Chinook dropping water during Coulson training day, Oct. 19, 2021, at 69Bravo Helistop. N43CU. @SoCalFirePhotoCoulson Aviation conducted a day of training this week at the water source called 69Bravo Helistop, the facility on one of the highest peaks in the Topanga area of the Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. In the time-lapse video below shot by @SoCalFirePhoto you will see Chinooks and a Sikorsky S61 repeatedly filling their tanks and returning for more.
The site has four dip or snorkel tanks which enable helicopters with external buckets or fixed tanks to quickly refill with water. The buckets are lowered into the tanks, while helicopters with “snorkels” insert a hose with a pump into the water.
In June the four old 6,000 gallon vinyl/rubber pumpkins were replaced with new 8,000 gallon metal tanks.
Time lapse of part of the @CoulsonAviation training day yesterday. @LACoFDPIO @LACoFireAirOps @VCFD @OCFireAuthority @SCE pic.twitter.com/zlq9AtnhSW
— SoCalFirePhoto (@SoCalFirePhoto) October 21, 2021
The site also has two pads where helicopters that must land to refill can obtain water from fire hoses to be connected to the tanks by on-scene firefighters. Or, pilots can land and take a break if needed.
The facility was built by the very generous land owner and has been used with his permission. Several years ago Los Angeles County arranged to purchase the 34-acre property at a price reportedly less than half the market value, making payments over a seven-year period ending in 2024.
2 Comments
Tanks, the only way to go!
Coulson is on to something and I will follow their progress with much interest. Do they have the vision and capability to develop the next generation of fire equipment and tactics? Time will tell.
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