Aviation-Guide - Flipbook - Page 25
UH‑1H “Super Huey”
Original Owner
United States Army, 1963 to 1975. The UH-1H was used as
a troop/cargo transport and for specialized operations.
S P E C I F I C AT
IONS:
Acquired By CAL FIRE
In 1981, CAL FIRE acquired 12 UH-1F helicopters through
the the Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) program.
In 1990 they were replaced by newer, highly modified,
Vietnam-era UH-1H helicopters referred to as the
“Super Huey.”
Mission
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.
In 1997, CAL FIRE personnel were trained to do “short haul”
rescues. Since 2011 CAL FIRE has moved away from the
Short Haul program and started utilizing the Hoist program.
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.
Gallon Capacity:
Bucket operations: 324
gallons of water/foam
Fixed tank: 360 gallons
of water/foam with pilot
controlled drop volumes
Manufacturer
Bell Helicopters, Fort Worth,
Texas
Crew
One pilot, two Helitack
Captains, and eight
personnel.
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CAL FIRE continues to place our Super Huey helicopters in
reserve status as CAL FIRE HAWKS are placed in service.
126 mph
Type II
I Airtanker
Helicopter
The CAL FIRE Super Huey’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.
Cruise Speed:
