Simplex ® Aerospace has announced that they have received the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SR02657SE for an internal Fire Attack System (FAS) for the UH-60 A Blackhawk. The Model 370i FAS is certified for installation and operation on the Timberline Helicopters Inc. TC type. Simplex will be working quickly to add additional Blackhawk Type Certificates to the Model 370i FAS Approved Model List (AML). The Model 370i FAS is the first, and only FAA certified internal Fire Attack System for the Blackhawk helicopter developed primarily for restricted category civil aerial firefighting operators and requires no modifications to the aircraft structure.

The 900-gallon internal tank system utilizes a single dispersal door that drops water/foam through the cargo hook well. The internal tank system is made from a proprietary lightweight composite matrix that provides superior corrosion and fatigue resistance compared to metal tanks. The tank utilizes a 1000 gallon per minute hover refill system and has dual ground fill ports for increased flexibility and safety during ground filling operations.
Mark Zimmerman, Simplex Aerospace President & CEO, stated, “We have incorporated several enhancements to create a safe and effective firefighting system for the Blackhawk aircraft. Specifically, the ability to perform aerial firefighting missions at night, and the addition of our patent-pending AFT Hook System with pilot release control for increased safety. The AFT hook allows for faster VNE when the pump is stowed and eliminates the need for a person to manually release the hover pump for hover refill operations. Additionally, a camera system replaces conventional mirrors to observe hover refill operation.”
Larry Lichtenberger, Executive Vice President, added: “The Model 370i Fire Attack System can be installed and removed in approximately 15 minutes facilitating rapid response and multi-mission flexibility for our customers.”