The crews of Airbus Poland S.A. PZL M-18B “Dromader” aircraft since April 20th have been participating in extinguishing fires in the Biebrza National Park, in places that cannot be reached by fire-fighting vehicles. Only on April 21st they performed 24 missions with water discharge, staying in the air for over 23 hours in total.
AIRBUS POLAND HELPS SAVING BIEBRZA NATIONAL PARK
The rescue operation was carried out by foresters on duty in Krywlany and 
Rostki (operating for the Regional Directorate of State Forests in Białystok) and Szymany (RDSF Olsztyn). On April 23rd two more fire-fighting Dromader aircraft will join the action. They are already on their way to bases in Rostki and Bialystok.
Airbus Poland S.A. in the Aviation Services Department in Mielec has 25 M-18B “Dromader” aircraft in agro/firefighting version, used for spraying forests against insect pests and for firefighting. As required by the Polish State Forests, the machines are readjusted to the required version.
The planes in the overloaded version take 2.2 tons of water, which they can drop in the form of a water bomb, covering an area of 25 x 70 m or use the so-called “dewing flap” (hydraulically controlled) – then they “lay” water insulation strips over a length of 400 x 5 m.
In the current season, foresters have contracted 17 planes to Airbus Poland S.A., which are stationed at 15 fire bases, from where they protect 75% of Poland’s area. Two additional aircraft are flying to help the Biebrza National Park.
