Fire/Disaster Prevention

The crew of the Tokyo Fire Department’s fire attacker Eurocopter (Aérospatiale) AS332L1 Super Puma demonstrates the aircraft’s capabilities at its Tachikawa, Tokyo, base in November 2013.

A nation that is particularly prone to natural disasters, Japan has aviation units in place that conduct the full gamut of emergency, firefighting and relief operations. Including that covering the capital, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Tokyo Fire and Disaster Management Agency, 16 cities and 39 of the country’s 47 prefectural administrations operate these dedicated, helicopter-equipped units. The 40th prefectural unit formed in Saga in April 2020, and its aircraft was being flight tested in August (see Bulletin Board page) with a view to becoming operational in March 2021. 

Unlike the local fire department-controlled municipal units, which are independently operated, most prefectural governments prefer to outsource their aviation units’ operations to private company contractors. Maintaining a high degree of response readiness, units in the same region conduct regular joint training exercises that include the rehearsal and coordination of operations with Self-Defence Force elements.

J-HangarSpace will be winching itself down to delve into some fascinating aspects that will cover the aircraft, personnel, and operations of these units.

A typical scene during coordinated disaster response operations. This is Hanamaki airport, Iwate Prefecture, on April 11, 2011, exactly a month after the Great East Japan Earthquake triggered a
tsunami that devastated large areas of the Tohoku region. Closest to the camera is the Kobe City
Air Corps’ then BK117B-2 KOBE-I, which is parked alongside the Shizuoka Prefecture Air Rescue
Team’s BK117C-1 Orange Arrow. Just starting up at the back is the AS332L1 Hakuchō 6 from the
Tokyo Fire & Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) Flying Unit.
(Photo: 402SQC-1 via Wikimedia Commons)

In the meantime, as a temporary measure, tables listing the aircraft operated by each municipal or prefectural aviation unit have been added below. Interspersed with a growing number of photographs, these will eventually be moved to a separate Data File page.

In the case of the prefectural units, J-HangarSpace retains the name derived from the organisation under which each unit operates, officially known in English as a Disaster Prevention Bureau; it would be more accurate to refer to them as something like disaster relief aviation units. A unit’s unofficial English name, if any, appears after the formation date.

Please note that the in service date(s) for aircraft formerly operated are based on registration/cancellation data and are for guidance purposes only.

Named Yurikamome (Black-Headed Gull), Eurocopter (Aérospatiale) AS332L-1 Super Puma JA9676 sported twin nose-mounted hoses for tackling fires in high-rise buildings when operated by the
Tokyo Fire Department Aviation Unit. After 20 years’ service, this aircraft was replaced
by an EC225LP in 2008.

Operated by Honda Airways from Tochigi Heliport in Haga, Bell 412EP JA09TG Ooruri
(Blue-and-White Flycatcher) has been in service with the Tochigi Prefectural
Disaster Prevention Aviation Unit since 1997.

(All photographs on this website are copyright J-HangarSpace
unless otherwise stated.) 

Municipal Fire Department Aviation Units

Named Ootori after a legendary bird, Eurocopter (Aérospatiale) AS365N3 JA03CF has been operational with Chiba City’s Fire Helicopter Corps since February 2006.

The two helicopters currently in service with the Fukuoka City FPB. (Above) AS365N2 Hoojiro (Siberian Meadow Bunting), seen at Fukuoka airport in December 2008, and (below) AS365N3 Yurikamome (Black-headed Gull), at the same location in November 2012.
(Photos: Amayagan via Wikimedia Commons)

 

 

Then named Soyokaze (Zephyr) 2, the Kawasaki Air Rescue MBB/Kawasaki BK117B-2 was on static
display at JMSDF Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture, October 6, 2013. This aircraft was supplemented by
a brand-new AS365N3+ in 2015 and renamed Soyokaze 1.

 

The Kobe City Air Corps’ BK117C-2 KOBE-II passes over the city’s Port Island in September 2008. The Air Corps is attached to the Keibōtai (literally Civilian Guard Unit) of the city’s Fire Department and operates its helicopters jointly with the Hyogo Prefectural Disaster Prevention Aviation Unit.
(Photo: “J o” via Wikimedia Commons)

 

(Above) Former Nagoya Municipal Firefighting Aviation Unit Alouette III JA9093 was placed on display at
the then Kakamigahara Aerospace and Science Museum, Gifu Prefecture, in March 1996. Seen here in
October 2000, the aircraft was eventually passed on to The Association for the
Preservation of Helicopter History in July 2016.
Its successor was AS365N2 Nagoya 2 (below), which was renamed Hideyoshi in September 2014.

Okayama Air Rescue’s BK117C-2 replaced an earlier model ‘C-1 in 2015. (Photo: KHI)

 

Sapporo Air Rescue Bell 412EP Sapporo 2 seen at Okadama airport, Hokkaido, in October 2007.
(Photo: “100yen” via Wikimedia Commons)

One of the two Bell 412EPs operated by the Sendai Municipal Firefighting Aviation Unit, JA119T is named Keyaki (zelkova) after the tree chosen to symbolize Miyagi Prefecture.
(Photo: Ebiebi2 via Wikimedia Commons)

 

Formerly operated from Tokyo heliport, this SA330F was put out to grass at the Museum of Aeronautical Sciences in August 1989. (Photo [Sept. 2013]: Alec Wilson via Wikimedia Commons)

AW139 JA14TD Chidori 1, one of the new guard now operating with the Tokyo service.
(Photo: さくらもち (Sakuramochi) via Twitter @Zpp4O7)

(Above and below) Taken at Tachikawa in November 2013, these two views are of JA119E
Kamome (Seagull), one of the three Eurocopter (Aérospatiale) AS365N3s operated by the
Tokyo Fire Department.

Yokohama heliport-based AS365N2 Hamachidori 1 (Plover 1) seen giving an air rescue demonstration during the Yokohama Fire Department’s New Year Parade in January 2013.
(Photo: Toshinori Baba via Wikimedia Commons)

Another fine action shot, this time of sister aircraft AS365N2 Hamachidori 2 in August 2014
(Photo: Mj-bird via Wikimedia Commons)

The first of the Yokohama AW139s comes to the end of its display at the 2014 edition of the New Year
fire department festival. Maintaining the tradition, both aircraft have retained the name of their
predecessors, Hamachidori (Plover). (Photo ‘shampoorobot’ via Wikimedia Commons)

Prefectural Disaster Prevention Bureau Aviation Units

Aichi Prefecture’s Bell 421EP is set to to be replaced by a 412EPI, reportedly in the same colour scheme.
(Photo: CHIYODA I [Sept. 2015] via Wikimedia Commons)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bell 412EP JA200G Haruna overflies its home base of Gunma Heliport in Maebashi in 2013.
After 21 years’ service, this aircraft was lost in a tragic accident in August 2018.

 

A crewman keeps watch from a side window as the pilot manoeuvres Hamanasu (Sweet Briar) 2 at Okadama airport in October 2007. (Photo: “100 yen” via Wikimedia Commons)

(Photo [Okadama, October 2019]: CJ @armingarea1836)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part of the fleet belonging to Nakanihon Air Service, the Mie Disaster Prevention Unit’s aircraft operator, Bell 412 JA6767 Mie plays a key role during a rescue mission on Mount Gozaisho in November 2010. On occasion, prefectures operating just one helicopter are provided with a
temporary replacement to cover their usual aircraft’s extended maintenance absences.
This same aircraft has also seen service with the Aichi Prefecture unit.
(Photo: Alpsdake via Wikimedia Commons)

Mie Disaster Prevention Unit’s AW139 at JGSDF Akeno, November 2019 
(Photo: ぷに一 [@NikonskyF16])

Formerly operated by the Nagasaki Air Rescue, BK117C-1 JA6708 was drafted in to replace a Miyagi aircraft damaged beyond economic repair by the tsunami of March 11, 2011, and was one of the three BK117s to bear the prefecture’s name. Photographed when flying over its base at Sendai airport in August 2012, the aircraft was later sold to a private air ambulance service.
(Photo: Tettoumania2358 via Wikimedia Commons)

The Miyazaki Prefecture Bell 412EP was present at the Nyutabaru air show in December 2012.
Somewhat at odds with its colour scheme, the name on the side of the cabin,
Aozora, means blue sky. (Photo: Takao Kadokami)

The Nagano Air Rescue Team’s distinctively coloured Bell 412EP at rest amid the disappearing snow at
Matsumoto Airport in April 2010. This aircraft was lost in a tragic accident in March 2017.
(Photo: contri via Wikimedia Commons)

Alps (Nagano Air Rescue Team website photo gallery)

Alps was the first helicopter in Japan to be modified with a Fast Fin or Dual Tailboom Strakes (DTS)
system, a modification designed to improve handling at low speed and in the hover. The fin bore the
logo that appears on the Nagano Prefecture flag, a stylized ナ (‘na’) for Nagano that has the
appearance of a bird in flight. (Nagano Air Rescue Team website photo gallery)

The Bell 421EPI destined for Nagano Prefecture during flight testing. The unit officially accepted 
delivery of its new Alps on November 16, 2020. Built by Bell, the aircraft was procured and
equipped by SUBARU. (Photo [Utsunomiya, Sept. 2020]: Senda Jet via Twitter @santa463)

 

 

The Niigata Air Rescue S-76B passes low over its home base in August 2011.
(Photo: “Cp9asngf” via Wikimedia Commons)

Air Rescue Oita’s BK-117C-1 was replaced by a ‘C-2 in 2016. (Photo: Takao Kadokami)

 

 

Arakawa 2 being put through its paces on a hazy day at Honda Airport in Saitama.

A fine shot of Air Rescue Shiga’s distinctive AS365N3 in action on Mount Ibuki, Maibara, in
February 2014. (Photo: Alpsdake via Wikimedia Commons)

 

 

 

Toksuhima took delivery of this BK117C-2 in September 2017. (Photo: KHI)

 

 

 

 Retracting the undercarriage, the pilot of AS365N2 Mogami (the name of a local river) increases airspeed on takeoff from Yamagata airport in May 2011. After 27 years’ sterling service,
this aircraft is being replaced by an AW139. (Photo: contri via Wikimedia Commons)