Firehawk Helo

Thanks for all the info. Living in a fire area I am very gald to see LACF with some updated and modern Helos to fight fires. I hope they get more to replace the older helos they are still flying.
Steve

N190LA along with N160LA are S-70A-33A's. These were originally built for the Royal Brunei Air Force but never delivered. IIRC, the Sultan canceled the order after he and his brother (who originally placed the order) had a falling out.

These two were offered to the LACFD since they were already built. Both were originally built with weather radar and FLIR and I believe stripped from the A/C before delivery. Both have been flying for a couple of years.

LACFD has purchased another S-70A (N15LA), this one being a new-build off the line and is basically identical to an UH-60L.

The other Firehawk shown in the top link, is the original demonstrator that was converted from an UH-60L (I believe 96-26720) on loan from the Army.

Not sure what the lineage on them is. The one with the weather radar fairing could have been a either a USAF MH/HH-60G, or a US Army MH-60L, not sure. It doesn't look like a standard type fairing though. The one without looks like a standard UH-60A with the struts lengthened to fit the tank underneath.

HeavyArty: The helo in the top link...did that used to be a UH-60A and was the second a MH-60G?

The nose protrusion is a weather radar. From what I have read, they are military surplus that were reconditioned and rebuilt as firebombers. The weather radar fairing was left on from the military helo, but there is no radar on board.

More pics of them here:
http://www.helispot.com/photos/00461.html
http://www.helispot.com/photos/02950.html

Apparently LA County just purchased them, and this minor fire near my house was the first I had seen them. They were used on another larger fire a few days later and that go news coverage. They are very slick, they carry 1000 gallons, and can fill the tank in 60 secs. They can drop the water all at once, or in two 500 gallon drops. It was very impressive to watch the two of them make drops and then come in and hover over the river and dip and fill the tanks with the retractable fill hose. The other unit did not have the protrusion sticking out the nose. I am guessing that might be FLIR but I am not sure.
Steve

Didn't even know that LA County had Firehawks... Cool pic.

Great pic, thanx for sharing.

That's a sweet-looking piece of hardware. Thanks for the pic.
Sure is a lucky set of guys who get to fly that bird for a living.