This week at HAI Heli-Expo Sikorsky and United Rotorcraft signed an agreement formalizing how the two companies will collaborate to produce Firehawk helicopters. These specialized aircraft are configured to assist wildland firefighters, dropping up to 1,000 gallons of water to slow the spread of a wildfire, allowing personnel on the ground to more safely move in and suppress the fire.
There are eleven S-70 Firehawks in service now, according to Sikorsky in a briefing in Dallas on March 9. Another five will be modified by United Rotorcraft, four in 2022 and one in 2023.
The new agreement will allow United Rotorcraft to contract for bulk orders of S-70 Blackhawk aircraft, much as it did in August 2021 with an initial five-aircraft order from Sikorsky. Four of the five aircraft will arrive at United Rotorcraft’s Englewood, Colorado completions facility this year from the S-70 production line at PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company in Poland. The first aircraft of the bulk order will be modified to the FIREHAWK configuration for delivery in 2023 to the State of Colorado.
Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Sikorsky S70I Firehawk, Helicopter 21, being tested Nov. 16, 2019 in Colorado. Photo by Erick Lama for United Rotorcraft.An S-70 Blackhawk aircraft becomes a Firehawk helicopter when United Rotorcraft adds a 1,000-gallon (3,785-liter) water tank system, a raised landing gear (to accommodate the tank), and associated integrated avionics, a process that typically takes six months. United Rotorcraft has been the Firehawk completion teammate of Sikorsky since the late 1990s working closely with Sikorsky and first customer County of Los Angeles Fire Department, which today operates two S-70i and three S-70A Firehawk aircraft. Other operators include CAL FIRE and the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue.
CAL FIRE H-903, Sikorsky S-70i FireHawk, N483DF, Photo by Dylan Phelps, Sept. 2020.United Rotorcraft recently introduced a digital control mode that gives either pilot greater control of water released to suit the type of fire, and in 2023 will offer both the currently available aluminum tank and a new lightweight, composite tank option.
United Rotorcraft’s exhibit at Heli-Expo, March 8, 2022.
Firehawk billboard at Heli-Expo, March 8, 2022.The image below is a photo of a slide shown during a Sikorsky briefing during the Heli-Expo in Dallas, March 9. It was the source of the data in the table at the top of this article.
Firehawk list, March 9, 2022. From Sikorsky presentation.
7 Comments
United Rotorcraft is THE premiere producer of THE Firehawk in the U.S and possibly the World.
Very proud to have them here three air miles from my home in Colorado !!!!!
Wouldn’t it be terrific if they could install a huge COFFEEMAKER in these aircraft so that, when not actively operating on incidents, they could deliver coffee to all the CALFIRE fire stations?
Yeah. Think of it – no more having to make coffee every morning: a Firehawk (Coffeehawk? Caffeinehawk?) would hover overhead at the beginning of every shift and deliver fresh, hot coffee via the snorkel!
The mind boggles…
It always surprises me at how often someone posts an enigmatic comment that implies some issue they have with something and yet it is never clear just what that issue is. Perhaps it is some sort of inside joke that is just a bit too obscure for anyone to get. Perhaps if you ever need rescue someday they will just hand you a cup of coffee.
Being a helitack firefighter is a great job for the right people and yes they have time to have a cup of coffee but remember that is inbetween going to incidents where you might end up injured or dead and trainjng your ass off so that doesn’t happen. Heiltack crews mostly do enjoy flying in state of the art aircraft but once on the ground have to hump their gear around in difficult terrain, in the heat and flame just like everyone else. So what was your point?
Is it that you think the 70s are to expensive or too well equipped? Do you think firefighters have too much free time? Perhaps you’re in the coffee business and are dead serious……..
Relax, Roscoe. Just kidding. Nothing serious here!
Huge coffeemaker in a S70? Thought all those crew buggies, Type1-7 engines etc all had Bunn coffeemakers installed on those….aren’t those all in those Boise engine and crew buggy contracts?
I’m gonna call BME and see if Model 34s come standard with a coffee maker…
I remember when we had a pot and grounds. Water from the orange canteen on some hot coals and there you go…
Seriously, IMO, the Firehawk is THE best aircraft for putting water on a fire, hands down. Sure, pricey, but most efficient way to drop water. One or more of these, with close turn around times and they will make all the difference. I’ve worked with them, and every other water-dropper out there, and these are thee most effective. Say what you will about tanked ac, but there’s a reason your seeing more out there. LAC had a vision, and they were spot on.
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