Photographed at San Bernardino Air Tanker Base and operated by Heliqwest Aviation Inc. on contract to the US Forest Service for wildfire suppression duties from Heaps Peak USFS Helibase, located at 6,266 feet amsl south-east of Lake Arrowhead off SR18 "Rim of the World Highway". This registration was cancelled on 17th April 2014 when the aircraft was transferred to the US register as N534HQ.

Former US Army bird now converted for civilian firefighting use. Operated by HeliQwest International out of Broomfield, Colorado.

Former US Army 82-23706 was put up for sale by GSA Auctions (General Services Administration) in December 2020. The helicopter was registered N601HQ by HeliQwest International on May 20, 2021.

Built in 1994, this is one of the first K-Max coming off the assembly line. It was on the FAA register as N135KA for two years before being sold to Cariboo Chilcotin Helicopters Ltd at Lillooet in BC, Canada in April of 1996. In May 2005, the company was re-named to HeliQwest Aviation Inc. This airframe already reached an incredible 15'000 flight hours in June of 2008, and it looks like new in this February 2020 picture.