Nation's largest firefighting chopper takes off from Patrick Terminals in Port Botany

A CH-47D Chinook helicopter that will join the state’s firefighting arsenal for the upcoming bushfire season arrived at Port Botany’s Patrick Terminals this week.
The Coulson Aviation chopper arrived at NSW’s premier port on board the Synergy Busan from the US yesterday (Thursday, 24 November 2022) morning.
Engineers constructed the water-bombing aircraft on the terminal before it launched from the dock, bound for Bankstown Airport.
NSW Ports CEO Marika Calfas said the arrival demonstrated the critical role Port Botany plays in supporting the needs of the people and businesses of NSW.
“The port’s quality infrastructure and operations make it well equipped to manage all manner of goods," she said.
“We are proud to play a role in delivering vital firefighting equipment that will help our dedicated emergency services keep communities safe."
The Chinook helicopter can carry up to 11,000 litres of water, making it the largest capacity firefighting helicopter in Australia.
The aircraft has an internal tank to support its water-bombing efforts; however, this can also be removed to support flood response operations as well.