by Marc Mullis
editoraff@agairupdate.com


Ever since the introduction of heli-tankers in the early eighties, the Sikorsky CH-54 “Skycrane” has been considered the king of the mountain. This 1950s-technology helicopter has served its role as the “big iron” of the helicopter world well and will continue to do so for many years to come. However, the Skycrane’s reign as king may be about to come to an end. The crown may soon pass to the Sikorsky CH-53-D “Fire Stallion.” This active-duty Navy and Marine heavy lifter is poised to possibly take the throne during the upcoming fire season as the new king of the mountain! At eighty-eight feet long and with a rotor diameter of more than seventy feet, the Fire Stallion has basically the same dimensions as the Skycrane, namely huge! However, with a 30-year plus advancement in technology, the CH-53-D should prove to be a very capable firefighting platform.

In June 2001, an announcement was made by the Department of Defense that a number of the Navy’s Sea Stallions would soon become available for bid by the public to be used for humanitarian services. By September 2002, an invitation to bid was published in the Federal Register for two Sikorsky CH-53-Ds. Heavy Lift Helicopters of Apple Valley, California placed online bids for the big choppers. The next day, HLH was notified that their offer had been accepted.

Heavy Lift was instrumental in the first CH-54 “Skycranes” placed into operation as heli-tankers. They had been operating the big Skycranes for many years and knew that the newer Sea Stallion would be better. Now would begin the extensive process of completing mountains of paperwork and bringing the airframes to an airworthy condition. It would be late August of 2003 before Heavy Lift personnel actually laid eyes on their new acquisition and were able to inspect the records and log books.

The Sea Stallions were located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. The Department of Defense has the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (ARARC) based there. Surplus or non-essential equipment is stored there on thousands of acres of desert. Heavy Lift discovered that numerous parts were either missing or unserviceable on both machines. This problem led to more negotiations with the Navy and several trips to Cherry Point Naval Air Station to inspect and obtain everything from main gearboxes to rotor blades. Included in the negotiations was enough spare parts to insure many years of operational support.

Finally, after months of haggling, Heavy Lift Helicopters (HLH) received the two Fire Stallions on June 14, 2004. The Navy had originally given HLH an option for four more Sea Stallions, but that offer was later withdrawn. Most of the parts and components that will be needed in the future will come from the Defense Logistics Agency. Heavy Lift’s relationship with the Navy was off to a running start, projected to be a long and rewarding one!

Once the CH-53-Ds were in the hanger at Heavy Lift the real fun began. The metamorphosis of the Sea Stallions into Fire Stallions could begin. This basically required a total rebuild of the airframe. The most extensive modification to the Fire Stallion would involve the installation of the internal tank system. The installation of a tank on the Skycrane had been a much simpler project due to its design the tank could be mounted externally. This project would require a tremendous amount of engineering and technical support. First, all of the publications Sikorsky had ever issued on the CH-53-D had to be studied and analyzed to insure the superstructure could support the projected changes. Performance parameters had to be determined for the modified helicopter. Before metal was cut, every scenario that could be imagined was considered. After the engineers finalized the design, the Federal Aviation Administration had to approve it.

Finally, the FAA issued a Supplemental Type Certificate for the installation of the 2,300-gallon tank. Included in the STC was the snorkel system. All military-related equipment had been removed while the ships were in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, including the radios and electrical equipment. When HLH received the ships, the interiors resembled a rat’s nest of loose wires and fittings. All of this had to be removed and the electrical system was re-engineered and re-wired. As the project neared completion, a communication and navigation package that meets National Forest Service requirements was installed. With the application of a snazzy paint scheme, the Fire Stallion is now poised for its flight test regiment.

It is amazing what thirty years of technological advancement can do for capabilities! Both the Skycrane and the Fire Stallion have a gross weight of 42,000 pounds and their dimensions are approximately the same. The similarities of the two heavy hitters end there. The Skycrane has a top airspeed of 115 knots, not very fast when you are en route to a fire or flying cross-country for a reposition. The Fire Stallion scalds through the air at an astounding 170 knots! It accomplishes this speed with a fuel burn of 300 gallons per hour of Jet-A, versus the Skycrane’s gulp of 490 gallons per hour. These numbers speak for themselves….a much smaller fuel tanker will be required and range is improved by more than thirty percent.

The difference in response and ferry time is very evident. Improvements in systems such as hydraulics, control, and power train will result in a marked reduction in downtime for maintenance. One-third of a century of improvements in avionics will be very evident in the cockpit. The pair of T64-413 engines is not only more fuel efficient, but will require less attention and be more reliable. Single-engine performance is increased over the Skycrane resulting in a greater safety cushion in the event an engine fails.

Each Fire Stallion heli-tanker will be assigned a crew of three mechanics and two pilots. Whenever a crewman times out another will be available to step in and take over. He states that every pilot in the company will be checked out in the Fire Stallion, so there will always be experienced pilots in each company aircraft.

Michael Gilpin is the chief pilot for Heavy Lift Helicopters. He received his training and flew choppers in the Army for seven years. He took off his uniform in 1987 and has been working helicopters on fires ever since. Mike explained one ship may be ready by May first…and if not by then, it will be on contract before the 2005 fire season is over. The second one will be put online as time permits. Michael expects more CH-53-Ds to be added to the heli-tanker fleet as the military surpluses them.

Michael is excited about the addition of the two Fire Stallions to their fleet of Skycranes! He stated he is eagerly awaiting his first fire fighting in the CH-53-D. With the combination of the Fire Stallion’s 20,000-pound payload, ability to snorkel 2,000 gallons of water from an eighteen-inch deepwater source in 45 seconds and the aircraft’s high airspeed opens the door for the Fire Stallion to take its rightful place as the ruler of the flames.

The CH-53-D has a very unique noise signature as it approaches, especially when in high-cruise. So if you are on a mountain and hear the recognizable thump-thump of an oncoming 53, no they haven’t called in the Marines to extinguish the flames….it’s Heavy Lift Helicopters in their new Sikorsky Fire Stallion on the way to protect the domain!