The Korea Forest Service and Columbia Helicopters sign agreement for the purchase of their brand new Columbia Chinook Multimission Model 234 for wildland firefighting.
In addition to firefighting, the Chinook will serve as external cargo transport, transport services and disaster response. Also provided will be: Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) training for crews and mechanics, parts, special tools and ground support equipment.
Columbia’s Chinook will be in Korea’s 24-hour firefighting service, meaning this aircraft can also fight fires at night using NVGs.
«We are delighted with the Columbia 234 Multi-Mission Chinook’s lift and firefighting capabilities, as well as its rapid reconfiguration between missions,» said Ko, Ki-Yeon, CEO. «It is an added advantage that Columbia can supply this helicopter as a brand new aircraft with continuous support.»
The Columbia Model 234 Chinook Multimission is the largest super-heavy helicopter in the world’s standard transport category. It has the capacity to carry 19 to 44 passengers, or can carry internal and external loads of up to 11,339 kg.
«The Columbia Model 234 Chinook Multimission is a highly capable and reliable heavy-lift helicopter that can serve a wide variety of missions, making it cost-effective versus purchasing a small fleet,» said Columbia Helicopters President Michael Tremlett.
