Two local National Guard Blackhawk helicopters were also used on the fire Tuesday
Continue readingCoulson pilots in Chile are aided by translators in the cockpits
A Coulson Chinook and Blackhawk, at Talca, Chile. Coulson photo.(From Coulson Aviation)
Coulson team members work all over the world supporting communities and firefighters which means adapting to different systems, operations and firefighting partners.
In Chile, it’s also meant adapting to operating in a different language. While some of the team members speak Spanish, each of the 4 Chinooks and a Blackhawk fly with a pilot translator whose job it is to translate the instructions from the aerial supervisor or ground crews.
Pilot Andy Thomas is currently flying a tanked Chinook in Chile and said it was a lot of fun working with the translators, some of whom have fire experience.
“A lot of the translators are highly experienced airline pilots who are a great help on the radios navigating the flight paths and fire operations,” he said.
Coulson pilot Colin Morgan, who has been operating a Chinook with a Bambi bucket, said the pilot translators did an amazing job in dynamic circumstances. Colin worked in Chile last year for Coulson, also flying a Chinook.
“The CH47 is, in my own opinion, the best helicopter operating today. It was designed for the military to be versatile, technologically advanced, yet forgiving and simple to operate. It’s also simply a pleasure to fly,” he said.
Andy, who has decades of experience operating heavy helicopters, said the Chinooks were designed to lift a tremendous amount of weight.
“With us that’s water, and it’s really good at it,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun to fly and it makes us pilots look good!”
Coulson photo.Coulson has four Chinooks and one Blackhawk working on fire contracts in Chile.
Video of bucket drop training for military Blackhawk flight crews
Screenshot from Airailimages video.
Continue readingCoulson air tankers and helicopters are following the fire season to the southern hemisphere
The aircraft and crews will be assisting firefighters in Chile and Australia
Continue readingA look at the Ventura County helicopters
The first time that Ventura County Copter 2 was used on a wildfire, June 10, 2020. Photo by John Carman.Ventura County, between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, has an air unit which is a cooperative enterprise of the Fire District and the Sheriff’s Office. The unit has four Bell UH-1 helicopters and one Bell Long Ranger. In addition, they purchased three military HH-60L Blackhawk helicopters in order to convert them into FIREHAWKS to be used for fighting wildland fires, personnel transport, search and rescue, law enforcement, and medical evacuation.
Ventura County Copter 5. Ventura County is converting military HH-60L Blackhawks into FIREHAWKS. VCSO photo, Capt. Romano Bassi January, 2019
Ventura County Copter 8. Photo by Ventura County Air Unit
Ventura County Copter 8. Photo by Ventura County Air Unit
Ventura County Copters 6, 8, 9, and 2. Photo by Ventura County Air Unit
Ventura County Copter 3. Photo by Ventura County Air UnitPhotos of aircraft working the Bighorn Fire near Tucson
As of June 17 the fire had burned over 31,000 acres five miles north of the city
Continue readingPhotos of firefighting aircraft on the Elizabeth Fire in southern California
This is a new-to-them HH-60L Blackhawk operated by the Ventura County Fire Department.Jay Widdows sent us these photos he shot June 10 on the Elizabeth Fire north of the city of Ventura in southern California. The fire burned 289 acres. Thanks Jay!
Bell 205A-1, Coastal Helicopters.
This photo by the Ventura County FD is included here to provide a glimpse of the terrain and vegetation.
Los Angeles County Firehawk.
T-137, a B-737.
CAL FIRE’s Air Tanker 78, an S2-T
A Ventura County Fire Department EH-1H.An assortment of Coulson helicopters at San Bernardino
Coulson-Unical helicopters at San Bernardino. Coulson photo May 25, 2020.Coulson Aviation posted these photos May 25 of an assortment of Coulson-Unical helicopters at San Bernardino.
Coulson-Unical helicopters at San Bernardino. Coulson photo May 25, 2020.
Coulson-Unical helicopters at San Bernardino. Coulson photo May 25, 2020.
Coulson-Unical helicopters at San Bernardino. Coulson photo May 25, 2020.Two new Firehawks tested in Colorado
Eventually will be delivered to CAL FIRE and Los Angeles County FD
Continue readingCoulson-Unical Blackhawk spotted at McClellan
A Coulson-Unical Blackhawk, UH-60A, was photographed at Sacramento McClellan Airport August 14, 2019 by Mike McKeig.As we reported in March, Coulson Aviation is partnering with Unical Air, a new unit of the Unical Group of Companies, to create a heavy lift helicopter joint venture company that will build and operate Boeing CH-47 and Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk aircraft for aerial firefighting and other markets.
At the HAI Heli-Expo in Atlanta, March 5, 2019, Britt Coulson explained that they intended to install internal tanks in both models of helicopters. In the last few weeks the new partnership has been working to get their first aircraft of the joint venture carded, the company said in a Facebook post August 12, when they posted the photo below:
Coulson photo posted August 12, 2019.The camo paint job reminds me of Air Spray’s T-170. We’ll have to see if this makes it less visible to other aircraft when flying low and slow over a fire.
Air tanker 170 at MCC March 12, 2018. Photo by Bill Gabbert.The livery on the Coulson-Unical helicopter is very different from their Blackhawk that was on display in Atlanta.
Coulson-Unical CU-47 and CU-60 in Atlanta March 5, 2019. Photo by Bill Gabbert.
The engineering design for the water/retardant delivery system on the Coulson-Unical CU-60. Coulson image.In the video below, Mr. Coulson describes the new Chinook and Blackhawk program they are undertaking with Unical. It was filmed at the HAI Heli-Expo in Atlanta, March 5, 2019.