pay for themselves.

[KiwiNedNZ]

If you read the press release they are not going to be used for fire fighting, they are solely for use in transporting the RAFT and RART teams. They will work alongside the BK117s they have. They have no interest in using them as a fire fighting aircraft - that will be left to the commercial operators.

[SuperF]

Hi Ned, Have they said how they can fly pax in a restricted machine? or if there is a restricted TC that allows pax flights...

pretty sure that Oz doesnt have Public Use aircraft like the USA so just interested how they will get around complying with the Law that everyone else has to comply with.

[KiwiNedNZ]

RFS own the aircraft and they will be ONLY flying RFS people in them as part of the RAFT and RART crews.

[Ascend Charlie]

Do they have a bunch of ex-army Blakork drivers?

[KiwiNedNZ]

No idea - think they are going to tender out the contract for an operator to operate them on their behalf - like they do with the BK117s

[mickjoebill]

RFS own the aircraft and they will be ONLY flying RFS people in them as part of the RAFT and RART crews.

What is the point of funding if they can’t carry Media crews?

mjb