Helicopters have been used by firefighters for decades, but the H-145 is geared specifically for firefighting operations, and a collaboration between forest service contractor Hillsboro Aviation and Airbus Helicopters.
“You have a large access area,” said Franz Bergtold, director of operations for Hillsboro Aviation as he opened the rear doors of the H-145. “Crosswind conditions, sometimes tailwind conditions require a really good tail rotor.”
Bergtold showed its features, from tail rotor to avionics.
“This is where we get the warning from the aircraft, color-coded, red is bad, yellow needs your attention, white is for information, green is good,” he said as he pointed to a screen in the cockpit. “The helicopter is our fire engine,” said Sean Cox, forest aviation officer for Coronado National Forest as he sat in one of the rear seats of the H-145.