The VAI Aerial Work Safety Conference earlier this month offered firefighting, utility, and construction helicopter operators and vendors the opportunity to network, receive government updates concerning their market segment, and gain valuable safety education.
It also offered opportunities to meet and talk with representatives from 38 vendors who had booths set up around the ballroom where meals and snacks were provided during breaks at the conference. Here’s a look at a some of those suppliers and the products they shared.
VIH Aerospace MMRO
Located on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, VIH’s maintenance, manufacturing, repair, and overhaul (MMRO) division is expanding its work on the S-92, recently adding its approval as a Sikorsky Customer Service Center to its expanding pedigree. The recent move illustrates the company’s work in performing MRO for transforming VIH Helicopters’ S-92s into Fire Raptors, which operated their first season earlier this year. The company is ramping up to provide this transition service again on a third VIH S-92 and is available to provide that service to outside operators. The shop also provides MRO support for several helicopter models, including the S-61, Bell 206, and Bell 407.
With its advanced manufacturing capabilities and extensive pedigree with a variety of helicopter models, the company also offers specialized STC solutions such as bubble windows for the Airbus H145, H135, and 332, and a range of Bell STCs developed over the years covering modifications, survival kits, and other mission-enhancing upgrades.
Mechanical Specialties
Mechanical Specialties’ new dual cargo hook system, ADEC, was designed to reduce the risk of inadvertent load releases during helicopter operations. The design combines two completely independent hook systems into a single mount, each with separate wiring and separate release buttons. To jettison a load, both buttons must be intentionally pressed, which prevents accidental releases caused by brushing or bumping a single control.
Based in Olympia, Washington, Mechanical Specialties designed its ADEC hooks for the Bell 407, all Bell medium models, and the Sikorsky UH-60. The 407 hook is approved in the U.S. and Canada. The Bell medium hook certification is expected by the 2026 fire season. Upon receiving that approval, the company will begin certification work for its UH-60 hook.
Type One Incident Support Inc.
Type One Incident Support of Bend, Oregon, displayed its NEMO SD single drop and NEMO IV infinity valves and bucket systems at the conference. These internally designed and manufactured aftermarket products are intended to fit into current fleets as direct alternatives to commonly used buckets without operators needing to make modifications. As an added benefit for U.S. operators, the systems are promoted as available without international border tariffs and delays.
The valves feature a simplistic, easy-to-service fabric design, engineered to solve common issues of other values, including water entering the electrical mechanisms. The single drop is a standard wired valve that opens fully upon activation. The infinity valve is wireless with more flow controllability, allowing pilots to perform long drops, trail drops, or release only a portion of the load as needed, helping tailor the drop to terrain, fire behavior, or tactical objectives.
Thoroughbred Aviation Maintenance
Thoroughbred Aviation Maintenance is a full-service MRO supporting helicopters and airplanes in Lexington, Kentucky. A certified FAA repair station, the MRO is an authorized service center for Robinson, MD Helicopters, Bell, and Airbus, as well as a Garmin avionics dealer. The company also works with customers on military surplus Sikorsky UH-60s, providing rebuilds, overhauls, and integration work.
Thoroughbred maintains a substantial parts supply and offers its customers 24-hour on-call service, deploying teams to remote locations to perform on-site repairs to get aircraft back in the air as quickly as possible. In the shop, the team provides light and heavy maintenance, repainting, full modernization, and mission equipment integration — from advanced avionics and tactical moving maps to specialized mission systems.
Boost Systems
North Vancouver, B.C.-based Boost Systems showcased its latest exclusive product at the conference: the Cloudburst Fire Bucket. Developed in New Zealand by IMS Helicopter Equipment Specialists in 2005, the collapsible, multi-drop bucket can be built in a range of volumes from 32 gallons (130 liters) to 2,642 gallons (10,000 liters) and can drop water in either a straight column or mushroom pattern. The bucket’s additional customizing options include shallow fill pumps, a selection of valves, additive injection equipment, level limiters, and more.
A key benefit of the Cloudburst is its 16-inch valve which, when paired with its collapsibility, allows for it to fit in standard cargo baskets for rapid transport between fires.
Power integration is straightforward, requiring only a constant power supply, ground, and a switch, so it can be tied into existing cargo hook and electrical setups with minimal change to the aircraft.
