Columbia’s New Tanked CH-47D Chinook Reports to First Fire

Columbia added internal fire fighting tanks to its fleet of CH-47D Chinook helicopters this season, and N471CH has now fought its first fire in Minnesota! Working in the land of 10,000 lakes, the Chinook and crew fought a 100 acre fire and was able to extinguish it in just a single fuel cycle! The crew was able to fill the tank an astonishing 21 times during the cycle. The Forest Service representatives are apparently very pleased with the results.

The fire even made the local news, and Columbia’s aircraft appears about mid-way through the story: http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/Evacuees-of-Skibo-fire-hope-to-get-home-soon-378600826.html