National

Vancouver Island Company Works With Airbus To Create New Water Bomber

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Nov, 2015 12:20 PM

VANCOUVER — A forestry and aviation company based in Port Alberni, B.C., has signed an agreement with Airbus to help turn a workhorse transport plane into a water bomber.

The Coulson Group of Canada has inked a memorandum of understanding with Airbus Defence and Space to work on the water bomber version of the Airbus C295W transport aircraft.

Under the agreement, Coulson will tailor its retardant dropping system to the C295W, switching the turboprop from a transport plane to a water bomber.

Two removable, 3,500 litre tanks will be built, with each tank capable of being filled with water or retardant in under seven minutes.

Coulson spokesman Britton Coulson says the upgrades will make the C295W a cost-effective firefighting aircraft that can easily be used for other duties when the fire season ends.

Coulson owns two massive Martin Mars water bombers, two C-130 Hercules aircraft and several powerful Sikorsky S-61 helicopters, and has a dependable record of supplying and maintaining large aircraft suitable for fire suppression.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Air Miles For Active B.C. Residents Before Program Goes National: B.C. Minister Terry Lake

Health Minister Terry Lake confirms B.C. and the Public Health Agency of Canada will roll out a rewards program this fall.

Air Miles For Active B.C. Residents Before Program Goes National: B.C. Minister Terry Lake

Canada's 'Technical Recession' Will Be Short-Lived, Economists Say

Economists say data out this week is likely to show that Canada slipped into a technical recession in the second quarter, but the contraction should be short-lived.

Canada's 'Technical Recession' Will Be Short-Lived, Economists Say

Death Of Red Panda Named Rakesh At B.C. Zoo Sparks Calls For Change From Animal Activists

A male red panda named Rakesh died of a fungal infection at the Greater Vancouver Zoo on Aug. 17, two months after being transferred from Winnipeg as part of a program to preserve endangered species.

Death Of Red Panda Named Rakesh At B.C. Zoo Sparks Calls For Change From Animal Activists

Victim Jumps From Window As Suspicious Fires Block Doors Of Coquitlam Home

A Coquitlam, B.C., resident had to leap from a window at his bungalow to escape what RCMP are calling a suspicious fire.

Victim Jumps From Window As Suspicious Fires Block Doors Of Coquitlam Home

Stranded SkyGreece Passengers To Hear From Canadian Transportation Agency

Passengers who were stranded by the demise of SkyGreece Airlines may get some idea today about how quickly a federal agency will deal with a complaint on their behalf.

Stranded SkyGreece Passengers To Hear From Canadian Transportation Agency

Argentinian Ballet Dancer, Lucila Munaretto, Wakes From Coma After Rollerblading Accident In B.C.

VANCOUVER — A promising young Argentinian ballerina is practicing dance moves in her bed just two weeks after suffering a severe head injury in British Columbia.