California operator Helinet Aviation Services has added a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter to the state's aerial firefighting fleet. The former US Army helicopter is on standby at Van Nuys airport to assist with firefighting missions under call-when-needed contracts with the US Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Cal Fire.

The helicopter is the first of several UH-60 Blackhawks that Helinet intends on operating in the aerial firefighting market over the next few years. The addition of this specially equipped firefighting Blackhawk augments Helinet's existing UH-60 MovieHawk, which has worked for the past four years in the motion picture and television industry.

Manufactured by Sikorsky, the UH-60 Blackhawk cruises at 160 kts and is capable of lifting up to 8,000 lbs of external cargo. When using its Bambi PowerFill buckets it can drop up to 900 gallons of water and can be refilled in less than a minute. Through Helinet's partnership with the Blackhawk's two private owners, Brown Helicopter, Inc. and Anduze Helicopter, the aircraft is supported by a team of pilots, a fuel truck, back-up equipment and maintenance technicians.

As estimated in 2019, California experienced 7,860 wildfires that burned nearly 260,000 acres of land, damaged or destroyed 732 structures and took three lives. Helicopters can be a versatile fire management tool used to rapidly douse flames on steep canyons, mountains and rugged terrains that are difficult for ground crews to reach. The UH-60 Blackhawk has the versatility to reach the low altitudes required for effective water delivery and hold flames in check during the early stages of a fire.

Helinet's call-when-needed contracts cover Type 1 helicopters, which are the largest used on fires and must be uniquely equipped to meet federal specifications. While the pilot-in-command is required to hold a minimum of 1,500 flight hours, Helinet's chief Blackhawk pilot has logged over 5,000 flight hours in the type.

“Helping save lives is our most important mission, from transporting critically ill children and transplant organs to local hospitals to providing turnkey mission solutions for airborne law enforcement and firefighting operations,” says company CEO Kathryn Purwin. “Every member of our team is committed to upholding the highest levels of safety while providing critical services to the community.”

In addition to aerial firefighting services, Helinet's 14 CFR Part 133 and 137 certifications allow the company to perform a wide range of utility operations including aerial seeding, powerline/pipeline inspection and construction, aerial mapping and on-demand external load air service. Its large fleet of aircraft includes single and twin-engine helicopters capable of performing a diverse set of missions.

“We are pleased to expand our helicopter services even further by providing a broad range of utility services while continuing to grow the Helinet brand,” adds president and COO Sean M. Cross. “The launch of this new division reflects our ongoing commitment of providing our clients with the most diverse, robust and reliable aviation solutions on the market.”