17 FEBRUARY 2021 | ISSUE 468 | FREE
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FIREHAWK 1, A NEW TOOL ADDED TO THE KESTREL AVIATION AERIAL FIRE FIGHTING TOOLBOX Media and dignitaries were invited to Kestrel Aviation’s base at Mangalore to see the Firehawk 1 helicopter in action. Kestrel Aviation has been in partnership with Firehawk Helicopters for several years, with Firehawk 1 coming online this year as the first aircraft with an internal tank. Firehawk 1 will carry the designation ‘Helitak 125 when working on fires in Australia and will operate with a two man crew to operate the helicopter during fire season. The hawktank is able to be filled in approximately one minute, dramatically increasing its effectiveness in both capacities versus a bucket and time required between drops on fires. The Community Voice invited Aviation Spotters Online photographer and writer, Dave Soderstrom to report on the launch.
A significant expansion has occurred within the local aerial firefighting operators. Kestrel Aviation based at Mangalore has added their first type 1 helicopter. Arriving via boat in December 2020 from the USA N125FH a 1979 model UH60 Blackhawk converted to Firehawk status. Kestrel Aviation continues to invest in its Australian owned and operated business. With the introduction of Firehawk 1, the company will employ a second helicopter, named Firehawk 2 later in the year for deployment within Australia. If this wasn’t enough, Ray and Eleanor Cronin have also invested in an Airbus Super Puma which will arrive to be employed as a larger type 1 fire fighting helicopter that can also carry passengers. This tanked machine will be the first of its type to work in Australia in this role.
N125FH HISTORY Ordered by the United States Army, it was delivered as 79-23307. The machine was operated in its later life in a Medivac role with large red crosses on white backgrounds marked on the fuselage. Auctioned off after retirement from the Army initially sold to Brown Helicopter Inc as N796ZB. It then went to Brainerd Helicopters Inc from Leesburg International Airport becoming N125FH. Now named Firehawk 1, the machine will become a welcome
asset to aerial fire fighting within Australia.
KESTREL AND THE FIREHAWK Last fire season Kestrel brought two Firehawks N2FH and N9FH both owned by Firehawk to Australia. The machines were on contract in Victoria and Queensland respectively. N2FH has remained in Australia for this fire season and will return to the United States at the end. A second tank equipped Firehawk will return to Australia in lieu of this machine. Currently, in Australia, civilian operated UH60 Blackhawks are USA FAA registered and operated in the ‘restricted category’ or
‘experimental’ category. This prevents them from carrying any passengers and restricts them to carry essential crew only. This is hoped to be changed soon with the local regulator CASA working with local operators to change this. Most Blackhawks are typically fitted with a longline and firebombing bucket. Kestrel has also added an internal tank to N125FH. Making it the first internal tank operated Blackhawk in Australia. The tank allows for hover filling with its drop-down suction hose. The tank has a carrying capacity of 3500 Litres and is FAA and STC issued. Continued on page 3.