After refuelling at Banning this nice heli is on its way up into the mountains to fight the deadly Esperanza fire.

This S-61N Short made a couple appearances at the HAI Heli-Expo trade shows.

This Sikorsky S-61N started life with British European Airways as G-ASNL and the fuselage was later shortened by Carson Helicopters in Perkasie, Penn. to increase its lift capacity. It was displayed at Heli-Expo 2008 inside the George R. Brown Convention Center and departed from a temporary heliport after the show. It is outfitted with an external water tank for fire fighting. It later flew overseas on behalf of the US State Department (as N220WW) until retired and sold to Croman Helicopters (re-registered N626CK) for use on heli-logging and firefighting contracts.

On its way to fight the deadly Esperanza fire, this helicopter can drop 960 gallons of fire retardant or water in one pass.

Looks like it is brand new again

This helicopter was always a civil machine. Initially registered N653X for test-flying, it was delivered new to Pakistan International Airlines as AP-AOB in 1963. In 1968 it was sold to BEA Helicopters in the UK and registered G-AWFX. It later returned to the USA where it was converted to 'Fire King' standard. It later became N625CK with Croman.

Built in 1959 as an HUS-1 Seahorse (USMC 147186, re-designated as UH-34D 1962) then civilianised as an S-58E. Converted to S-58DT with turbo PT6T power and to the Fuerza Aérea Argentina as H-02 for presidential use. Evacuated President Isabel Peron during 1976 coup d'etat. Wfu 1980 and to Helicopteros Marinos as LV-OCM but seized for service with FAA again, being operated by Esc. Fenix during Falklands/Malvinas War 4-6.82. Sold back to USA 1985; registered to California Helicopter Int'l in 2006