N.L. orders two amphibious aircraft from Bombardier worth US$74M
by Canadian Manufacturing Staff
Bombardier 415 amphibious aircraft will be used to fight forest fires in remote areas of province
MONTREAL—The Newfoundland and Labrador government has ordered a pair of amphibious aircraft from Bombardier Inc. it plans to use to fight forest fires in remote regions of the province.
Montreal-based Bombardier’s aerospace division said the order for two of its 415 amphibious aircraft is worth about US$73.7-million based on list prices.
The Atlantic province purchased its first amphibious aircraft—a 415 and CL-215—from Bombardier in 2010, and now has one of the largest fleets in Canada.
“With Newfoundland and Labrador’s rugged lake-rich terrain and limited airport access in remote areas, the Bombardier 415 aircraft is the best choice for combating the region’s forest fires,” Bombardier Aerospace president of specialized and amphibious aircraft Michel Bourgeois said in a statement.
The Bombardier 415 has a normal cruising speed of 333 km/h and can complete nine fire suppressant drops in and hour totalling more than 55,000 litres.
Delivery of the two aircraft will take place late in 2014 and into 2015, according to Bombardier.
With 60 Bombardier-built amphibious aircraft across the country, Canada is home to the largest national fleet in the world.
