Elvis (helicopter)
Encyclopedia
"Elvis" is the nickname of an Erickson S-64 Air-Crane Helitanker (N179AC) which has gained fame in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as a highly visible and valuable tool in bushfire suppression. The helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, which can hold 9,500 litres of water or foam mix, has been brought out by the Victorian Government
Government of Victoria
The Government of Victoria, under the Constitution of Australia, ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained complete independence in all other areas...
from the USA for each fire season since 2001-2002. The aircraft obtained its nickname due to time that it spent working for the United States National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, where singer Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
lived for most of his life.
Erickson Air-Crane
Erickson Air-Crane
Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated is an aircraft manufacturing and operating company based in Central Point, Oregon, United States. They are known for producing the S-64 Aircrane helicopter, which is used in wildland fire suppression and other heavy-lift operations.Originally the Sikorsky S-64...
helitankers were first brought out to Victoria in December 1997. The first one, dubbed by locals as "Eric the Water Bomber" (N223AC), was used to fight a fire in Frankston
Frankston, Victoria
Frankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula...
and the Caledonia fire in the Alpine National Park
Alpine National Park
The Alpine National Park is a national park in Victoria , northeast of Melbourne. It covers much of the higher areas of the Great Dividing Range in Victoria, including Victoria's highest point, Mount Bogong and the associated subalpine woodland and grassland of the Bogong High Plains...
, and was brought out again for subsequent fire seasons up to 2000-2001. On December 27, 2001 "Elvis", which had arrived in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, was immediately deployed to Bankstown, New South Wales
Bankstown, New South Wales
Bankstown is a suburb of south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bankstown is located 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Bankstown.-History:Prior to European...
to help with fire fighting efforts in the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
region and was lauded for its role in helping to save almost 300 homes. It was also credited with helping save the lives of 14 firemen in the Burragorang Valley in New South Wales.
Two other Aircranes, "Georgia Peach" (N154AC) and "Incredible Hulk" (N164AC), were rushed out from the U.S.A on board a Russian Antonov An-124
Antonov An-124
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a strategic airlift jet aircraft. It was designed by the Ukrainian SSR's Antonov design bureau, then part of the Soviet Union. It is the world's largest ever serially-manufactured cargo airplane and world's second largest operating cargo aircraft...
air freighter to assist with the 2001-2002 Sydney bushfires following the successful deployment of "Elvis".
A number of other Aircranes and Skycranes have subsequently been brought out to Australia for each bushfire season and based in Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
.
Aircrane (AC) and Skycrane (HT) deployments in Australia
- 1997-1998 Victoria: "Millie" (N223AC)
- 2001-2002 Victoria: "Elvis" (N179AC); New South Wales: "Georgia Peach" (N154AC) & "Incredible Hulk" (N164AC)
- 2002-2003 Victoria: "Elvis" (N179AC); New South Wales: "Georgia Peach" (N154AC) & "Incredible Hulk" (N164AC) and "Isabelle" (N178AC) and "Gypsy Lady" (N189AC).
- 2003-2004 Victoria: "Elvis" (N179AC); New South Wales: "Isabelle" (N178AC)
- 2004-2005 Victoria: "Elvis" (N179AC); New South Wales: "Rocky" (N722HT)
- 2006-2007 Victoria: "Elvis" (N179AC) & "Malcolm" (N217AC) ; New South Wales: "Shania" (N720HT); Australian Capital Territory: "Delilah" (N194AC)
- 2007-2008 Victoria: "Elvis" (N179AC) & "Elsie" (N218AC); New South Wales: "Shania" (N720HT); Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Tasmania (shared): "Incredible Hulk"
- 2008-2009 Victoria: "Elvis" (N179AC) & "Bluey" a.k.a "Elsie" (N218AC); New South Wales: "Malcolm" (N217AC) & "Clancy" a.k.a "Isabelle" (N178AC); South Australia: "Flynn" a.k.a "Christine" (N173AC); spare "Delilah" (N194AC); for the period of Australian operations, some aircraft have been temporarily renamed with Australian themed names.
NB: The aircranes are contracted to the various state and territory governments through the National aerial firefighting centre.