Test and Evaluation of Next Generation 65-Foot, High-Reach Extendable Turret

Since the introduction of the High-Reach Extendable Turret (HRET) to the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) industry, approximately 400 HRET, have been retrofitted into existing ARFF vehicles or purchased with new ARFF vehicles worldwide. Some advantages and benefits of this technology include increased throw range performance, increased range of turret motion, more efficient agent application by applying agent at the seat of the fire, faster extinguishment of two-dimensional pool and three-dimensional flowing fuel fires, and the ability to penetrate inside an aircraft to cool the interior cabin and extinguish the fire. This added capability can increase passenger survivability, protect property, and extinguish fire faster during an aircraft postcrash incident.

The purpose of this research was to document the effects of the installation of the 65-ft HRET on the predelivery inspection test of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Striker ARFF research vehicle (FAA Striker). The second key objective was to evaluate the performance and firefighting effectiveness of the 65-ft HRET in and around new large aircraft, such as the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 747-8.

DOT/FAA/AR-11/15
Author: Keith Bagot and John Hawk