(Photo visual: Maarten Visser, June 2009)
The idea of fighting wild fires from the air dates back to 1929. From that time onward a wide variety of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are used for aerial firefighting. The term “air tanker” or “waterbomber” are sometimes used to name these special purposed aircraft, which in most cases are converted military of civil aircraft. A normal helicopter can even be used, fitted with a “Bambi bucket”.
In this special we will look into different aspects of aerial firefighting, and the aircraft involved.