Russian amphibian jet smashes records
Published 06 May, 2008, 04:55
Russia’s Beriev-200 is the largest fire-fighting plane in the world. It is designed to lift up a record volume of water – nearly 12 tonnes – and put out forest fires all around the world.
The multipurpose amphibian jet fills up eight containers with a total of 12 tonnes of water in just 18 seconds. It has inside four 200-litre containers with chemical substances which increase the efficiency of firefighting, when mixed with water.
“The plane is also easy to manoeuvre. Its steering wheel is like a joystick – the plane can be flown using just one hand unlike other jets, where the system is much harder,” says Maksim, a Beriev-200 pilot.
When the airplane is full of water, it weighs 43 tonnes, which is considered to be heavy for an amphibian. Even so, it can fly at more than 500 kilometres per hour.
Other existing amphibians fly two times slower, and carry two times less water.
The plane can land on any surface, and safely fly in tough weather conditions. It is the key when working in hard-to-reach areas.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry uses Beriev-200s to fight both natural and industrial fires.
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