Kawak Aviation Technologies has announced the introduction of a new high capacity refill system for helicopter firefighting buckets. The product was developed in response to operators desiring a simplified, more reliable, and faster filling system.
Kawak’s new line of bottom-filling bucket pumps can fill to capacity in streams, ponds, and tanks as shallow as 16 inches, thus allowing more flexibility in dip sites and with a fill rate that reduces cycle times. The refill system is a derivative of Kawak’s proven refill pump technology that is used in fixed tank applications around the world.
This new line of products provides operators with a high-volume, lightweight powered fill option that can be configured with 28 voltage direct current, 400 hertz, or hydraulic power options. The initial application of the new pump was designed to integrate into 1,060 gallon and larger Bambi Buckets with 27-inch valves and provide fill rates between 1,150 and 2,500 gallons (4354 to 9464 liters) per minute, depending upon the power source.
The modular design of the pump system requires no modification to the bucket. The Kawak pumps are half the weight and require only one pump instead of four, as is the case with the original refill system.
“The development of the JP series solves the current problems of mechanical issues, complexity, and reliability and as a result it allows us to provide our customers better value to pass on to their customer,” said Mike Reightley, Kawak president.
“In the competitive arena of fire contracts, better value means that you win, meet, and keep contracts, or with a “call when needed” contract it means you’re the first to get called to the fire and the last to leave,” said Reightley. “Many of our current customers are using our electric motor and hydraulic variations for tanked operations. Now we can offer them a fully supported, reliable, plug and play high performance option for large buckets.”
