Their chopper is equipped for firefighting, should a major fire incident occur, says the Royal Bhutan Helicopter Services. A firefighting demonstration of the Airbus H130 helicopter was carried out at Paro Airport’s training ground, today.
The helicopter is fitted with a Bambi Bucket and suspended with cables. The bucket has a release valve at the bottom which is controlled by the crew inside the helicopter. Once over the flames, the water is dropped.
The Airbus H130 can carry 270 liters of water at a time. The helicopter fills the bucket by hovering over the water source, such as river, and lowering it into the water.
The Pilot, Captain Dave Peel shares that while many use the H130 helicopter for transportation, it is also efficient in fire fighting.
“No other helicopter in its class currently has the capacity underneath on the hook to lift as much as this. And from a firefighting point of view and the way where the pilot sits, it’s actually a lot easier to use this helicopter than it would be some of the smaller ones that are traditionally used in the world”
Garab Wangchuk of the Helicopter Services says with the helicopter, response to fire emergencies can be immediate.
“As soon as we get the information, if the weather permits, we will be able to dispatch our helicopter within 20 minutes. So we will be able to contain the fire before it spreads.”
The H130 chopper has already made five medical evacuations and several other flights.
The Royal Helicopter Services is expected to receive its second chopper in March, next year.
