Abstract: A helicopter fire fighting system including a fluid holding vessel suspended from underside of the helicopter; and submersible high volume, low head axial flow pump mounted adjacent bottom of the holding vessel for drawing fluid from a fluid source and delivering the fluid into the holding vessel, the axial flow pump extends along a central axis between an open upper end and an opposite open lower end serving as an inlet for the axial flow pump.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed towards a helicopter-carried firefighting device including a valve. The valve has an outer assembly and an inner assembly in which the outer assembly has a reduced surface area on those surfaces which are disposed normally to a direction of movement. The outer assembly therefore may be less affected by hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces directed so as to oppose its movement. The valve may be located in a reservoir of fluid, and controlled by a control head operated remotely from the helicopter so as to release fluid from the reservoir over a fire. The valve may be symmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the valve, such that transversely directed fluid flows through the valve may be cancelled, producing a coherent, longitudinal fluid flow. The valve may be opened partially so as to operate as a metering valve. The valve may be closed relatively rapidly to retain fluid in the reservoir so as to permit multiple dumps from a single reservoir if so desired.

Abstract: A suspendible bucket apparatus is for use with an aircraft to permit dumping of two or more separate loads of water from a single filling of the bucket. The apparatus has an outer bucket with an outer dump valve and an inner bucket with an inner dump valve, inner bucket being located within the outer bucket. At least a portion of the inner bucket is spaced inwardly from the outer bucket to provide clearance therebetween for filling the outer bucket. The dump valves are flexible sleeve valves which are operable independently of each other and in sequence so that the outer dump valve is opened before the inner dump valve.