Modified heavy-lift helicopters, such as former U.S. Army Boeing CH-47 Chinooks, have become popular additions to firefighting fleets, particularly with the addition of night vision goggles for operations after dark.
Credit: Coulson Aviation
"It is like flying in a pot of boiling water,” Antonio Pereira explains as he recounts firefighting missions flying Canadair CL-215s amphibians in Spain and Portugal. Heat and smoke billowing from the wildfires below cause turbulence, reduce visibility and even increase the risk of striking birds...
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