Chinook Aerial Fire Fighting
Columbia 234 Chinooks Boost Turkish Aerial Firefighting Capabilities
Columbia Helicopters have strengthened their presence in Turkiye following the completion of their second fire season in the country. The Oregon based heavy-lift helicopter specialists, signed a 1-year contract in 2021 partnering with CMC Savunma Sanayi A.S. to provide two Columbia Model 234 Multi-Mission Chinooks for firefighting and external load operations in Turkiye. Following this initial introduction, a new contract was agreed to expand their operations to five aircraft for a 3-year period (2022-2024).
CMC Savunma Sanayi A.S. is the original awardee of the contract with the Turkey General Directorate of Forestry and is subcontracting with Columbia to provide the aircraft, crew, and maintenance support.
Increasing Demand for Assistance from International Partners
During the summer months last year, destructive fires raging along Turkiye's southern regions were described as the worst fire crisis the country has experienced in a decade. Firefighting provisions proved insufficient to combat the blazes, with additional emergency support being provided by European nations as well as Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia. The Directorate General of Forestry allocated $154 million this year for the acquisition of 55 helicopters and 20 firefighting planes which are operated by international companies predominately from European and CIS countries.
Columbia have deployed their 234 Multi-Mission Chinook helicopters, which are fully certified to civilian transport category standards. The Chinooks have been equipped with the SEI Powerfill Torrentula Bambi Bucket with a capacity of 2,600 gallons (9,842 litres). Each Bucket contains four high-speed pumps that can fill the bucket in less than 90 seconds from sources as shallow as 18 inches (46 cm). In addition to filling from traditional water sources such as lakes, ponds, rivers and oceans, these versatile water buckets can be filled from shallow streams and ponds. For these operations in Turkiye the buckets are suspended 200 feet (61 metres) below the helicopter, allowing Columbia’s pilots to reach access-restricted water sources and maintain a safe distance from the ground to prevent severe downdraft.
Logistical Challenges
The increase from two to five aircraft for the 2022 fire season led to significant logistical challenges, due to the Columbia 234 fleet being dispersed covering contracts worldwide. Olivia Wolfgram, Columbia’s Business Development Director provided her account of scaling up their operations:
“The expansion from two to five aircraft this year has led to multiple logistical challenges which we have had to overcome to firstly get our aircraft to Turkiye and then keep them operational. Our initial two aircraft deployed in 2021 and they remained in Northern Turkiye during the winter season, so these were relatively easy to keep operational. The remaining three which we needed for this contract were situated in the Middle East and Australia so had quite the journey. We partnered with logistics contactor HISS who have vast specialised experience transporting helicopters worldwide:
One Aircraft was in the UAE following the withdrawal of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan. We arranged for an Antonov An-124 charter to fly this aircraft from Dubai to Corlu in northwest Turkiye. Shipping the Chinook onboard the Antonov requires both the forward and aft transmission to be partly disassembled, so we had to have an engineering team deployed and ready to meet the aircraft at Corlu to carry out the reassembly and flight checks before it was cleared to enter service.
The final two Aircraft had finished up a contract in New South Wales, Australia with enough time that these could be transported by sea for the 9000-mile journey and meet their start-date in Turkiye. Going by sea is certainly easier than by air as we only had to remove the rotor blades for shipping, so it was a simple reassembly once they were back on solid ground in Gemlik just south of Istanbul.
Including the challenges of getting the aircraft to Turkiye we have had to bolster our engineering and part inventory so anything the team may require is within easy reach. We set-up a logistics hub in Izmir which is in a central geographic location plus it also has excellent sea, road and air links for moving equipment to any of the 5 bases. The teams deployed have worked exceptionally hard to maintain operational readiness in a country which is still fairly new to us.
The 2022 contract dates have been expanded for several of our detachment locations and we expect some to be operational until mid-November. “
Chinook Efficiency
The Columbia 234 Multi-mission Chinook has proven to be a different machine altogether compared to aircraft previously deployed by other international companies to Turkiye. Mike Shier, Columbia 234 Pilot provides some insight into the team's experience in Turkiye:
“When we started operating in Turkiye under our initial contract last year, the Turkish were expecting the same performance envelope as the Mil or Kamov aircraft which they have seen operating there for years. These types would perform a single drop with a smaller bucket at low altitude and high speed so they’re in and out the zone quickly.
The key benefit of our 234 multi-Mission Chinook is that the bucket lift capability is variable. We'll fill the Bambi bucket to capacity, call full power and then close the bucket out-flow as soon as we start to lift, which means we are taking the maximum amount possible. It's an excellent asset on a fire as every bucket we take the maximum gross weight every time. It also means our lifting capability increases as fuel burns so we can operate without the restriction of a smaller bucket which can be lifted at full take-off weight.
Initially the Turkish coordinators on a fire would request we carry out a drop using the same methodology as they’re used to seeing previously with other helicopter types, however as our lifting capability is far greater, it meant that after doing the same drop there could still be over 1000-gallons left in our bucket. Unlike others operating in Turkiye, our drop method is flexible so we can do a complete bucket drop or multiple small water releases at slow speeds which provides greater accuracy particularly on smaller fires. Additionally, when we’re operating on steep sloping terrain, we see other contractors carrying out a drop going up-hill which would be unwise in the Chinook at maximum gross weight. We therefore need to approach the fire differently to the other assets on scene by dropping downhill, which ensures a safe route away from the site should we encounter any scenario where we cannot open the bucket.
Luckily our close cooperation with the General Directorate of Forestry allowed us to demonstrate our different capabilities very early in our contract. When we demonstrate the Columbia 234 capabilities, we have received very encouraging feedback from our Turkish colleagues which has enabled us to operate differently to get the most out of our aircraft. This type of operation showcases our unique capabilities of the Columbia 234 and sets a high standard for future operations.”