Fire and Rescue Helicopter

Ludacris · Post by **Ludacris** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:11 pm

Had the pleasure of a flight in this on Monday.... Never been in a chopper before and it was strong winds and raining at Stages.... Poor quality pic as its from my phone.

Brett · Post by **Brett** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:47 pm

So this is the FESA Chopper? It looks like it's got the Customs paint work. Mind if I ask it's base location and duties?

Chicky · Post by **Chicky** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:15 pm

Did you happen to head over Rockingham way? I came outside when I heard a chopper that day - and I'm pretty sure it was red & white like that... Must have been a scary ride!

Post by **gkoutlis** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:41 am

You picked a great day to fly (not)

I think this one comes close to what you flew in

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0 ... TER&size=L

Its a Aerospatiale AS-350BA Ecureuil which FESA do use for Water bombing during the Fire Season...

FESA have this one also for Fire Recon work - which is a Bell 412 - Beautiful chopper...

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0 ... 488&size=L

Cheers

G

Fastlane · Post by **Fastlane** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 1:20 pm

Brett wrote:So this is the FESA Chopper? It looks like it's got the Customs paint work. Mind if I ask it's base location and duties?

Thats the standard paintwork that Helicopters Australia uses (who owns the chopper). It's not FESA's. The Helitac's have a different paint-job entirely, but they are also owned by Helicopters Australia.

gkoutlis, I think you might find that VH-NSP is a standby aircraft for RAC Rescue 1, or is the aircraft they were using before the yellow Bell 412 arrived. FESA uses helicopters from Heliwest and Helicopters Australia for 'Air Intelligence'. RAC Rescue 1 got used a few times when the contract expired for the other aircraft at the end of the fire season, but only to go over Lake Neerabup.

Ludacris · Post by **Ludacris** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 6:43 pm

Well it had fire and rescue written on the front of it on the other side from Photograph....

Flew up and checked out Damage from the Tornado in Australind...

Fastlane · Post by **Fastlane** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:37 pm

Ludacris wrote:Well it had fire and rescue written on the front of it on the other side from Photograph....

Flew up and checked out Damage from the Tornado in Australind...

Think you'll find thats likely Fire & Rescue Queensland. The Helitac's also have that plastered all over them prior to getting used in WA for the fire season.