Salzburg fire-fighting aircraft in action on the Rax
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A large transport helicopter from the Salzburg company “Heli Austria” has also been in action against the catastrophic forest fire on the Rax in Lower Austria since Sunday morning. At noon, company boss Roy Knaus from St. Johann (Pongau) took over the AS 332 “Super Puma” as a pilot. It can transport more than four tons of water per flight.
Knaus instructed his captain colleague Jürgen Köll on Saturday morning to transfer the transport helicopter, which was used in Wuppertal (Germany) last week, to Hirschwang in Lower Austria as quickly as possible – for fire fighting in the mountains on the Rax. Knaus informed the state government in St. Pölten that he would finance his own fire-fighting flights himself – they are now free of charge for the public sector: “We received support from the state during the economically extremely tough lockdowns. Now we’re giving something back, ”said the Salzburg native.
International fleet for water transport
“Today the air is teeming here,” Knaus told ORF Salzburg on Sunday morning: “For the first time since sunrise, only we flew with water transports. In addition to the armed forces, flight police and the special Canadair flying boats from Italy, several Mi17 transport helicopters from Slovakia are now in use. “
Salzburgers supply Slovaks with kerosene
For the pilots from Slovakia in Lower Austria there were still problems with the fuel supply: “We are now jumping in with our tanker from Salzburg,” said the Pongau entrepreneur. Knaus then takes over the “Super Puma” of his own company from Jürgen Köll at lunchtime as an operational pilot.
Huge CH53 from Germany on the approach
During the course of Sunday, huge Sikorsky transport helicopters of the type CH53 will be used by the German Air Force against the catastrophic forest fire. These were on Sunday mornings from their bases in Bavaria on the way to the Langenlebarn airfield in Lower Austria. There, the crews are briefed for the dense flight operations and the requirements on the Rax.
Knaus offered helicopter help free of charge
The Salzburg company boss still has a special helicopter (“Super Puma”) available on Saturday for heavy water transports against the catastrophic forest fire on the Rax (Lower Austria) – free of charge for the public sector. Recently, six flight assistants from Salzburg fire brigades have also been supporting the large-scale operation – more in salzburg.ORF.at (10/30/2021)
Fire fighting planes from Italy
Two fire-fighting planes from Italy flew their first missions on Saturday afternoon against the forest fire near Hirschwang an der Rax (Neunkirchen district). The embers could be reduced by a third, so the fire brigade – more on this in noe.ORF.at (10/30/2021)