Dart Aerospace has received TCCA approval for upgrades to its Model 304 Fire Attack System. The system features a carbon fiberglass tank capable of holding 1,420 liters of water or 114 liters of foam retardant, designed for use in Bell and UH-1H helicopters. Key improvements include a new emergency jettison switch and the ability to perform night-hover refills. These updates aim to increase safety and efficiency during critical wildfire suppression missions.
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Dart got approval for a new firefighting kit for Bell helicopters. It uses a carbon fiberglass tank to drop water or foam on wildfires. The main updates are better night refills and a faster jettison switch.
Carbon fiber tanks are great for weight, but I wonder about the long term durability when these things are bouncing around in rough terrain and heat. Do we have data on the lifecycle of these tanks in active fire zones?
Certification is the real hurdle here. Getting TCCA approval means these can actually be deployed at scale by government agencies. The tech is secondary to the regulatory green light.
