2023-24 Australian Bush Fire Season: Two Erickson Air-Cranes headed to Australia

Two Erickson Air-Cranes Helicopters, both are S-64F models, N163AC and N178AC, otherwise known as Bubba and Isabelle have probably already left or will soon be leaving Long Beach CA for their journey to Victoria Australia for their summer firefighting season. According to the Erickson Incorporated Aerial Firefighting page of their Website, one of their clients is the National Aerial Firefighting Center in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Specs for the S-64F model can be found on this pdf file of S-64F Technical and Performance Information, that is available from the S-64 link on Erickson's fleet info page. 

Thank-you Bubba and Isabella, pilots, and support crew for your upcoming service in Victoria. Stay safe.

Erickson Aircrane (2022)

After I devoted this blog to aerial wildland firefighting and related issues in early 2009 it did not take me long to learn about the Erickson Aircrane. Over thirteen years later, I still enjoy watching videos of the Aircrane working wildfires or performing other heavy lift activities. Erickson has a nice webpage chock full of information. If you go their page on their aviation fleet you will see a link for specifications on the S-64E with a link (pdf file) for technical and performance information for the S-64E. Here is an overview of the specifications for the S-64E:

• power plant: 2 pratt and whitney JFTD12A-4A 
• 2 to 3 crew
• fuselage length 70 ft (21.3 meters)
• Maximum external cargo: 20,000 lbs (9,072 kg)
• max speed: 115 kts.
• max range: 217 NM

Mission specific equipment includes but is not limited to:

• hoists
• night vision goggles
• fire tank
• foam cannon
• sea snorkle
• pond snorkle

According to Erickson's aerial firefighting webpage the Aircrane has been used for aerial firefighting by these U.S. agencies and international agencies:

• SDGE (San Diego Gas and Electric)
• Los Angeles City Fire (California)
• U.S. Forest Service
• Oregon Department of Forestry
• California Deptartment of Forestry and Fire Protection
• Hellenic Fire Service (Greece)
• The National Aerial Firefighting Center (Australia)
• Forestal Arauco S.A. (Chile)

Erickson's aerial firefighting webpage has some short case study write-ups of some past seasons around the world along with a nice photo gallery.

Here a couple of videos I found to share with you. The first video shows an Aircrane working a wildfire in Greece.

Direct link to video from gvlacom on YouTube

The last video is from Australia.

Direct link to video from Ian Fuller on Youtube

Reflections on the Erickson Air Crane

Yesterday I read a short article  about an Ericsson Air Crane that has or will soon be delivered to the Korean Forest Service., Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation wrote about this same Air Crane in November while she was still being tested prior to delivery to Korea. This article gave me pause to consider that over the years that I have been writing this blog and looked at countless videos of aerial wildfire operations across the world. Perhaps it is the distinctive look of the Air Crane while she is fire fighting configuration, but I have seen her in several videos while she is in firefighting service outside of the United States. With her large capacity tank, on the order of 3,000 gallons, and her ability to scoop water from a water source, she is a very valuable part of the aerial wildland firefighting fleet of aircraft.

I am not sure if I have seen an Air Crane in New Jersey, if I did I believe that she would have been doing work on utility transmission lines. And It would have been from a distance. 

I am very fond of the Air Crane because she was among the first aerial firefighting aircraft that I wrote about over ten years ago. I am very grateful to Kenny Chapman, long-time pilot of an Erickson Air Crane who answered my questions and walked me through fighting fires with an Air Crane. I occasionally correspond with Kenny over social media, he is a gentleman and he always answers my question. Thank-you Kenny for introducing me to the Air Crane and for giving me a glimpse up close and personal of the Air Crane.

I never tire of the Air Crane and over the years I have shared numerous videos of the Air Crane in action both working wildfires and doing other heavy lifting, you may read them here.

Sometimes a picture, or in this case a video, is indeed worth a thousand words.  I am going to share a 20 minute video about the Ericsson Air Crane by B Dudas Productions where you will see her perform firefighting and other duties. Enjoy.

Direct link to video by B Dudas Productions

Erickson Aircrane in action over wildfires (2011)

Enjoy this video from Earl Watters, taken with a Go Pro Helmet Cam in 2011.  You will see footage from inside an Erickson Air Crane as well as some footage from the ground. Allow just under nine minutes to watch the video.


Direct link to video from Earl Watters

Natalie Jones, Helicopter Captain at Erickson Air-Crane

I am always interested in female pilots. So when I ran across a video about Natalie Jones, the first female helicopter Captain at Erickson Air-Crane, I wanted to share this with you. I don't think that I have shared this here before, I have looked. Although you never know, perhaps I shared this as a video of the week last year? In any event it is worth sharing again.

I found a short interview by Just Helicopters with Natalie Jones, published in the fall of 2015.

I always enjoy videos and articles where the pilot is the subject of the video. In this case, the pilot just happens to be a woman.

You go Natalie. Stay safe.


Natalie Jones, Helicopter pilot for Erickson, Inc. from Gail Mooney on Vimeo.
Direct link to video on Vimeo by Gail Mooney

In the event that the above embed code doesn't work (I've had trouble with Vimeo code on other occasions), here is a direct link to the same video on Youtube, uploaded by Erickson Air-Crane.

Helos and their dip site (in support of 790 Fire in the Skylands Wilderness Area)

direct link to video on youtube

I found this amazing video quite by accident about 30 minutes ago. I love watching helos dipping. What makes this video special is seeing how the water gets to the dip tanks that you will see later in the video.  You will see to Air Cranes dipping.

According to the about this video information on youtube:

They had to pump water up hill 500 feet to transfer tanks,add bleach to kill any parasites then pump it up hill another 300 feet to the dipping tanks. This site was built on a hill side above Parker Creek a tributary of the upper reaches of the S. Frk. of the Rogue River. The Heli Dip Site was being utilized to fight the 790 fire in the Sky Lakes Wilderness Area. Site was built due to its close proximity to the fire and the short turnaround times. They where coming in every 4 to 5 minutes for re-loads.

For information about the 790 fire, which has burned 2,292 acres and is at 20% containment as I write this. go to the 790 fire page on inciweb.

Erickson Air Crane - Transmission Tower Construction in NJ

Every so often one of my friends will tell me that thought of me when they saw a helicopter working on electric transmission lines So when I found this video from my friends at Erickson AirCrane on Youtube the other day I just had to post it. Enjoy.



direct link to video

Ground crews and helos working wildfires in Australia

Over the almost five years that I have been writing about aerial wildland firefighting on this blog, I have often said that tankers and helos who fly wildfires do so to support the wildland firefighters on the ground. As I write this it is summer down under in Australia and fire season. The two videos that I am embedding here are of wildfire activity in Australia. Both videos, by ApexImagery, show firefighters on the ground and in the air, I'll get to that in a moment. According to the description on the first video (Toolleen Grass Fire), the footage is of a wildfire in Victoria, Australia. I believe but am not certain that the second video (Sedgwick Fire) is of wildfire footage in Victoria, Australia. 

You will see helos working fires in both videos. In the first video (below) you will see footage of a grass fire near Toolleen in Victoria Australia. At about 28 seconds and then again at about 1 minute 47 seconds you will footage of a helo dropping water from their belly tank near were an engine crew is working the grass fire with their hoses. 

direct link to video

In the second video (allow just under six minutes) you will see some footage of the wildland firefighters on the ground including shots of guys talking on radio and another shot of what looks like a hand drawn map of the fire. Point being that I know enough to know that there is a lot of radio communications going on between various wildland firefighters on the ground and also with those crews providing aerial support. So, as you watch these sections on the video, think about the importance of radio communications in all aspects of any kind of firefighting.  

In addition, you will some nice footage of an Erickson Air Crane working the fire, including a couple of shots of what could be the 'Crane filling her belly tank. In these shots (1:55 and 2:49), it looks like the 'Crane is disappearing behind some trees, but I think that she may be filling her belly tank from a water body. At about 4:16 you will the 'Crane dropping on the fire.

direct link to video

Still more on the Erickson Air Crane in action

Here is As the Rotors Turn with Erickson Air Crane II (2012 edition) by B Dudas. Allow about 20 minutes for the video.



direct link to video

More on the Erickson Air Crane

I finally finished chipping and otherwise clearing the icy snowpack from my driveway, at least 95% of it. And like many of us, I've been getting ready for the holidays and getting over a cold. I leave you with this nice trailer about the Erickson Air Crane called "As the Rotor Turns" by B Dudas.



direct link to video

Erickson Air Crane can move snow

Thanks to temps that got above freezing today, with warmer temps to come at the end of the week, I have been making progress with getting the latest layer of snow/ice off of my driveway. After I wrote my article on Monday I found a video on youtube of a "crane moving snow for a previous Olympics. Ok, so I will happily eat some crow. Anyway, the video amused me, so I am sharing it with you. I wish that I could have seen a picture of the "Crane with the bucket of snow. But you will get the idea.



direct link to video

chipping away at ice and the Erickson Air Crane

Interesting title, huh? Between getting used to some changes in my google account and chipping away at the ice on my driveway, much of the day flew by. Yesterday we had our third snowfall in a week, and tomorrow a clipper system with some snow is coming through. I've measured almost seven inches of snow on my property. I had just finished cleaning up my driveway on Friday in anticipation of snow and freezing rain the next day. Saturdays snow was more difficult to get rid of because 3.5 inches of fluffy snow was compacted down to 1.5 inches after about 2/10th of freezing rain accumulated on top of the snow.

Still have some of this compacted icy snow in portions of my driveway, but it is passable. At least we have access. And after the snow ends tomorrow, I'll spend more time working on my driveway. I'm feeling greatfull for my ice chipper. Best thing since sliced bread. I do have a snow blower, but it is not real effective in 1.5 inches of compacted snow with a good ice crust on top.

Just one month ago I was worried about the dry fall we have been having. I found myself thinking about the fall fire season we had in November as I was chipping away at some of the icy residue on my driveway today. A rainstorm a couple of weeks ago and the snow this week has likely ended the fall fire season.

Now the Erickson Air Crane doesn't have a whole lot to do with chipping away at the thin layer of icy snow on my driveway, but it does have a whole lot to do with putting out fires. So, I'll leave you with this video that I found recently on youtube where you'll get to know the Erickson Air Crane up close and personal.



direct link to video

Enjoy!

Erickson Aircrane revisted

I am a little under the weather so I did not make a post yesterday. I hope to be back in a day or so. In the meantime, enjoy this video, probably a repeat, of the Aircrane, Isabell, piloted by Kenny Chapman, working the Backbone Fire in the Six Sisters National Forest in July 2009.

Hydromulching: Erickson Aircrane

This is a slightly shorter version of a video from Erickson Air Crane showing how the "Crane is used in hydromulching operations. The footage shown is of hydromuclhing operations of Griffith Park after a 2007 wildfire. The complete version of the video may be viewed at this location, you will have to scroll down and select the "hydroseeding" video.

footage from cockpit of CL 415 and AirCrane

Bill Gabbert posted a link to some incredible footage shot by a camera inside the cockpit of a CL 415 and an Air Crane. Go here to check it out.

AirCrane at Station Fire

The helitanker in the video is an Erickson Air Crane, under contract (with the US Forest Service?). To the best of my knowledge it is not a LA County helitanker. It is probably under contract. I believe that Erickson has a contract with LA County.

One of the lighter moments of the hours that I spent watching live footage of the Station Fire came with watching the AirCranes working the fire. One reason is because I got to know one of Erickson Air Crane's senior pilots, Kenny Chapman through my writings. I know that Kenny was based in California a couple of months ago, I don't know if he still is. And if he is, I don't know if he is or was working the Station Fire. But I thought of him every time I saw an AirCrane make a drop.

The levity came early Tuesday evening after I watched about ten minutes of footage of the Martin Mars before and during her drop on Mt. Wilson. After the drop, they switched to shots of AirCranes (Erickson and others) using their snorkle tubes to fill their tankers. Some shots were of the helitanker filling their tanks from a pond. Others showed them filling from tanks, sometimes known as dip tanks. You know the sound you can make when you are drinking a bottle of soda from a bottle , when the bottle is almost empty? You want to get every last drop of soda. Well the guys in the news helo were making that noise as the helitanker was filling its tanks from the dip tank. I cracked up, made me laugh out loud.

I made a post a couple of months ago where I embedded a video of an AirCrane filling its tank from a dip tank, it may be found here.

great photo of an AirCrane

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today News posted this great photo of an AirCrane. Check it out!

Erickson Air-Crane Elvis going to EAA airventure

Just heard from Kenny Chapman that an Erickson AirCrane is going to the EAA airventure airshow in Wisconsin from July 27 through Aug. 2. So I checked the Erickson website, and found a link to this article reporting that the AirCrane known as Elvis will be at the show. I was also interested in the article for the short history of Elvis. Take a couple of minutes to read the article to learn a little more about Elvis

Sounds like a lot of fun, and if I was going to be any where near the vicinity I would go. But I will be no where near Wisconsin. Darn.

But airventure will have a presence on the web, so those of you who are so inclined may want to go here. Alas, I will be away from reliable internet access next week and the week after, so I will probably not be able to post any updates about Elvis' presence at airventure here.

But I do have articles scheduled to post while I am in the blackhole so stay tuned.

Erickson AirCrane: retardant and water/faom drops

Fixed-tank helicopters such as the AirCrane use Phos-Check 259F retardant, requiring that a mobile retardant base be set up near the incident. This happens on a regular basis with large fires. The video that I have embedded here shows an AirCrane using a dip tank to fill its fixed tank with retardant.

Being that the AirCrane can be used for retardant drops as well as water/foam drops, I asked Kenny Chapman when AirCrane is used for retardant drops in the U.S.:


Once the Crane is hauling retardant it is utilized the same as an airtanker. (Building retardant line ahead of the fire.) It can also switch back and forth between retardant, water and foam as needed. Retardant is not used in the initial attack role unless the helicopter is sent to a new fire directly from an existing incident that has a retardant plant set up already.

I asked him if there was ever a situation where a mobile retardant base was established where an AirCrane was working an existing fire and a “new” fire popped up near the mobile retardant plant. With a mobile retardant plant already set up near a “new” fire, was the AirCrane used to haul retardant in “initial attack.” He said:

I remember one that I did on a fire out of Santa Ynez around 2003 or so. Someone was smoking in fire camp and started a fire at the camp at exactly the time I was picking up a load. I was able to contain the new start with one load.

AirCranes carrying water/foam are frequently used in initial attack. The AirCrane has a separate foam tank, so after the pilot has filled the main tank with water he can decide whether or not to inject foam into the tank (already filled with water) based on the wants/needs/requirements of the incident commander.

Because the tank on the AirCrane does not have to be rinsed or otherwise cleaned out between retardant and water/foam drops, the AirCrane can go from flying initial attack with water/foam to flying extended attack with retardant once a mobile retardant base is set up near the incident.

Erickson AirCrane: firefighting module

If you go to Erickson’s firefighting page, you will notice a “quick specs” link at the top where you will find this information on the AirCrane’s firefighting module:

Our patented ram scoop hydrofoil allows the Helitanker to refill from fresh water and sea water sources in less than 45 seconds.

A flexible hose snorkel features a high pressure impeller and can draw water from any water source 18 inches (45 cm) or deeper as fast as 45 seconds.

The 2,650 gallon (~10,000 litre) tank drops water, retardant, or foam mix. Microprocessor controlled tank doors offer eight individual coverage level options.

accessed on June 17, 2009

The coverage levels referred to above may be selected by the AirCrane pilot. They are:

1 = 1 gallon per 100 square feet
2 = 2 gallons per 100 square feet
3 = 3 gallons per 100 square feet
4 = 4 gallons per 100 square feet
5 = 5 gallons per 100 square feet
6 = 6 gallons per 100 square feet
7 = 7 gallons per 100 square feet
8 = 8 gallons per 100 square feet