Recoil Aerospace Inc. (Recoil), designer of advanced aerial fire suppression systems (AFSS), announced U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval of its Tsunami Internal AFSS 790-gallon tank for the UH-60 Black Hawk series helicopters.
U.S.-based Recoil’s supplemental type certificate (STC) SR12058AK for the UH-60 Black Hawk series helicopters represents the only carbon fiber system of this design approved for UH-60 operations.
And the approval expands the Recoil family of aerial fire suppression products, joining the already FAA-approved Tsunami External AFSS 1,000-gallon tank for Super Puma and Black Hawk helicopters.
This breakthrough STC is applicable to all UH-60 type certificate holders as well as all model variants of the UH-60 and S-70 Black Hawk.
Importantly, the Recoil AFSS tanks are designed and manufactured exclusively in the United States.
With the approval, U.S. firefighting programs can add this key technology upgrade for the current wildfire season. Recoil AFSS tanks are available for immediate acquisition.
Given high-volume water drops and rapid turnaround time, the UH-60 AFSS tanks can help control new wildfires and protect homes in an urban interface fire outbreak.
“With these multiple STCs approved, we are equipping fire aviation operators here in the U.S. and globally at the start of an already active fire season,” states Recoil president and pilot Joseph Rice. “Our rapid installation combined with the industry’s fastest approved airspeed allows high-volume water delivery with rapid turnarounds.”
And Recoil AFSS tanks are backed by the company’s U.S.-based customer support and service.
Key features of the tank system include: in-cabin mounting, 790-gallon capacity, left or right side snorkel placement for rapid hover-filling, 140-knot approved VNE airspeed, five- to seven-second salvo drop and — importantly — can be ground-filled from a fire hydrant or water tender.
“This design brings high-volume water drops with ‘Punching Power’ to the fire line,” notes Rice. “Fire helicopter operators can fly the most effective aerial suppression operations possible — they can be Fire Ready with Recoil.”
Increased airspeeds can bring more efficient aerial suppression operations, with rapid response to incidents and faster turnarounds between drops.
The Recoil AFSS design has caught the eye of U.S. fire/utility operators like Montana’s Central Copters.
“This is a game changer for us,” stated Will Jacobs, chief pilot of Central Copters and Recoil’s launch customer for the Tsunami Internal AFSS Tank. “The installed Recoil Tsunami Internal AFSS Tank still allows us access to the UH-60 cargo hook for additional mission assignments without having to remove it due to its light weight.”
Kentucky-based Recoil adds the new Internal UH-60 FAA STC SR12058AK to a wide-ranging list of existing international approvals. The Recoil T1000E External AFSS STC is already in place in the United States and Canada as well as the Republic of Korea, Brazil, Morocco, Australia and other regions.
In addition, Recoil provides full support including its industry-leading Recoil Aerial Firefighting Academy training program from its Bowling Green, Kentucky, headquarters.
Recoil is said to be the only U.S.-based company producing these types of next-generation fuselage-mounted or in-cabin AFSS tanks, in partnership with its Kentucky-based affiliate Aerospace Composites Solutions (ACS), which operates an AS9100-certified aerospace manufacturing facility.
This press release was prepared and distributed by Recoil Aerospace.
