SDG&E’s Air-Crane Helicopter, Dubbed “Sun Bird,”
Will Help Build the Sunrise Powerlink and Assist
San Diego Firefighters

When construction of the Sunrise Powerlink starts in fall 2010, SDG&E’s Sun Bird will take to the skies lifting towers into place and accessing hard-to-reach areas along the transmission line’s route in remote Eastern San Diego and Imperial Counties.  This heavy-lift helicopter will help construct more than 50 percent of the overhead portion of the Sunrise Powerlink.  Besides being a powerful construction asset, what’s unique about this aircraft, built by Erickson Air-Crane in Oregon, is the dual role it plays in building transmission towers and fighting fires when called upon by local and regional fire agencies. 

Operating one of the largest lifting capacity commercial helicopters in the world is no small task.  Pilots, flight maintenance personnel, helicopter managers and construction line crews must synchronize their efforts with surgical precision as towers are set and bolted in place.  In all, SDG&E plans employ this aerial workhorse to construct 232 of the project’s 436 total steel structures.  By using a helicopter rather than traditional equipment to install these towers, SDG&E will reduce the need for access roads and minimize corresponding environmental impacts.  In fact, thanks to Sun Bird, 40 miles of access roads have been eliminated from the project, thus preserving sensitive species and habitat.  The Sunrise Powerlink will be completed in 2012.

While primarily assigned to construction, the Sun Bird is equipped with powerful firefighting capabilities and has the capacity to carry and drop up to 2,500 gallons of water on a fire.  No other helicopter in San Diego comes close to matching this water-carrying capacity.  The pilots and mechanics, who are provided by Erickson Air-Crane, are trained to expertly maneuver the Sun Bird for both Sunrise construction and precision water dropping to target wild-land fires. 

The Sun Bird will be made available to assist 53 fire agencies in San Diego County in fighting wildfires through cooperative agreements between SDG&E and the City and County of San Diego.  These agreements establish protocols for the Sun Bird’s use during critical fire emergencies, including outlining how the helicopter will be dispatched during a fire and establishing a $300,000 operating budget for fire season, which will be funded equally by the partners.  SDG&E has agreed to cover the helicopter’s operating costs during the first two hours of any new fire and the County of San Diego will cover the second two hours.  Because of this agreement, San Diego County likely will not have to lease a helicopter to be on stand-by during fire season. 

The Sun Bird will allow SDG&E to construct the Sunrise Powerlink in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner.  It will serve as the lynchpin for transmission line construction by giving SDG&E the capability to operate in some of the most remote and challenging terrain in San Diego and Imperial Counties.  The Sun Bird also bolsters San Diego’s air-response capabilities and provides local firefighters with a powerful tool in their fire-fighting tool chest.  The Sunbird demonstrates that by working together, SDG&E and its partners in the community can reduce environmental impacts while bolstering fire safety for the region’s citizens.

Facts About Sun Bird:

• Capable of lifting approximately 25,000 pounds at sea level.
  
  
• The 2,500-gallon tank drops water, retardant, or foam mix or a 2,000-gallon bucket can be attached for quicker response.
  
  
• A patented ram scoop hydrofoil that allows the aircraft to refill from fresh water and sea water sources in less than 45 seconds.
  
  
• A flexible hose snorkel features a high pressure impeller and can draw water from any water source 18 inches or deeper in as fast as 45 seconds.