Aerial Dispersants

C-130 Hercules equipped with the RIDSS spray system – Ensure a successful spill response

The most effective oil spill dispersant aircraft & spray systems with proven results

Advantages of IAR Aerial Dispersant Systems:

• A complete aerial dispersant solution – aircraft, spray systems, and operators
• Real-world oil spill response experience
• Global reach to support worldwide response operations
• The largest fleet of high capacity / long range dispersant aircraft

Safety – Efficiency – Versatility

Safety

Oil spill dispersants must be applied at very low altitudes and slow speeds to be effective. This creates a high risk environment for any large aircraft. The C-130 Hercules was designed for low altitude / slow speed operations which makes it a much safer aerial dispersant platform than large swept-wing jet aircraft. The C-130’s four turbo-prop engines, straight wing design, and multitude of cockpit windows enhance safety in the following ways:

• Reduced likelihood of an aircraft stall due to a much lower stall speed
• Better performance following the loss of a single main engine due to four-engine redundancy
• Lower risk of midair collision due to superior maneuverability at slow speeds
• Improved ability to see and avoid obstacles, including other aircraft, due to unmatched visibility from the pilot’s seat.

Efficiency

The C-130’s turbo-prop engines are designed to be much more fuel efficient at low altitudes than the jet engines commonly found on other large aircraft. This means efficiency gains including:

• Longer duration flights allowing for more time to treat an oil slick
• Lower operating costs and reduced logistical requirements due to lower fuel consumption
• Superior endurance as an airborne search and rescue (SAR) platform in the event such capabilities are needed.

The C-130’s agility at slow airspeeds allows it to be much more accurate when applying dispersants. Improved accuracy results in less overspray (overtreatment of the same oil) which is highly wasteful. The C-130’s ability to apply dispersants with surgical precision ensures that the dispersant only goes where it is most effective. This higher level of accuracy minimizes the amount of dispersant required to treat an oil slick which simplifies the dispersant supply chain freeing up response resources to be used in other areas. More accurate and efficient slick treatment achieved through less dispersant waste also minimizes the environmental impact of a spill response.

Versatility

The C-130 can perform a multitude of different missions due to its ability to change mission configurations quickly, even in remote locations. Additionally, the Hercules can be operated from more airfields than any other aircraft of similar size. This is due to its high wing and light “footprint” which prevents its landing gear from sinking into “soft” surfaces commonly encountered at small airports in remote locations. The multi-role capabilities of IAR’s C-130 fleet include:

• High capacity sprayer
• High endurance spotter
• Long range search and patrol
• Aerial rescue with the ability to drop survival equipment: provisions, life rafts, & personnel
• Bulk dispersant transport and transport of oversized spill-related materials
• Airdrop of equipment weighing up to 25,000 pounds
• Arctic operations

Submit a Service Inquiry to learn more about how IAR’s extensive aerial dispersant capabilities and expertise can benefit your organization.

What is aircraft support?

There is a wide range of support that can be provided for both emergency and non-emergency, and government and private operations. This list makes aircraft selection extremely important. As an aircraft support company, we are able to offer a long list of services and customizations with our fleet of C-130 Hercules aircraft. We offer our aircraft for both wet and dry lease to help clients complete their missions, projects, and research.

If you haven’t heard about this before, aircraft support is used for the following:

Aerial dispersant solution
Aircraft support is about aerial dispersant systems that help in various catastrophes and events. Flying an aircraft isn’t always about transporting people. It also works by carrying various solutions within certain areas.

During disasters like an oil spill, an oil spill dispersants aircraft will be deployed to drop solution to the affected body of water. It helps the authorities combat the damage by covering the area with a fleet of aircraft equipped with spray systems. This method of flying is done in a painstaking, very low altitude environment. In these types of emergencies we offer our aircraft and crew to help.

TV and movie production
Have you seen the airplane scene in the Furious 7 movie? That high-octane release of cars in air is actually performed with our help. Airdrop expertise and calculation of the drop off point is very crucial here. Not to mention experience flying with cameras around to get the perfect shot, often multiple times. The next time you see a movie or a TV show with fast flying, characters jumping from planes, or performing a drop off, remember that it’s not computer-generated. It’s the real thing, and we make it happen.

Aerial delivery
Aerial delivery includes airdrops or the delivery of relief goods and other stuff by dropping it on certain areas. High-altitude airdrops are done in as much as 30,000 feet above the ground. The items dropped and delivered through this method can be a small package of food or a 25,000-pound armored carrier. All these are done with high levels of accuracy to ensure that the item will fall on the proper location.

Aerial Firefighting
Air tankers are crucial in extinguishing wildfires and massive fire incidents. The aerial dispersant systems carry a special powdered agent that will be dropped within the affected area. Take note that this is a very difficult aerial dispersant solution since the pilots have to factor in the wind, atmosphere, and their own safety. Aside from hovering over the fire, this support also utilizes an advanced firefighting system.

Aerial research and development
This service is also important for companies testing airborne electronic products or conducting research over land or water, like The Ocean Cleanup. Aircraft supports are the first one to bring the material on air to observe its behavior in an actual, high-altitude environment. With that, the aircraft should have enough mounting space and technology while in air.

Aerial dispersant systems are just one of the helpful uses of aircraft support. Aside from that, planes and its accompanying technologies can be used for scientific research, entertainment, and rescue purposes. Pilots work in both high and low altitudes as well as varying speeds. Remember, these aren’t always about high-speed chase scenes, aircraft support is about making a difference in a huge way.