Summary
- Conair has purchased seven latest Dash 8 aircraft from Kirk Aviation, which will probably be converted into air tankers for aerial firefighting.
- The brand new aircraft will replace Conair’s aging fleet and will probably be utilized by various government agencies worldwide.
- Conair operates the most important fixed-wing fleet of aerial firefighting aircraft, consisting of bird dogs and water bombers, ensuring effective wildfire response.
The British Columbia, Canada-based aerial firefighting group, Conair, announced the acquisition of several latest aircraft. On August 9, Conair published a press release indicating it has purchased seven latest De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft. The aircraft purchased will probably be converted to air tankers prior to delivery and can subsequently be used for aerial firefighting.
Aircraft order details
The seven latest aircraft that were purchased by Conair were purchased from Kirk Aviation. Kirk Aviation is predicated in Europe, which suggests the brand new aircraft will probably be ferried to Canada. The seven Dash 8s will arrive in Mississauga for storage before being moved to British Columbia. When the aircraft arrive in Abbotsford, British Columbia, each of them will probably be converted to the brand new air tanker configuration. Conair expects the conversion to participate this upcoming winter.
Photo: Gustav Klot Photography
The President and Chief Executive Officer of Conair, Matt Bradley, spoke concerning the latest additions to the fleet. He stated,
“Countries are facing escalating wildfire behavior. And plenty of are challenged by limited aerial firefighting resources or aging fleets in need of modernization to make sure the firetruck within the sky is able to dispatch when the decision comes. Supply of contemporary, large air tankers is proscribed. Our purchase gives us the flexibility to support countries as they adapt to the changing wildfire environment, continuing to guard their residents and resources using air assets.”
Previously, in 2021, Conair purchased eleven Dash 8-400 aircraft. These aircraft replaced its aging fleet of air tankers and allowed the corporate to expand its firefighting abilities. Currently, Conair has 4 of those aircraft contracted in British Columbia, two in Alaska, one in Australia, and one in France. Moreover, two are contracted through Conair’s US-based subsidiary, Aero-Flite, within the state of Washington. By the tip of the 12 months, Conair can have contracted all of its air tanker aircraft from previous orders.
The newly purchased Dash 8s will probably be used similarly to the Dash 8s in Conair’s previous orders. The brand new aircraft will replace its aging fleet but may even be contracted out to numerous government agencies internationally.
Photo: Tim Burnett
The Vice President of Business Development of Conair, Jeff Berry, spoke concerning the latest purchase. He said,
“The acquisition of seven additional aircraft for conversion offers countries a solution to the query of learn how to fight future wildfires. They will proactively construct their response capability for upcoming fire seasons by contracting the most recent air tanker available on the earth today. Conair will convert these aircraft over the following two years, selling the air tankers direct to governments who own and operate their very own fleet, or by providing long-term operational contracts through either Conair or Aero-Flite.”
Adding fixed-wing aircraft
Currently, Conair operates the most important fixed-wing fleet of aerial firefighting aircraft on the earth. Its current fleet, which totals over 70 aircraft is broken down into two categories, bird dogs and water bombers.
Bird dogs are used as air attack aircraft and make sure that runs by air water tankers are clear of debris or obstacles. This includes aircraft resembling Cessna Caravans, Piper Aerostars, or Cessna Citation jets. Air tankers dump large amounts of retardant on wildfire-affected wildlife to forestall fires from spreading. This includes aircraft resembling Air Tractors or DHC Dash 8s.