Aircranes En Route to Fight Australian Fires

Australia is preparing for another bushfire season by taking delivery of five Erickson Aircrane Helitankers within the next several weeks. Erickson Helitankers have been integral to Australian bushfire fighting for 11 consecutive years and are under contract for three more years with an option for an additional two years. Aircranes are revered by firefighters for their ability to drop up to 2,377 gallons of water or fire retardant using an on-board computer to ensure precise distribution. Erickson Aircrane Helitankers are also capable of carrying the Aircrane Incident Response System (AIRS), which has a variety of capabilities ranging from transport and placement of modular containers for command posts and medical triage, to a grapple that can remove large wreckage, such as cars or pieces of buildings. AIRS has generated enormous interest among disaster managers and serves to reinforce the Aircrane’s moniker of “the Flying Swiss Army Knife.” For related news