N98D

N98D is a Bell 206 LongRanger III. It's a Type III ship on exclusive contract from Air Resouces. 9-8-Delta is the crew's primary rappel ship, but also does bucket work, recon, and cargo missions.

98D taking off

During a rappel mission, you and your rappel partner sit facing forward, with a saw box seat-belted between you. Your rope bags are on the floor between your legs, the ropes attached to a floor rappel anchor with a carabineer. The spotter sits on the left side, facing to the rear. To his left is a fire box. The rappeller on the spotter side is typically the incident commander. Once you're on on the ground, the spotter lowers the boxes with a Figure 8 descent device and a webbing cargo letdown line attached to a hard point above the door.

After the fire's been found, sized up, and a rappel location selected, the spotter unbuckles his seat belt. This is a signal for you to unbuckle your seat belt (rebuckling and tucking it into the seat), put your outboard foot on the flight step, and grab your rope bag handle. On the spotter's signal, you drop your rope bag between the aircraft and the skid. After the rope bag is on the ground, the spotter gives you the go to the skid hand signal. You back out onto the skid by standing up, bracing your outboard arm against the aircraft cabin, pivoting your foot on the flight step, and bringing your inboard leg through the opening between your outboard leg and the aircraft. Once on the skid, you crouch down, holding the Genie with one hand, and the bottom of the door frame with the other. When the spotter gives the rappel signal, you lower yourself off the skid to the inside, so you're suspended by your rope from the helicopter. You then unlock (undo the two loops of rope around the horn on the top of the Genie with your right hand) , move your right hand down to your hip, then feed rope through the Genie to get some momentum. You use your right hand to control your descent speed, by squeezing the rope. If need be, you can slow down even more by taking your left hand off the Genie, and also using it to brake (double braking).

9-8-Delta has its own chase truck (called an ice cream truck because of its white paint job). Depending on the mission and location, the chase truck and/or fuel truck can be sent in the direction of the incident. This gives the crew additional flexibility in being able to operate from remote locations. Fires can be staffed with additional rappellers without returning to the base.

Ice cream truck in chase mode

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