Aviation-Guide - Flipbook - Page 20
Sikorsky Si‑70 “CAL FIRE Hawk”
SPE
S:
C I F I C AT I O N
Cruise Speed:
160 mph
Gallon Capacity:
Fixed tank - 1000 gallons
of water/foam with pilot
controlled drop volumes.
Type I Helicopter
Manufacturer
Sikorsky Aircraft, Stratford,
Connecticut (Built in Mielec,
Poland)
Crew
One pilot, two Helitack
Captains, an operations
supervisor, and up to nine
personnel.
Original Owner
CAL FIRE, 2019
Acquired By CAL FIRE
In 2018 funding was secured for the purchase of 12 of
CAL FIRE’s next generation helicopter, the Sikorsky S70i
CAL FIRE HAWK. S70i CAL FIRE HAWK helicopters
bring enhanced capabilities including flight safety, higher
payloads, increased power margins, and night flying
capabilities.
In Fiscal Year 2022-2023 additional funding was approved
to purchase four additional S70i Fire Hawk Helicopters
to increase surge capacity and to maintain operational
capabilities during required maintenance cycles.
Mission
The CAL FIRE HAWK’s primary mission is responding to initial
attack wildfires and rescue missions. When responding to
wildfires, the helicopter can quickly deliver up to a 9-person
Helitack Crew for ground firefighting operations and quickly
transition into water/foam dropping missions.
The helicopters are also used for firing operations using
either a Helitorch or a Chemical Ignition Device System
(CIDS) on wildland fires or prescribed burns, transporting
internal cargo loads, mapping, medical evacuations and
numerous non-fire emergency missions.
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The CAL FIRE HAWK is also equipped with an external
hoist for rescue missions. This specialized rescue technique
involves highly trained firefighters being lowered from a
hovering helicopter to an injured or trapped person below.
Once secured to a harness or stokes basket, both the victim
and rescuer are then hoisted into the helicopter and flown to
a landing zone.
