Wudang's forest guard helicopter takes maiden flight with bucket

The Mi-8 helicopter of the Wudang Mountains aviation forest guard station makes its first test flight in the Wudang Mountains on Dec 11, 2014. [Photo/wudangshan.gov.cn]

The Mi-8 helicopter of the Wudang Mountains aviation forest guard station successfully had its first test flight with a bucket of water in the Wudang Mountains of Shiyan, Hubei province, on Dec 11.

The helicopter can carry a bucket with a water volume of 1.2 tons to fight forest fires. [Photo/wudangshan.gov.cn]

The helicopter can carry a bucket with a water volume of 1.2 tons to put out forest fires.

The helicopter unloads water from its bucket.[Photo/wudangshan.gov.cn]

A launch ceremony of the Wudang Mountains aviation forest guard station was held in Wudang on Nov 20 to mark the beginning of Wudang's aviation fire control. The station is mainly responsible for fire control, air patrol and environmental protection. It can also protect the cultural relics of the Wudang Mountains as well as Shennongjia of Xiangyang, the Three Gorges of Yichang and Xiangyang ancient city.

Contributed by Wang Liang and Jiang Yuanbo from Wudang Mountains Tourism Bureau