iscover
Of 149 pilots surveyed as part of the safety watchdog’s ongoing aerial firefighting safety study, 91 respondents (61 per cent) said they had experienced an incident between 2017 and 2022, but only 52 (35 per cent) said they had reported it.
The Bell aircraft, owned by McDermott Aviation, were battling a fire near Porto Germeno in Greece when the rotor of one appeared to strike the underside of the other, causing the lower helicopter to crash in flames, while the other flew away after dumping its load of water, according to video footage.
The CH-47D Chinook helicopter, equipped with an 11,300-litre water tank, and Bell 412 reconnaissance and support aircraft will be deployed to France, accompanied by 24 highly skilled aerial and ground crew from the NSW Rural Fire Service.
The Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council developed the procedures, which include minimum drop heights, after the ATSB’s findings around the crash of a Boeing 737-3H4 Fireliner, N619SW (similar aircraft pictured), on 6 February 2023.
The United Firefighters Union of Australia Aviation Branch has pointed to a new report from the Centre of Full Employment and Equity as evidence the plan would leave taxpayers “$135 million out of pocket for a worse service that undermines their safety”.
The Commonwealth is seeking over $2 billion in damages against 3M, the company responsible for manufacturing a firefighting repellent for defence sites known as aqueous film-forming foam that was found to contain PFAS.
PROFILES
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