Paul Filmer reports from Centennial Airport, Colorado, where Coulson Aviation recently carried out a water bombing demonstration with its C-130Q Hercules.
As each wildfire season in Colorado passes, a new record is set for the size or the structures lost it seems.
South Metro Fire filling the C-130Q © Paul Filmer – www.globalaviationresource.com
Colorado Senator Steve King has introduced a bill to try to solve this problem, which would call for either Colorado to follow California’s model of it’s own tanker fleet, or to lease those assets for a season, instead of waiting in-line for the limited Federal Tanker fleet to be available.
S-76 © Paul Filmer – www.globalaviationresource.com
A similar bill passed last year, but stalled on the funding front, and the Colorado Firefighting Air Corps was founded. They have authorisation to acquire tankers and helicopters.
C-130Q © Paul Filmer – www.globalaviationresource.com
One private enterprise that could fulfil that second model is Coulson Aviation, and they were invited by Sen. King to perform a demonstration drop at Centennial Airport for the press, legislators and the public.
Pre-demo drop © Paul Filmer – www.globalaviationresource.com
Coulson’s immaculate C-130Q tanker and S-76 helicopter arrived the afternoon before the demo, and it was filled with water by the South Metro Fire Rescue, which is based at the airport, with help from Jeffco Tanker Base Manager, who supplied the necessary step-up hose-couplings to allow the tenders to attach to the aircraft.
C-130Q and S-76 © Paul Filmer – www.globalaviationresource.com
Red food dye was added to give the water a more realistic retardant look, but as water is less viscous than retardant, the C-130 began to leave it’s mark on the ramp with a few small leaks, so the decision was made to empty the tank and fill it again the following morning.
C-130Q ready for the demo © Paul Filmer – www.globalaviationresource.com
Luckily the easiest way to empty the tank is to drop it, so the airport staff got an impromptu pre-demo demonstration.
C-130Q and S-76 taxiing out to perform the demo © Paul Filmer – www.globalaviationresource.com
The following morning the Coulson S-76 flew lead, as it would in a real fire, with the C-130Q trailing behind to simulate a wildfire drop.
C-130Q drop demo © Paul Filmer – www.globalaviationresource.com
Afterwards the aircraft were open for tours, and the crew and Coulson’s CEO were available for questions.
