State Aircraft Unit

Operational Information
Erickson Air-crane S-64F Helitanker
Introduction
The Erickson S-64F Air-crane
Helitanker (Air-crane) is an integral
resource of the State of Victoria’s fleet
of aerial fire fighting aircraft. The Air-
crane is a heavy vertical lift helicopter
with a 9000 Lt firebombing tank. It
has been included into the recently
formed National Aerial Firefighting
Centre’s (NAFC) firefighting aircraft
fleet for the 2004-fire season.

The tank is fitted with a fast self-fill snorkel that allows it to hover-fill from a variety of water sources.
The microprocessor controlled tank system is capable of delivering multiple drops. In addition the Air-
crane is fitted with the Sea Snorkel. The Sea Snorkel allows the Air-crane to fill from salt-water
sources during forward flight.

Operational Base
The identified Nominated Operational Base (NOB) is Essendon Airport.

Dispatch and Management Procedures

The Air-crane is a contract aircraft and is a ‘Statewide’ resource. It is assigned to Incident Controllers
for wildfire fighting. If the Air-crane is assigned to an Incident Controller it is managed by the
Incident Controller until released or until the State Aircraft Coordinator (SAC) reassigns it.

The State Aircraft Unit (SAU) has a standard evaluation process to be undertaken when requesting
contract aircraft. Information to be provided when requesting the resource is:

• What is the tasking? Additional Factors to consider:

• Where is the wildfire? • Availability of accessible large capacity water
• The nearest known location, Latitude and sources
Longitude and/or AMG grid references. • The Air-crane will only use water and water
• Who is the primary contact? injected with foam concentrate.
• Other aircraft in the area radio frequencies • A 35,000 litre refuelling truck will be
that will be operating? despatched with the Air-crane, consider the
• Any known hazards and if Restricted Air availability of supplementary fuel supplies
Space (RAS) has been implemented? during extended dispatch times for the
refuelling truck.

State Aircraft Unit – A joint fire agencies initiative of CFA and DSE providing specialist aviation resources
for fire and land management.
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 The Air-crane is a contract aircraft and is assigned to Incident Controllers for wildfire suppression
operations. Once it has been dispatched it then becomes the responsibility of the Incident Controller,
who is responsible for arranging and maintaining the appropriate level of management and ensuring the
logistical support is facilitated for any contract aircraft engaged on the incident. When the Air-crane is
dispatched to a going fire essential ground resources will support it consisting of, a fully pressurised
refuelling truck containing 35,000 Lt of JET-A1, one of five strategically based;
• Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE),
• Department of Primary Industries (DPI) or
• Parks Victoria (PV)
work centre mobile foam support units and an engineering maintenance team.
Air Attack Supervisors (AAS) are reminded that the SAC may allocate additional resources during
forecast periods of Very High to Extreme fire danger and complex wildfire scenarios, to support the
Air-crane.

Tactical Deployment
The Air-crane is a fire bombing aircraft and will operate with other National Fleet and State Contract
fire bombing aircraft during a wildfire operation. It has operated successfully with both rotary-wing
and fixed-wing fire bombers at wildfire operations during previous fire seasons.

Delivery System- Fire Bombing Tank

The Air-crane is fitted with a 9000 Lt tank designed for the delivery of long term retardant, water
injected with foam concentrate and water. The tank has been designed to deliver a concentrated drop
pattern.
The tank doors are controlled by a microprocessor. The flight crew can pre-select the volume and
coverage level of each drop. The minimum volume available to be delivered is 25 % of the volume
available in the tank. The other volume options available to be selected and delivered are 50 %, 75 %
or 100 %.
The microprocessor also controls the coverage level of suppressant to be delivered to the ground. This
is achieved by regulating the flow of suppressant through the tank doors. A Global Positioning System
receiver monitors the delivery speed of the Air-crane and has the ability to adjust and modify the flow
rates from the doors if the delivery speed is too fast or slow. As a general guide coverage levels (refer
to Table below) 1 to 3 are used in light fuels similar to grasslands, 4 to 6 for eucalypt vegetation and
coverage levels 7, 8 and full salvos are used on high fire intensities and in high fuel load areas.
Foam concentrate is injected into the tank from a separate 290 litre internal foam storage tank, the
injection rates that can be selected range from are 0.1% to 0.7%.

Coverage Levels
Coverage Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Volume Litres Per 9 m2 3.78 7.56 11.3 15.1 18.9 22.6 26.4 29.9

State Aircraft Unit – A joint fire agencies initiative of CFA and DSE providing specialist aviation resources
for fire and land management.
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 Delivery System- Forward Mounted Pressurised Water Cannon (Experimental)
The Air-crane has an experimental delivery
system, which is a forward mounted water
cannon. The cannon is located on the left-
hand side of the Air-crane forward of the
lead pilot. The cannon has the ability to
direct fire suppressant up to fifty metres with
a constant flow of 1100 Lt per minute.
The cannon is not a Contract requirement.
The ability to control the direction of the
cannon is restricted to a vertical adjustment
of 15 degrees using a hydraulic ram mounted
on the side of the aircraft, the horizontal
directional control is provided by the ability
of the aircraft to turn.

Fill systems
The fixed tank is fitted with a fast self-fill flexible fresh water hover fill snorkel and a salt-water ram
fill snorkel.
The fresh water hover fill snorkel has the ability to hover fill 9000 Lt in 40 seconds from a variety of
water sources.
The ram fill snorkel allows the Air-crane to fill the tank in forward flight while the induction points on
the snorkel are submerged. The ram fill snorkel has the ability to fill the tank in less than 40 seconds.

Fill Points
The Air-crane is similar to the contract medium
helicopters and can utilise natural or man made
bodies of water. Suitable fill points should have:
• A minimum diameter of 100 metres.
• A minium depth in clear water of 1.0
metres.
• A large capacity.

DSE and Country Fire Authority (CFA) have implemented a Good Neighbour Policy. The intent of
the policy is to consider the integrity of water sources in rainfall deficient periods, when not working in
life threatening situations.

State Aircraft Unit – A joint fire agencies initiative of CFA and DSE providing specialist aviation resources
for fire and land management.
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 Preparedness
A preparedness statement has been developed to manage the Air-crane and essential resources to
ensure rapid deployment. The document specifies the requirement for a resource according to the fire
danger level determined for each day.
It is acknowledged that an accredited and experienced AAS with knowledge and awareness of specific
details of the Air-crane’s attributes and operation have the ability to supervise the aircraft in a fire
bombing operation. This document is acknowledged as providing adequate information for AAS.
AAS are to recognise their limitations and operational experience in complex wildfire scenarios and are
reminded that Incident Controllers will appoint additional resources during forecast periods of Very
High to Extreme Fire Danger and complex wildfire scenarios combined with additional aircraft
resources.
In addition AAS are advised that in a complex wildfire scenario with multiple aircraft operating, the
Air-crane will require dedicated supervision to maintain effectiveness.

Operational Air Base

The Air-crane has a significant rotor wash, which has the ability to dislodge loose items on vehicles or
structures. Consideration is to be given to the landing area design and layout.
• Landing areas of 150 metres by 150 metres are required.
• Heavy vehicle access is required to allow for refuelling.
• Aircraft management and marshalling is required to provide public safety and landing area
security.

Refuelling
The Air crane is a high performance fire bombing
aircraft and requires substantial quantities of fuel.
• The Air-crane has a fuel tank capacity of
4900 litres
• It consumes 2080 Lt per hour.
• A 35,000 Lt refuelling truck is despatched
with the Air-crane to provide hot refuelling
capability.
• The refuelling truck will also supply all JET
A1 powered contract aircraft during wildfire
operations.

If the Air-crane is deployed to a wildfire greater than 1.5 hours travel time for the refuelling truck,
consideration must be given to the provision of a goto-helipad for refuelling. The goto-helipad is a site
identified by the Air-crane and refuelling truck, which is en-route to the wildfire. The goto-helipad
will be located in consultation with the Incident Management Team.

Suppressant
The fixed tank of the Air-crane has an internal
tank fitted, which holds 290 litres of foam
concentrate.
• Foam support units are located at strategic
locations in the metropolitan and regional
areas-Bacchus Marsh, Westerfold Park, Keith
Turnball Research Institute, Colac and
Bendigo.
• If the Air-crane is deployed the nearest foam
support unit will be dispatched. The foam
support units will supply all contract aircraft.

State Aircraft Unit – A joint fire agencies initiative of CFA and DSE providing specialist aviation resources
for fire and land management.
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 Operational Support
General maintenance of the Air-crane and other contract aircraft at the end of a day’s operation will
require:
• A wash-down/wash-out to remove suppressant residues.
• The provision of mobile lighting units to assist with overnight maintenance.

Sea Snorkel Operations

It is essential that if the Air-crane utilises salt water sources using the ram fill snorkel during a
deployment that wash down facilities and resources are provided at the completion of the day’s flight.
Wash down facilities and resources are identified as fire tankers and operators. Incident controllers are
to ensure that appropriate resources are allocated for the task. It is also desirable that washes down
facilities are available during refuelling and maintenance periods.

Operational Performance- Load Capacity

The availability of 9000 Lt from one aircraft provides the ability to produce longer lengths of line and
the ability to deliver a single high volume drop and then provide additional drops of similar capacity
within a short period of time.
However the ability to split the load numerous times has the potential to develop the uneconomical
practice of heli-mopping. If this situation develops then alternative resources and tactics should be
employed.

Operational Performance- Delivery

The Air-crane normally drops its load of fire suppressant at a speed of 45 knots. The optimum height
of a drop to be delivered is 150 feet AGL.
The design of the tank delivery system and the drop height ensures that the rotor wash from the Air-
crane has no adverse effect on the fire edge activity, delivery of fire suppressant or vegetation within
the drop zone.
The use of full salvo drops is not common practice. Delivery of a full salvo does not allow for
miscalculation of delivery, incorrect direction from the air attack supervisor or the effect of the
suppressant on the wildfire intensity.

Drop Options
The Air-crane’s delivery system is very similar to the medium helicopters (Bell 205 and 212). The
medium helicopters have the ability to split their loads and restrict the rate of flow.
The Air-crane has the ability to provide additional options with the large volume available and
restricted door control options.
The practical number of workable drops is a maximum of four. It is possible that the further division
of the load indicates that other resources would be more appropriate for the tasking and the helitanker
be redeployed to a more appropriate tasking.

Drop Pattern
The drops delivered by the Air-crane result in a
concentrated elongated footprint in the drop zone.
The pattern is elongated in shape compared to an
elliptical shape from fixed wing fire bombers.
Because of the constant delivery flow there is no
break up of the load.

State Aircraft Unit – A joint fire agencies initiative of CFA and DSE providing specialist aviation resources
for fire and land management.
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 Operational Limitations
• The operational endurance of the Air-crane is limited to 1.5 to 2.0 hours subject to transit
times.
• The use of salt-water sources must be carefully considered because of the significant rotor
wash blast producing airborne salt particles that will enter the airframe and cause corrosion.
• The Air-crane operates under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and is restricted to daylight hours for
flying operations.
• The availability, accessibility and capacity of water sources within the area of operation.
• The impact of the distance from filling point to drop zone will have on turn around times.

Heli-mopping
The potential use of the uneconomical practice of heli-mopping will restrict the ability of the helitanker
to successfully suppress going fire in the drop zone. The rotor wash has the potential to produce dirty
air and most likely rekindle fire edges and hotspots before the load is delivered. This will result in the
continued use of the Air-crane on inappropriate tasking, which could be successfully attacked by
another resource.

Drop Zone Safety

Advice to ground crews of fire bombing drops will be provided by the AAS. The Air-crane is fitted
with a siren to advise of fire bombing drops.
If ground crews are caught in a drop zone they are to employ the standard drop zone safety procedures
as set out in the Aircraft Safety Handbook.
The additional factors to consider if ground crews are caught in a drop zone are:
• The drop will be for a extended period of time and
• The drop will cover a greater distance in length as compared to other contract aircraft.

Air Operations Safety

Despite the physical size of Air-crane, the performance and operation of the aircraft is no different to
the medium helicopters currently engaged for fire bombing operations. The speed and manoeuvrability
of the Air-crane allows it to work with fixed wing fire bombers and other rotary wing fire bombers.
A factor to consider is the potential effect of the significant rotor wash effect on other aircraft in the
operating environment. The flight path taken by the Air-crane will result in residual dirty air, which
will produce turbulence activity for any aircraft that passes through the flight path immediately after
the Air-crane.

Further Information
If you require any further information or clarification regarding the operation of the Air-crane please
contact the State Aircraft Unit telephone 03 9412 4777.

State Aircraft Unit – A joint fire agencies initiative of CFA and DSE providing specialist aviation resources
for fire and land management.
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