Heliskid
Last week at the Aerial Firefighting conference in San Diego a company from Spain was displaying a small version of a transportable pump/tank combination. It reminded me of the Klump Pump which has been around for decades. More about that later, but let’s take a look at the unit made by the Spanish company, Vallfirest. They have at least two models — the one in Europe is sized to fit into compact pickup trucks that are common in those countries. The United States’ variety is larger and holds about 1,000 gallons. Scott Reimann, their representative at the San Diego meeting, said it will fit into a half- or three-quarter ton truck, or it can be flown in by helicopter.
The clever feature of the Heliskid is that it can be removed from a pickup truck by attaching the legs which extend out beyond the sides of the truck, jacking the unit up, and then driving the truck out from under it.
Without water, it weighs 750 pounds.
Fire Aviation produced the video above, which was filmed last week at the Aerial Firefighting conference in San Diego.
The video below is a product of the manufacturer, Vallfirest.
Klump Pump
The Klump Pump, also known as the Uni-Engine, is named after its inventor, Jim Klump. A former smokejumper and Type 1 Operations Section Chief, he recognized the need for a water delivery system during initial and extended attack in remote locations that could be set up quickly and was easy to operate. The basic components are similar, a 1,000-gallon tank and a pump. It can also be deployed by a helicopter, but will not fit in a pickup, however it comes with a trailer. It features a foam concentrate tank and a proportioner, unlike the Heliskid.
Mr. Klump sold the business in 2019 to Jerry Vice of High Sierra Fire, at which time the name was officially changed to “Klump Pump.” The new owner’s headquarters is in Janesville, California in Northeastern California, with a few of the units remaining in Central California for quicker deployment to southern areas.
The Klump Pump weighs 1,600 pounds empty.
So that’s what old helitackers do when the knees go out. Hi Scott!
Haha! Just making life easier.
Great, free advertising. These companies must be important. Innovation in wildfire goes beyond aviation, but that’s where the money is.
The Spaniards look like they nailed it, looks to be a great tool, I recall all the times on the shots having pumps and porta tanks slung in to a helispot and having to construct a pad for the tank to sit level, I am very certain that some of the pads we built are still there, this for the most part eliminates that, and the fact that you can transport in the back of a pick up, I could see these finding there way into a great many fire caches…..The Klump Pump thing looks big and bulky and very heavy…….both have merit……whats the cost….not that it matters much……
Very interesting tool.
I hope the instructions show you MUST put those legs down before filling it! At 8300# of water plus 750# empty weight no pickup will survive that being filled up without the legs down