Bankstown 28th November 2009

[Grahame Hutchison]

Out at Bankstown this morning it was obvious that the fire season had started. Five firefighting choppers and Firescan 255, a Beech King Air, were all waiting or being prepared for action.

Bell 214B-1 N49732 (28005) 1976 model (Helitak 402) with belly water tank fitted. There was a ladder alongside each chopper, ready
for a quick get away.


Bell 214B-1 N214JL (28066 ) 1980 model registered to Helicopter Express in Chamblee Georgia (Helitak 404)


Bell 212 C-FVTS (Helitak 345)


Bell 212 C-FVTS (Helitak 345) with belly water tank fitted.


Bell 212 C-FVTS (Helitak 345) close up of the filler hose.


Sikorsky Skycrane S-64F N178AC (64097) 1970 model "Isabelle" registered to Erikson Air-Crane in Central Point Oregon. The crew were
preparing the aircraft and doing an engine run up.


Bell TH-1F VH-LIQ (66-1237) 1966 model operated by McDermott Aviation in Cooroy


Beech B200T King Air VH-LAB (BT-23) 1982 model (Firescan 255) operated by Astro Aerospace in Nowra. Note the additional electronics,
aerials and sensors on top of, and beneath the fuselage. Firescan departed from Runway 29C with a quite shallow climb out.


Beech B200T King Air VH-LAB (BT-23) 1982 model (Firescan 255) operated by Astro Aerospace in Nowra


Beech B200T King Air VH-LAB (BT-23) 1982 model (Firescan 255) operated by Astro Aerospace Nowra. The modified flat area at the
bottom of the rear fuselage is for an infrared unit. One of the crew members was filling it with liquid nitrogen while I was there, in
preparation for departure.

[Wayne Bishop]

Hi Graham,
Nice pics :-) Maybe you can help...last Thursday I was driving from Blackheath to Katoomba when 5 Helo's crossed the road at no more than 50ft altitude...four red Bells (all with Kestrel titles - not sure on this point as I had to keep at least one eye on the road), other one was all blue.

Guessing one would have been C-FVTS...any ideas on teh other regos?

Many thanks
Wayne

[Grahame Hutchison]

Beech B200T King Air VH-LAB (BT-23) 1982 model (Firescan 255) operated by Astro Aerospace Nowra. This is a close up view of the
infrared sensor bay, the unit sits on the floor of the cabin opposite the rear door. They had a large metal cannister of liquid nitrogen
which they used to fill a flask sized container, from which they poured the liquid nitrogen into three small funnels on the top of the unit.


Other interesting aircraft on the apron this morning are below.

Beech B200 VH-MSZ (BB-866) 1981 "Fred McKay" operated by the RFDS Essendon.


Beech B200 VH-MSZ (BB-866) 1981 "Fred McKay" operated by the RFDS Essendon.


Diamond DA 42 VH-YBV (42.209) 2007 model operated by Flight Training Adelaide. Interesting design, very well equipped and retractable
undercarriage.


Diamond DA 42 VH-YBX (42.211) 2007 model operated by Flight Training Adelaide.


Diamond DA 42 VH-YBV (42.209) 2007 model operated by Flight Training Adelaide. Interesting shape on the propellor.

[Michael Atkin]

Nice photos...was flying out at camden this morning and there was a fire fighting chopper parked there aswell.

[Grahame Hutchison]

Wayne, I found these other registrations on the net.


HELITACK 274 C-FCAN B212 HELI-AUST PTY LTD NSW
HELITACK 348 C-FCLM S61 COULSON AIRCRANE VIC
HELITACK 531 C-FKGT B212 KESTREL AVIATION COLLEGE PTY LTD SA/VIC
HELITACK 345 C-FVTS B212 KESTREL AVIATION COLLEGE PTY LTD VIC
HELITACK 347 C-FZMQ B212 COULSON AIRCRANE VIC
HELITACK 346 C-FZQB B212 COULSON AIRCRANE VIC
HELITACK 721 C-GGAT B212 HELI-AUST PTY LTD NSW/TAS
HELITACK 222 C-GNHX B212 HELIQUIP VIC
HELITACK 273 C-GSGT B212 HELI-AUST PTY LTD NSW

[Grahame Hutchison]

Some more information on infrared sensors and the use of liquid nitrogen.

From www.FreePatentsOnline.com

"An infrared detector includes an outer cylinder having an infrared permeable window and an inner cylinder accommodated in the outer cylinder. The inner cylinder has an end surface, a cylindrical side surface, and an annular tapering surface formed between the end surface and the cylindrical side surface. The annular tapering surface has a diameter continuously decreasing toward the end surface. A multiple element type infrared sensor is mounted on the end surface of the inner cylinder, the infrared sensor having a plurality of output electrodes. A cryogenic cooling arrangement is provided for cooling the infrared sensor to low temperatures, and a signal fetching arrangement is provided for carrying a signal detected by the infrared sensor, the signal fetching arrangement including wiring patterns formed on the end surface, the tapering surface and the cylindrical side surface of the inner cylinder. The tapering surface of the inner cylinder is mirror-finished, and the wiring patterns are formed by laser-cutting a gold thin film deposited on the inner cylinder."

[Russell D]

Great pics Grahame. I was at BK today and taxiied past them on my way to do some circuits early in the morning from Schoies.

I hope to join the RFDS someday soon hopefully. But I have a question that I have been trying to find the answer now for some time.

Is it possible for a doctor in the RFDS to be a pilot (and hence fly the plane) at the same time? I know that the B350s and PC12s have a designated pilot and flight doctor who take no part in crossing roles.

But a friend once mentioned a couple of years ago that the RFDS also has General Practitioners who fly from town to town doing just regular clinics and checkups for people in each town. So kind of like "town-hopping" and running a clinic at each town for a day or two.

So I was kind of hoping that such a scenario would be true as I would love to enjoy the bests of both worlds combining flying with being a GP.

[Mick F]

Russell,
No, not possible.

In addition, the RFDS does not fly B350's. The RFDS fleet Australia wide consists of B200's, PC-12's, 2 Caravans for QLD (used for clinic flights), and a Hawker 800XP in Western Australia.

Mick

[Russell D]

Hey, cheers Mike

Nah it's cool. I always doubted what my "friend" had told me anyways. Looks like it will have to be either Doctor or Pilot then. Oh and sorry, I had meant to say B200s but for some reason 350 came out.

Hope everything is going well in the RFDS.

Cheers,
Russ

[Mick F]

No worries Russell, glad I could help.

Expanding further on from what I said before, the clinic services you are thinking of are part of the RFDS' range of services they provide. At the "traditional" bases (eg, Broken Hill, Charleville, Mount Isa, Port Augusta, plus many others), the RFDS provides 2 main types of services. Those being the on call, 24hr/365 days a year primary response emergency aircraft, and clinic services. These consist of, as you said, the doctor and the nurse going out to remote locations and doing your normal 'doctor day', just like when you go up to the doctor.

However, all disciplines are kept seperate (Aviation, Nursing, Medical). The pilots don't play doctor or nurse, the nurses and doctors don't play pilot. Plus, if you saw the amount of work some of the doctors do, the last thing you'd want would be for them to then jump in an aircraft and fly!

Having said that above though, there are times where the disciplines do slightly crossover, however it's more when you're all working as a team to do something that needs everyone's involvement. The RFDS pilots don't normally just fly the aircraft. They can be in charge of logistics at the scene of an accident, keeping an eye on everyone's safety, assisting the doctor and nurse with the loading and transport of patients, the list goes on. The pilots aren't obliged to assist (except with things like loading, we are responsible for that), however particuarly those that have been doing it for a few years, they get in and lend a hand where possible, without overstepping that mark whereby you're treading the toes of the doctor or nurse.

Cheers

Mick