Rainier Heli-International Uses Kaman Helo Under A Forest
Service Contract
Containment of a major wildfire in California’s Sequoia
National Forest was accomplished with the help of Kirkland,
WA-based Rainier Heli-International using a a company-owned
and operated Kaman K-MAX cargo helicopter. The blaze, named the
Bull Fire after it began on July 26, consumed nearly 16,500 acres
of national forest lands by the Kern River northeast of
Bakersfield.
Rainier Heli-International Photo
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention, known
as CAL FIRE, assigned hundreds of ground-based fire fighters to the
southern California area before the fire was contained in early
August.
Rainier’s K-MAX, flying under a U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
contract from Kern Valley Airport, utilized its unique heavy lift
capability and proprietary 700-gallon water tank and snorkeling
system to drop hundreds of tons of water on the flames, assisting
ground crews to contain the wildfire in about a week.
According to Richard “Lash” Larew, Rainier’s
executive vice president, the aircraft, which is currently based in
Casitas, CA, near Ventura, flies exclusively each year for the USFS
from July to December, peak fire season in the western U.S.
“We’re on call 24/7, and completed the equivalent of an
average month of flight hours in a week on the California
fire,” said Larew. “The USFS directs us to locations to
handle initial attacks, and we fly up to seven or eight hours a day
in some cases.”
Rainier vice president Steve Wright added that the helo has an
excellent readiness record. “The USFS classifies the K-MAX as
a heavy lift, or Type I, helicopter. Our availability is nearly 100
percent, and unlike other heavy-lift rotorcraft, our maintenance
costs are much lower. We usually operate with one pilot, one
mechanic and one fuel truck driver,” Wright explained.
“The K-MAX features a simple design and very reliable single
engine, optimized for repetitive heavy lift. It exactly fits the
mission profile the USFS needs for effective aerial
fire-fighting.”
Rainier Heli-International Photo
Larew said Rainier purchased its K-MAX, Aircraft No. 19, more
than a decade ago and initially used the helicopter to supplement
its logging operations. “We were one of the original
purchasers after the K-MAX was certified in the mid-1990s. We
considered other uses for the K-MAX and moved into fire-fighting.
Our USFS contract is full-service, and includes the aircraft and
crew. To win the USFS contract, we designed our own water tank and
snorkel system that enables us to fill the tank in one minute from
lakes, rivers, streams or portable water tanks when natural sources
aren’t available.” Rainier’s proprietary K-MAX
tank system utilizes water but can accommodate fire retardants or
other additives.