South Australian Country Fire Service Promotions Unit

Raising awareness of the roles, training and activities of CFS Volunteers state-wide

 

Aircraft Operations

Using Aerial Support

A fixed wing bomber

During the Fire Danger Season, the CFS establish an Air Operations section to observe and assist with the suppression of fires. This fire season, a number of aircraft have been contracted to assist. The duties will include fire bombing, transportation of crews and equipment and aerial surveillance. The CFS have members in the surveillance aircraft to assist with fire spotting duties, and providing intelligence reports to the Incident Controller.

The list below indicates the type of aircraft available for this fire season, its role, water capacity and callsign along with the airbase it may operate from.

A fixed wing bomber
Type of Aircraft Water capacity Callsign Base Location Registration

Fire Bombing Duties

Fixed Wing Air Tractor 802A 3100 litre tank Bomber 580 Port Lincoln AP VH-OUB
Bomber 581 Port Lincoln AP VH-OUF
Bomber 582 Port Lincoln AP VH-OUG
Bomber 583 Mount Gambier AP VH-ODW
Bomber 584 Mount Gambier AP VH-ODV
Bomber 585 Mount Gambier AP VH-ODX
Bomber 586 Hoyleton AB VH-8XO
Bomber 587 Hoyleton AB VH-ODP
Bomber 588 Hoyleton AB VH-8KB
Bomber 589 Claremont AB VH-OUC
Bomber 590 Claremont AB VH-OUE
Bomber 591 Claremont AB VH-OUJ
Bomber 592 Claremont AB VH-OUN
Bomber 593 Claremont AB VH-8SM
Bomber 594 Claremont AB VH-ODH
Bomber 595 Claremont AB VH-OUM
Bomber 596 Parafield AB VH-ODZ
Bomber 597 Parafield AB VH-XPB
High Volume Helicopter SIKORSKY UH-60A+ (Black Hawk)
4500 litre tank Helitak 513 Claremont AB VH-UHS
Helitak 514 Claremont AB VH-UHG
Helitak 515 Mount Gambier AP VH-UHR
Helitak 516 Port Lincoln AP VH-8UH

Fire Aerial Surveillance / Intelligence and Transportation Duties

Fixed Wing Cessna 208B Birddog 500 Claremont AB VH-ODU
Firespotter 555 Claremont AB VH-TWX
Eurocopter EC130 B4 Firebird 501 Claremont AB VH-HQL
Eurocopter EC135 P2+ Firebird 502 Claremont AB VH-HCZ
Eurocopter AS350 B2/B3/BA/SD Ecureuil (Squirrel) Firebird 503 Claremont AB VH-HBB
Firebird 504 Hoyleton AB VH-HRG
Firebird 505 Mt Gambier AP VH-VLU
Firebird 506 Port Lincoln AP VH-TMY
Firebird 508 Hoyleton AB VH-HQO
Firebird 510 Mt Gambier AP VH-FMF
Firebird 511 Parafield AB VH-SHD
Firebird 512 Port Lincoln AP VH-UVA
Firebird 517 Mt Gambier AP VH-SGK

Fixed wing Air Tractors are supplied and operated by Aerotech, and as from December 2016, operate from the Claremont Air Base at Brukunga, as well as utilising Hoyleton, Cummins, Tintinara and Arthurton Air Bases.

Airbases which are activated for bomber refill and refueling during incidents are also found at Coonawarra, Cherry Gardens and well as many others dotted around the State.

The State Air Desk, located within the Emergency Services Headquarters building in Keswick manages the dispatch and coordination of aircraft around the State. They operate during daylight hours and monitor incidents in the three primary bomber response zones, and dispatch resources as required.

An Air Operations setup

Aerial Firefighting resources for the CFS are Coordinated by the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC), which was formed by the Australian States and Territories in July 2003 to provide a cooperative national arrangement for combating bushfires. It achieves this by facilitating the coordination and procurement of a fleet of highly specialised firefighting aircraft that are readily available for use by State and Territory emergency service and land management agencies across Australia.

This national aircraft fleet compliments aerial firefighting resources that are arranged directly by the States and Territories. The National Fleet receives funding support from the Australian Government as well as State and Territory Governments. http://www.nafc.org.au


AT-802A
Specifications: Air Tractor Inc, AT-802A
Aircraft Make Air Tractor INC
  Aircraft Type AT802
  Aircraft Model AT-802A
  Manufactured Texas, United States of America
Aircraft Operational Information
  MTOW 7257 Kg Airframe
  Type Power Driven Aeroplane
  Landing Gear Type Tail Wheel - Fixed
Aircraft Engine Information
  Engine Make Pratt & Whitney Canada
  Engine Model PT6A-65AG
  Engine Type Turboprop Propellor
  Propeller Make HC-B5MP-3C
  Propellor Model Hartzel Propellers
  Fuel Type JET-A1
  Number of Engines 1
Air Tractor 802A Dimensional Drawing (pdf)
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Sikorsky UH-60A+ Blackhawk
Specifications: Sikorsky UH-60A+ Blackhawk
  Aircraft Make Sikorsky
  Aircraft Type UH-60A+
  Aircraft Model UH-60A+
  Manufactured United States of America
Aircraft Operational Information
  MTOW 10,000 KG
  Airframe Type Rotorcraft
  Landing Gear Type Tail Wheel - Fixed
Aircraft Engine Information
  Engine Make General Electric Company
  Engine Model T700-GE-701D/CC
  Engine Type Turboshaft
  Fuel Type Kerosene
  Number of Engines 2
Helitak Firefighting Equipment - FireTank FT-4500 (pdf)
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Cessna 208B
Specifications: Cessna 208B
  Aircraft Make Cessna Aircraft Company
  Aircraft Type 208B
  Aircraft Model 208B
  Manufactured United States of America
Aircraft Operational Information
  MTOW 3,969 KG
  Airframe Type Power Driven Aeroplane
  Landing Gear Type Tricycle - Fixed
Aircraft Engine Information
  Engine Make Pratt & Whitney
  Engine Model PT6A-114A
  Engine Type Turboshaft Propellor
  Fuel Type JET-A1
  Number of Engines 1
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Eurocopter EC 130
Specifications: Eurocopter EC 130
  Aircraft Make Eurocopter
  Aircraft Type Eurocopter EC 130
  Aircraft Model EC 130 B4
  Manufactured France
Aircraft Operational Information
  MTOW 2,430 KG
  Airframe Type Rotorcraft
  Landing Gear Type Skid
Aircraft Engine Information
  Engine Make Turbomeca Engines
  Engine Model Arriel 2B1
  Engine Type Turboshaft
  Fuel Type JET-A1
  Number of Engines 1
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Eurocopter EC 135 P2+. Photographer - Cameron Roberts

Photographer - Cameron Roberts

Specifications: Eurocopter EC 135 P2+
  Aircraft Make Eurocopter
  Aircraft Type Eurocopter 135
  Aircraft Model EC 135 P2+
  Manufactured Germany
Aircraft Operational Information
  MTOW 2,950 KG
  Airframe Type Rotorcraft
  Landing Gear Type Skid
Aircraft Engine Information
  Engine Make Pratt and Whitney Aircraft
  Engine Model PW206B2
  Engine Type Turboshaft
  Fuel Type Kerosene
  Number of Engines 2
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Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil
Specifications: Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil
  Aircraft Make Aerospatiale Industries
  Aircraft Type Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil
  Aircraft Model AS 350BA
  Manufactured France
Aircraft Operational Information
  MTOW 2,250 KG
  Airframe Type Rotorcraft
  Landing Gear Type Skid
Aircraft Engine Information
  Engine Make Turbomeca Engines
  Engine Model Arriel 18
  Engine Type Turboshaft
  Fuel Type JET-A1
  Number of Engines 1
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Bomber 589

 

Information sourced courtesy of the CFS. Photos taken by Robin Geytenbeek, Cameron Roberts and the CFS Promotions Unit. Aircraft information from www.regosearch.com and the CASA website. These links will take you to a new page.