Beaver Creek Fire: Air-Crane Tour (2013)

I was fortunate to get a backstage tour of an Air-Crane today. These helicopters gave us quite a show during the #BeaverCreekFire, and are even pretty cool on the ground. They were absolutely vital in protecting houses during this blaze. Aug 25, 2013.

Originally built for the military circa 1967, these fire-customized bad boys are without doubt one of the most effective tools in the firefighting arsenal.
AirCrane August 2013 Beaver Creek Fire Complex Deer Creek Fire Fire Aftermath Helicopter Idaho Sikorsky Summer Wildfire Wood River Valley
The best seat in the house: the backward-facing pod.
AirCrane August 2013 Beaver Creek Fire Complex Deer Creek Fire Fire Aftermath Helicopter Idaho Sikorsky Summer Wildfire Wood River Valley
Running maintenance checks on the bay doors.
AirCrane August 2013 Beaver Creek Fire Complex Deer Creek Fire Fire Aftermath Helicopter Idaho Sikorsky Summer Wildfire Wood River Valley
The tank can hold up to 2,400 gallons max, but they typically keep it to ~2,000 unless they're at sea level and running with little fuel.
AirCrane August 2013 Beaver Creek Fire Complex Deer Creek Fire Fire Aftermath Helicopter Idaho Sikorsky Summer Wildfire Wood River Valley
The belly of the beast. There are four bay doors that can open independently to release the water. Pilots can either bomb away all at once, or pace their drops more slowly.
AirCrane August 2013 Beaver Creek Fire Complex Deer Creek Fire Fire Aftermath Helicopter Idaho Sikorsky Summer Wildfire Wood River Valley
I've always wondered what the end of these hoses looks like. Covered with a cage, a propeller inside blasts water up into the tank. They can fill up to 2,400 gallons in about a minute, and only need around two feet of water to pull from. The ponds by Greenhorn were a dream come true for the pilots.
AirCrane August 2013 Beaver Creek Fire Complex Deer Creek Fire Fire Aftermath Helicopter Idaho Sikorsky Summer Wildfire Wood River Valley
I was going to start pushing buttons, but was worried I'd hit the helicopter's ejection seat ;-).
AirCrane August 2013 Beaver Creek Fire Complex Deer Creek Fire Fire Aftermath Helicopter Idaho Sikorsky Summer Wildfire Wood River Valley
Not sure why they didn't trust me to fly this baby, but at least they let me sit up front.
AirCrane August 2013 Beaver Creek Fire Complex Deer Creek Fire Fire Aftermath Helicopter Idaho Sikorsky Steve Summer Wildfire Wood River Valley