Unveils Firefighting Heliplane

The incredible imaginations at Carter Aviation Technologies (the folks who are also developing the carter Copter) have come up with a novel use for some of their most promising brainstorms. A new concept for firefighting missions is being introduced by Carter Aviation Technologies (Carter) of Wichita Falls, TX. The firefighting capability is being designed as an adaptation kit for Carter's Heliplane Transport (CHT). The CHT is a heavy-lift transport being developed using Carter's patented Slowed-Rotor/Compound (SR/C) Aircraft Technology. The full-size CHT is designed to be the size of a C-130J and yet it has vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities with a useful load of 70,000 lbs at a density altitude of 4000 ft with a range of 1000 miles. The CHT is currently under evaluation for the Army's Air Maneuver Transport (AMT) program.

The adaptation kit that would turn the CHT into a firefighting phenomenon is currently dubbed the Hydra-Blaster. The mission kit would give the CHT tanker and water cannon capabilities in combination with heavy-lift, hover and fixed-wing flight speeds. The CHT could dispense either retardant, water or foam via bomber passes or through super cannon precision applications.

Hydra-Blaster Mission Kits would be comprised of four basic elements:

• On a flatbed-mounted platform (roll on/off) - two, 4200 gallon, main baffled tanks (combination pumper/hopper/tanker), computer systems control and foam concentrate 300 gallon side-saddle tanks - total of 9,000 gallons
• Twin snorkels/ram hydrofoil scoops to allow 45 sec refilling of tanks from as little as 18" deep water sources though bomb bay type rescue door
• Fixed, Super Cannon, twin nozzle boom assembly with controllable spray pattern for mounting on left lower side of nose of CHT
• Associated umbilicals to connect primary electrical power, avionics interface to cockpit controls and emergency dump switches, and hose connections to pre-installed manifolds to back of cannon assembly and roll on/off flatbed mounted tanker platform

The future Hydra-Blaster promises to eliminate compromises with current technology as all of the advantages of both fixed-wing tankers and heavy helicopters are synthesized into one revolutionary firefighting system. In fighting the recent fires in California, Erickson S-64 AirCranes blurred the line between what Type-1 (heavy) helicopters and fixed-wing transports can accomplish. The CHT Hydra-Blaster will completely erase that line and perform the tasks more economically. Statistics show cost and delivery comparisons of current firefighting aircraft. A C-130 can deliver 7,900 gallons of water an hour at a cost of $1.60 per gallon while the S-64 can deliver 20,000 gallons per hour at a $0.58 cost per gallon. Based on the CHT's size, agility and speed it is estimated that it will more than double the delivery rate of the S-64 at about the same cost per flying hour. That would equal 40,000 gallons per hour at a cost of $0.30 per gallon.

Hydra-Blaster capabilities represent the extreme limits possible for aerial firefighting utilizing the revolutionary technology of the CHT. The roll on/off pumper tanks, drop-in snorkel and 'plug and play' cannon will quickly transform a line CHT into the ultimate firefighting machine. The multi-task design of the Hydra-Blaster makes it equally well suited for fighting forest fires through bomber drops or high-rise fires with cannon bursts of 600 gallons of water per minute targeted at the exact floor of the fire location. In addition, the CHT aircraft, in its utility configuration, can be used to lower firefighters into exact positions or rescue personnel and survivors with its internally stowable, 20-person rescue cage or a larger external cage.

Carter's Hydra-Blaster is just one of several applications for the CHT that were presented at "HeliCon 2003 - Rotorcraft in Transformation" sponsored by The Institute for Defense and Government Advancement (IDGA) on November 17, 2003. The three-hour presentation was given by Jay Carter, Jr., Founder and President of Carter Aviation Technologies. According to Mr. Carter, "Slowed-Rotor/Compound Aircraft Technology will revolutionize the aviation industry. We believe that within the next two decades SR/C aircraft will impact everyday life through military, commercial and civilian applications. We are just beginning to imagine the possibilities."

FMI: www.CarterAviationTechnologies.com, www.idga.org