01.12.2016
The nickname of the huge airtanker, the “supertanker”, already says it all: It is the largest fire fighting aircraft in the world, capable of carrying about 80,000 liters of water in the air. From the findings of the initial investigations it turns out that without one Israeli company that came to the rescue, the significant firefighting force would not have been able to take off for many more critical hours.
Without Israeli aid, the the 747 Supertanker would not have taken off
At the end of last week, we were all glued to the television news, watching the firefighters trying to gain control of the fires raging throughout the country. We could not help but be moved when the special efforts on the ground were joined by airtankers, including the giant Supertanker that flew in directly from the United States, like a superhero who has come to save the day. Let’s not forget that this is the largest airtanker in the world, capable of carrying large quantities of water, up to 16 times that of an average firetruck. Furthermore, contrary to other airtankers forced to land when the sun goes down, the Supertanker is capable of working through the night. However, as we all know, it is often the case that size isn’t the only thing that counts.
Without the necessary compressor, the Supertanker would not have taken off
We also know that every superhero has his weak spot. The Supertanker too, largest airtanker in the world, would almost have succumbed to this weak spot were it not for a service considered rare in Israel, provided by EL-AV Compressors Ltd. EL-AV Compressors is a company operating in Kiryat Bialik, in the north of Israel, established in 1984, specializing in the manufacture and marketing of air compressors, air dryers and fans, capable of providing solutions for any air systems need that exists in the market. It so happened, on Saturday morning, that the Supertanker urgently needed a particular kind of compressor, without which it could not create the necessary pressure within the plane’s pump system. This could have prevented it from working altogether or, to put it simply: The aircraft would not have been able to function and unload its contents. Proud of its ability to provide a professional, reliable solution of the required standard, the company quickly mobilized itself to assist the aircraft crew and, no less important: It was a ‘blue and white’ (Israeli-made) solution, tailored to the Supertanker’s specific need.
Yoel Mizrahi, owner and CEO:
“There is nothing more exciting than seeing our service vans standing proudly alongside the American Supertanker aircraft, knowing that thanks to our available, most professional services, provided by demand, the aircraft will be able to function properly and take off as soon as possible to join the other firefighting forces. EL-AV Compressors provided the airfield with a 100 hp / 13 bar compressor. Without its immediate emergency assistance, the aircraft would not have been able to carry out its mission. In addition, the cooperation between our Israeli company, manufacturing ‘blue and white’ compressors, and the American aircraft working feverishly around the clock to put out the fires, is in itself a source of pride.”
To conclude: Any delay is for the better
Global cooperation and mobilization of many to the cause of putting out the fires from dry land, and spreading water and retardants from the sky is the main characteristic of the recent wave of fires. Like countries and major powers around the world, EL-AV Compressors, itself a local Israeli company, hastened to mobilize and join the efforts.
Despite the fact that the call for help came late Friday evening, thanks to the flexible services of EL-AV Compressors, provided with no delay, EL-AV teams worked through the night in order that the Supertanker could take off Saturday morning, and impress us with its capabilities. In addition, we can tell you that EL-AV Compressors is a company that specializes in engineering solutions for every cross-section of Israeli industry, beyond the compressors sector, customized to customer requirements. Its services are also readily available in times of crisis (as can be seen here), with an array of high-quality solutions sometimes capable of saving the day.
Link to the original article (Hebrew) as published on NRG