Bambi Bucket Improvements

[Heli]

Randy,

Pictures and videos on Erickson Downunder website. The company was originally Remuda Corp, trading as Down Under Fire Attack Systems (hence the DUFAS bucket 🙄 ) started by the Chief Pilot of Helicorp, Erickson's representative/partner company in Australia. Erickson bought in last year, hence the name change.

 

[Buck]

hello everyone,

as a user of the sling tank i would just like to add my two cents. i really like the tank and all its available options, when they work, and would take the sling tank over the regular unmodified bambi any day, as i have never used the upgraded bambi. however, i would not recommend using the sling off the belly of the machine alone as the actuator head is much longer than that of the bambi and would for sure punch a hole in the belly if not laid out properly. there are some definate design flaws that need to be addressed, such as bolts that have punctured the side of the bucket from the inside out, round eyebolts that can cause the cables to become tangled not allowing to get a full bucket and what you do get you cant release, not a big deal but causes a little frustration. all in all i would say alot of thought has gone into this project and lookout SEI.

 

[Randy_G]

Thanks for the link Heli. One thing I noticed, was how much lower it hung on the medium (when off the belly), compared to a standard Bambi. Did you see how close it gets to the t/r when in transit with an empty bucket ?? SEI made theirs the length they did, so that the bucket couldn't get into the t/r. If the sling tank (for the medium) is long enough to get into the t/r, they may want to think about shortening it. I realise that for a campaign fire, just put it on the end of a long-line, but for IA that option isn't usually available. Just a thought. It looks like it has definite potential to knock SEI of the top of the pedestal.

Cheers

 

[Heli]

Randy,

The distance from the tail also intrigued me, but it hasn't been an issue. Early flights had oscillation problems with the control head, which has been fixed, but the bucket is quite stable now, and we just never hook it directly to the belly. We'll always have a line, even if it's only a 20ft line, which can be kept in the bag with the bucket.

Buck,

Sounds as if you had a bit of fun in Tasmania 😉

 

[Buck]

where the hell is tasmania?

 

[Heli Ops]

Buck - If you get your wife/girlfriend to drop her panties in front of you and have a close look then you will see a nice little map of tassie 😀 😀 😀

Heli Ops

 

[Buck]

would that be from the front or back?

 

[matador]

Well, thanks a lot to all you guys, very useful information that I will take into account if I ever get to fly some of the equipments described in this thread.
I've been doing some price research and power fill is VERY EXPENSIVE. I understand that is a nice thing to have in your bambi at the end of a line, but still....
Anyway hope that customers start to pay for what they get and companies can spend some more money in new-improved equipment.
BTW, in my country firefighting contracts pay the same for a plain bambi than for a torrentula or powerfill. Is that so in the rest of the world, or customers in some way pay some extra money for improved equipment?
Buen vuelo

 

[skullcap]

Amodao;

This thread may help if you have not read it yet.

sc

 

[carlfinley]

Is anyone familiar with the SEMAT "bambi bucket" that's in use in Austria and Germany? This thing acts like a flying sprinkler head and the volume of water dropped can be varied from a max performance dump to a fine spray. I saw it in operation and it looks like it can be of use here. http://www.firekraft.at/fsbilder.html is their website. We could have used it down here in New Orleans after Hurrican Katrina!

Lt. Carl Finley
Jefferson Parish Fire Department