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Quito Firefighters Helicopter. Last March, the Fire Department of the Metropolitan District of Quito, became the first Ecuadorian city to acquire a helicopter for rescue and firefighting tasks. The first AgustaWestland is already operational and at the service of Quito and Ecuadorians.
Through a public call and in accordance with article 3 of the General Regulations of the Organic Law of the National Public Procurement System (RGLOSNP) and the Resolution of the National Public Procurement Service RE-SERCOP-2016-000007, the 31 august 2016, the Quito Firefighters began the public tender for the acquisition of an aircraft (helicopter) in order to offer the general public a new tool designed for safety and prevention, before a panorama of a growing city and with every day greater needs in terms of rescues and especially fire control, that in recent years and with the experience of what was lived in Chile between February and March of this year, make the need to have its own aircraft essential for the city and thus support these unfortunate events with its own resources, usually provoked.
Within the public contracting process, an estimated budget of two million dollars was determined ($2.000.000,00) that include all expenses and taxes required for the execution of the contract. The minimum characteristics of the aircraft required for the future tasks to be entrusted were: New or used helicopter manufactured no earlier than 1990 and with availability to fly at a rate of 50 monthly hours, autonomy of 2 hours or more, 2 minimum propulsion engines 730 SHP, Minimum 7 capacity passengers with 1 pilot or 6 passengers with 2 pilots, undercarriage, western avionics, hover operation at least 15.000 feet of altitude, scope of 430 nautical miles, flight capability and VFR certification, minimum cruising speed 130 knots, capacity for crane installation and bambi bucket, Capacity for 1 O 2 camillas, cut wires, FAA/FAR or EASA/JAR certification among other requirements.
Within this detailed context and requirements, Several aircraft were seen, but only one met all the requirements and was practically immediately available to operate in the country.. The helicopter with registration HC-CRE and until then belonging to the company dedicated to rotary wings and their maintenance, Aeromaster, was the winner of this contest to provide Ecuador with the first firefighting helicopter, but not the first aircraft, since in the city of Cuenca the institution has a Flight Design CTLS aircraft, registration CB07CT, for fire prospecting and search.
About AgustaWestland
Founded in the year 2000, this Italian-British company dedicated exclusively to the manufacture of helicopters, results from the merger of Agusta and Westland Helicopters. Later in the 2004, the majority shareholding passed to the Italian and growing company Leonardo-Finmeccanica and its helicopter division.
Among its products, the Marine One and its VIP EH101 variant stand out., custom built United States presidential helicopter and others 19 models and their respective variants, where some have had collaboration with Bell and Boeing.
The AgustaWestland AW1
Built like a light helicopter, with 2 engines and multi-purpose, the previously named until before the merger between the two companies as A109, first entered service in 1976 and since then this helicopter has served a myriad of purposes as a personnel carrier, aeromedical evacuations, search and rescue and even military use. Thank you to your 2 motors has managed to position itself as a safe and better performing alternative to other competitors in the same segment.
Among its main features is its high speed with up to 145 knots, 2 redundant engines, ability to operate at height and high temperatures and a special design that makes it more stable in complex landings and in adverse weather.
Within the development program of this successful helicopter there have been 25 versions, each with a different purpose, from military use with the installation of cannons 20 mm or the version chosen by the Quito Firefighters, el AW-109K2, special version for operation in high and complex areas and also in high temperatures, with the special feature of having fixed landing gear, non-retractable, specially designed for complex landings and rough terrain during rescue missions.
HC-CRE
Previously belonging to the Ecuadorian company Aeromaster S.A and registered as HC-CRE, This helicopter was manufactured in 1998 with exclusive specifications for the well-known Swiss salvage company Rega, which operates in one of the most complex environments for conducting search and rescue, the Swiss Alps themselves and in Liechtenstein, where the high altitude and cold weather conditions push the capabilities of the aircraft to the limit, which rescue hundreds of people annually.
Within this context and taking into account the needs of the institution and the geographical complexity of Ecuador, This helicopter has all the necessary equipment and characteristics to carry out similar tasks in Quito and also for support in the country..
The missions that have been initially assigned to qualified personnel for the operation of this AW109 are: search and rescue, transfer of medical and institutional personnel, medical transport and firefighting.
For this last point, the pilots will carry out their training in the use and operation of the well-known bambi bucket in Mexico, priority for the Quito Firefighters before the next summer season in the city.
The operations of this helicopter will be carried out from its new base, located in the north of Quito, in what was previously the Old Mariscal Sucre Airport in Quito and where the aeronautical firefighters operated at that time, now a new civilian fire base, that add to their services this aircraft that hopes to serve the people of Quito daily, for which a heliport has been adapted, direct refueling and hangar for maintenance, which will be carried out by Aeromaster as part of the agreement between both institutions.
The interview
We exclusively spoke with the Chief of Air Operations of the Quito Firefighters, Captain Eduardo Valencia, who, more than 3000 hours of flight in command of helicopters in its passage through the Ecuadorian Army, tells us a little about the missions and characteristics of this new aircraft.
NL: What features does this helicopter have?
CEV: The helicopter is an AgustaWestlan AW109K2 with 2 1K1 turbines with 771 horsepower, designed precisely for operation at height. can operate with 1 pilot and 7 passengers or with 2 pilots and 6 passengers, everything depends on the mission and needs of the moment. It has an autonomy of approximate flight time of 2 hours and 35 minutes depending on high or low altitude conditions, with a speed of 145 knots, limited for our operation at height until 135 knots.
NL: What external equipment can you use?
CEV: It is enabled to use a long line for rescue, for example in broken, we have a specialist already certified for it, bambi bucket against fires and also has the possibility of using a crane to lift stretchers from the ground up to 150 kilograms of weight.
NL: What are the missions that you will carry out initially?
CEV: It will cover aeromedical evacuation missions, transportation of personnel and cargo, search and rescue, reconnaissance and surveillance, radio relay, firefighting and support to other institutions that request it prior coordination of fuel supply in the place, being able to operate throughout the national territory.
NL: Tell us about your flight experience.
CEV: I am a former Army Aviation soldier, I've flown the Lama helicopters, Gazelle, Puma, Super Cougar, Bell 412, Bell 212 and now the AW109, with approximately more than 3000 flight hours in command.
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