Airservices Australia Fire Tender

Robb · Post by **Robb** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:50 am

I've noticed that internationally all aviation fire fighting vechiles look the same ahd have a powerful hose mounted on the top of the vechile. I'm curious to know why they don't use hoses like the norm fire trucks?

written_ficton · Post by **written_ficton** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:04 am

Robb wrote:I've noticed that internationally all aviation fire fighting vechiles look the same ahd have a powerful hose mounted on the top of the vechile. I'm curious to know why they don't use hoses like the norm fire trucks?

I guess when an aircraft is on fire, they need it out as soon as possible? Hence why roof mounted fire house - it pumps out more than

They do have hoses in the vechile and seeing that a vechile can take 4 - 6crew members

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:41 am

From the UK fire service website. The 'monitor' is the large roof-mounted nozzle:

At a crash scene, the first task of the airport fire service is to protect the fuselage of the aircraft from fire, in order to protect the passengers still inside the aircraft. This is done initially by spraying a protective foam blanket onto the fuselage with the monitor. Once hand lines have been laid out, the monitor is switched off and protection of the fuselage is passed to the firefighters manning the hand lines.

Post by **Tyranus** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:15 am

ahh thanks for that steve. If it's going to cover an aircraft with water and/or foam it must have a good pressure rating...just what they need for riot control! Soak them with foam! I suppose the shape of them is for things like better protection from heat but also greater visibility. As well as looking like a mean truck in a hurry in the rear view mirror of any vehicles in the way

kylep · Post by **kylep** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:11 am

Don't have enough time to respond properly, but this Wikipedia article gives areasonably good, simple explanation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_Crash_Tender

Basically, the vehicles are designed with good acceleration and handling to get the aircraft quickly, and have large water and foam capacity on board, with high volume and pressure pumps, and monitors to get the agent onto the fire and aircraft quickly. Jet fuel is relativley easy to ignite and is an intense fire, so they need to cool it and protect survivors. The large windscreen assists with visibility on the airfield, and when attacking a fire.