Caylym continues to develop containers for dropping retardant

Caylym system
Caylym system dispersing a liquid after exiting an aircraft. Screen grab from Caylym video.

Since Wildfire Today last covered their disposable container for delivering retardant over wildfires,the Caylym company has continued to develop and promote their concept. The system consists of containers constructed of cardboard, plywood, a plastic bladder, and dozens of yards of straps. They hold 264 gallons each and are designed to be carried in military aircraft such as the C-130 or C-27 using the standard cargo system. The containers when empty weigh 100 pounds.

Caylym system exiting an aircraft
Caylym system containers exiting an aircraft. Screen grab from Caylym video.

After they leave the aircraft the container lids, attached by four straps, separate, and act like a parachute. The straps then put pressure on the plastic bladders, ripping them open, allowing the liquid to be dispersed. The 100 pounds of the other components, the plywood, and cardboard, fall to the ground tethered by the nylon straps. The plastic bladder, hopefully empty, falls separately.

The company says 16 units fit inside a C-130. We estimate that each one weighs 2,212 pounds, and 16 of them would hold 4,224 gallons for a total weight of 35,392 pounds. They claim a C-27J can carry 6 units, which would be 1,584 gallons with an estimated weight of 13,272 pounds. A C-130 with a Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems (MAFFS) usually carries 2,200 to 3,000 gallons of retardant, depending on the density altitude and the amount of fuel on board. Last summer the MAFFS were dropping an average of 2,394 gallons per flight.

In November the Romanian Air Force tested the Caylym system using a C-27J Spartan to drop the containers. According to the company:

…Expectations from testing were surpassed — all aspects of safety, handling and deployment of the Guardian System by the C-27J are anticipated to achieve certification from the Alenia test and evaluation team. Follow-up training is planned for the spring of 2013 in Romania.

The C-27J Spartan is an ideal aircraft for the aerial firefighting mission,” said Rick Goddard, managing director of Caylym. “The versatility and responsiveness of the C-27J in a firefighting mission, using the Guardian System gives the Romanian Air Force the ability to drop more than 1,500 gallons (6000 L) per mission, from a safe altitude over all types of terrain, day and night.”

We talked with Rick Goddard, the Managing Director of Caylym, who told us that in their tests the system could deliver six to eight gallons per 100 square feet and even more if the containers were loaded in two rows so that they would exit the aircraft two at a time. Mr. Goddard said they do not expect to spend $100,000 to conduct a standard cup test to determine the exact uniformity and quantity of the retardant coverage until the U.S. Forest Service expresses more of an interest in using the system.

Below is a video that was uploaded by Caylym on January 22, 2013. It shows their containers being assembled, filled, and then dropping from an aircraft.

If these were ever actually used on a wildfire, there would have to be an even greater emphasis than usual on removing firefighters and other personnel from the target area than there is now when only liquids fall from the sky. In addition, the owner of the land would either have to be OK with leaving the debris from the containers in place after the drop in perpetuity, or crews would have to search the area and carry it out for disposal in a landfill. Debris removal would need to be included in the estimated costs of using a system like this, which could be difficult or even impossible in some areas, complicated by topography and vegetation. Depending on the climate, it could take many years or decades for the plastic bladder, plywood, cardboard, and straps to decompose if it were not removed.

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10 thoughts on “Caylym continues to develop containers for dropping retardant”

  1. As a student of Fire/Land Management – I thought the idea was to reduce biomass, not increase it at 60 or more pounds per unit…

  2. Been pondering something-the track here is to look at something other
    than a purpose built MAFFS unit. So maybe they are on to an idea .
    But they need to get rid of associated stuff coming out of the sky.
    Been around Rosenbaum and Aero Union Tanks. There is nothing
    better for an external tank than a Aero Union tank design.
    IF you could design a large bladder type unit that could jettison out the back ramp…Only things would be regulation of the load flow rate and fill
    rate.. Coverage level would probably have to be tinkered with.
    Anyone?…

  3. Yes kudos to private companies who invest their own dime in R&D…
    Sometimes it becomes a real solution…but sometimes there’s poor timing (ahead of its time), no market, no budget or the idea isn’t that great.

    It would be fantastic to see the design and production of a purpose built large Retardant Airtanker someday… Until then we’re following the same footsteps as before; surplus military airplanes or used civilian Jets.

    As far as tank systems, gravity/constant flow is the way to go.

    Main thing is; try stuff and see if it works. if it does, find out the enveloppe and limitations.

    We need different tools for the fire fighting Toolbox…..

    Jerome

  4. Off hand I can think of at least a dozen ideas for aerial firefighting that were scoffed at initially, but have proven themselves and found a niche in the toolbox.

    Rick Goddard at Caylym is well aware of reality-based restrictions using the current Guardian iteration in, lets say, an interface fire in Malibu or Temecula, close in to structures and firefighters on the ground. But believe it or not, there are places in the world far removed from airtanker bases or scoop sites where, for one reason or another, the powers that be would want to control wildfires to the extent possible. Subject to tests on grids and control burns, containerized water/gel/retardant drops, like VLATs and restricted visibility operations, should be given a chance to prove themselves in real-world scenarios.

    Kudos to the people in this industry that have the faith and imagination to invest their own time, money, and energy to think outside the box (pun intended).

    As per the video, the drop put water on the camera. One step at a time.

    1. Walt, you make some good points, and there may be a cost-effective, practical use for this system if and when it is perfected. But while Caylym has probably spent some money on the system, taxpayers have also. Here’s what we wrote in 2010 on Wildfire Today:

      In September of 2008, Boeing, working with International Paper and Flexible Alternatives, received a $2.3 million grant from the U. S. Government to develop the system. (More information about Boeing’s involvement and this grant.)

      1. I appreciate the dialog and discussion regarding new ideas and how potentially the Guardian system and Caylym can participate in a solution.
        That said, I do want to state for the record that International Paper and Caylym (who together have an exclusive collaborative agreement regarding this product going back to 2008) did not and have never been part of the PCADS Congressional Earmark and tax $$$ granted to Boeing and FAI. The US Army R&D center at NATICK (the Earmark manager) asked us to please work with Boeing and FAI. Boeing management refused to work with Caylym even though Caylym holds the patent.

        The Caylym position has and still is that we need to shoulder the R&D efforts privately until we have a commercially viable product. At that point we would look at Testing and Evaluation paths in concert with USFS and Military requirements. Caylym’s Guardian system is at that stage now which is why we are entering the dialog…using our own money and resources to present one aspect of a solution to a growing challenge globally.

  5. Can’t wait until one center punches a pumper or a truck windshield.
    Let alone someone’s picture window…
    the “good idea Fairy” appears to be working on this one..

  6. Since there is no real MAFFS unit for the C27J

    Let’s loooad ’em up and start making….errrrrrrr…hard hitting deliveries

    Pun intended….or not

  7. Have they asked the folks on the ground what they think of 100 pound containers falling out of the sky?

    The system is perhaps useful but may be very limited as far as employment scenarios.

  8. I have noticed that most fire concepts and inventions are developed by people and companies that have little or limited experience in wildfire suggression. “Borate in a Box” is given an A grade for thinking outside of the box. I believe there is a BIG aero space company that is part of this project. Which means it will get Big Washington support. But maybe there is a place for this product. (no not there). Scenario: Hot, low humidity night, very little R.H. recovery, a small fire is burning in the lower one third of a drainage with a community directly above. No immediate access to ground equipment or personnel. When the sun gets on this fire and the inversion breaks another 500 homes toast.
    If I was in this unique market I would look at a system that could deliver the Borate in the Box from a high altitude at night.

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