Sikorsky says its new Firehawk helicopter, which is being developed in close consultation with the Los Angeles Fire Department, will be fully operational by the middle of 1998.
The Firehawk, a converted UH-60L Black Hawk fitted with a 3,800-litre water tank, will enable firefighters to tackle major blazes from the air more effectively, says David Powell, Sikorsky's vice-president of International Programs for Asia-Pacific.
"We've changed the landing gear on the Black Hawk and added the tank which can be refilled in-flight, via a specially-designed pump mechanism.
"Our customers need a craft which can spend the maximum amount of time in the air fighting fires and that means being able to take water on board very quickly."
With the fires which swept through Indonesia last year still fresh in the memory, Sikorsky says Asia-Pacific is a key potential market for the Firehawk.
"The Singapore airshow is an ideal opportunity for us to tell customers what the craft has to offer," says Powell.
Source: Flight Daily News
