Photo: Rayno Snyman TABLE MOUNTAIN FIRES
The recent Table Mountain wildfires, which lasted several days, were significantly reduced with aerial firefighting support. Helicopters targeted steep slopes that were inaccessible to ground crews, while ground-based teams tackled the accessible fire lines. Crews were efficiently airlifted to the mountaintop to get ahead of the fire.
The Kishugu/Working on Fire joint venture Hueys, combined with Leading Edge’s Black Hawk, played a crucial role in controlling the blaze that was spreading from the southern suburbs to Cape Town’s CBD. A Cessna C182 spotter aircraft provided aerial video footage to incident commanders, enabling precise targeting of the blaze. Water was sourced from local Newlands- area dams and reservoirs on top of Table Mountain. Entry and exit flight paths from the dams to the areas of operation were well coordinated by the pilots, alternating between Hely-Hutchinson and Woodhead dams to keep aircraft separate. It was a relentless day; pilots were replaced with a fresh shift to keep the intensity of the operation unabated.
This is what these pilots live for. They derive immense pleasure from using their expertise to great effect. The risk of an accident is always present. Challenging flying conditions of smoke with reduced visibility, fire, low-and-slow flying
86 May/June 2025
conditions sometimes at high altitudes, and mountainous conditions with strong winds create a testing environment for the most skilled pilot.
In a recent fire near Paarl in the Western Cape, the Black Hawk dropped 47.5 tons of water in just over an hour, demonstrating its superior efficiency.
Mark Jackson says the operating costs of the Black Hawk are twice as much as the Huey, but the Black Hawk delivers almost three times the water per drop (2,500 liters per Bambi bucket vs. 960 liters with the Huey). The Hawk’s main rotor system of four blades and a fully articulating head also means it has a much higher wind-tolerance allowance to continue operations in conditions where the Huey would need to stand down, making the Black Hawk an indispensable firefighting asset.
Three years ago, the Hawk was instrumental in saving the life of a critically injured fireman following a fatal fire-engine accident near Citrusdal, just before dark. No medical rescue helicopters could fly due to gale-force winds.
The Hawk flew from Stellenbosch to Citrusdal, uplifted the patient from a makeshift LZ, and delivered him to Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town late that evening. The fireman underwent life-saving
surgery and after a number of weeks in ICU, he recovered fully.
This season the Hawk flew more than five hours in gale-force winds at the Theewaterskloof fire, saving many homes and farms from the multiple fires in the area. Not a single structure was lost and no injuries were reported.
Black Hawks also feature two engines and the ability to fly safely with one engine following an engine failure, even at gross weight. The Huey is a single- engine aircraft.
Other Black Hawk advantages:
• Two pilots and a crewman mean more safety and observation of obstacles, such as wires and trees, as opposed to a single Huey pilot.
•
Three hydraulic pumps and systems, as well as three generators.
• An onboard computer to assist with fault diagnosis and redundant systems.
• Two stability augmentation systems assist the pilots.
Leading Edge Aviation continues to set the benchmark in aerial firefighting and heavy-lift operations. With a highly skilled team, a diverse fleet and strong partnerships, it remains at the forefront of combating wildfires and executing complex missions across South Africa and beyond.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
