Two new Sikorsky S70I
HELIHoMe news 🗞 😜 : Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, received a contract from the County of Los Angeles for two S-70i™ Black Hawk helicopters in a baseline configuration. Sikorsky is assembling the two new S-70i Black Hawk helicopters for delivery to L.A. County in December 2017. 📝 Compared to the S-70A model, the S-70i aircraft will feature wide chord rotor blades for enhanced lift, a stronger airframe, a digital glass cockpit with flight management system for enhanced situation awareness, and a cockpit voice and flight data recorder. An Integrated Vehicle Health Management system will monitor the aircraft's operational health. In addition to aerial firefighting, a Firehawk helicopter also performs command and control of other firefighting aircraft, EMS transport, search and rescue, and logistic support. Thomas Ewald, assistant fire chief of L.A. County's Air and Wildland Division, said "nothing close compares with the Firehawk. No other aircraft does all five missions as well.” 📰 Ewald added: "The Firehawk has repeatedly proven its reliability and ruggedness. The stresses we place on the aircraft when we take on and then aggressively release 8,000 pounds of water multiple times a day are far more than what its military variant might do in normal operations at maximum gross weight. Like a good pick-up truck, we beat it up and it keeps coming back for more." Once modified by a specialist outfitter in 2018 with a 1,000-gallon (3,785-liter) water tank, extended landing gear, single pilot cockpit layout and a medically-equipped interior, the new aircraft will increase to five the L.A. County Fire Department's fleet of Firehawk™ multi-role helicopters. 📖 "This acquisition supplements our county's potent aerial firefighting arsenal and our ability to knock down wildfires to protect life and property," said LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. "The Firehawk provides a very effective initial attack platform to battle fires along with multi-mission capability for alternate needs including EMS and search and rescue." Sikorsky supports the critical mission of the L.A. Country fire department with an all new airframe of the S-70i Black Hawk aircraft, which are available direct from Sikorsky in the U.S. 🚁 Customers can order aircraft with mission sets and features customized to specific preferences. Good day, flight, landing and weather 🌤 😉 #Helihome #helihomenews #lockheedmartin #sikorskyaircraft #sikorsky #S70 #S70i #helinews #news #weather #goodnight 🚁 💨
