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Bombardier Specialized Aircraft has announced that Conair Group Inc., the world’s leading provider of fixed wing aerial firefighting aircraft, has purchased six Q400 aircraft.
Based on the current list price, the firm order is valued at approximately US$206 million.
Conair operates the world’s largest fleet of privately owned fixed wing airtankers and supplies specialty aerial firefighting aircraft and products worldwide.
These six Q400 production aircraft will be modified to incorporate an enhanced version of Conair’s proprietary retardant delivery system. In the Q400 multirole configuration, the retardant tank can be removed and reinstalled in the field in a few hours.
This enables the aircraft to efficiently perform additional roles in emergency response, passenger and cargo transport, medevac, and coastal patrol without compromising its exceptional firefighting capabilities.
“The enhanced Q400 Multirole has the most advanced airtanker capabilities of any aircraft in service today,” said Barry Marsden, chairman and CEO, Conair. “The Q400 Multirole’s versatility delivers optimal value by accommodating year-round service in passenger, cargo, combi transport, medevac, emergency response, surveillance and patrol without compromising state-of-the-art airtanker capabilities.”
“The Q400 Multirole delivers the efficiency, reliability, reduced downtime and low operating costs of the Q400 in a multi-role application. Combining turboprop economics and jet-like performance, the Q400 Multirole delivers exceptional value,” said Stéphane Leroy, vice-president, Bombardier Specialized Aircraft.
“The Q400 Multirole is the ideal aircraft to meet Conair’s needs, offering a unique ability to serve diverse and challenging environments.”
The Q400 Multirole offers the ultimate in flexibility and is able to easily switch between firefighting, cargo and passenger transport, and medevac roles. The Q400 Multirole can operate out of unprepared strips, conduct steep approaches when landing, short takeoff, and deliver an impressive cruise speed of 667 kilometres per hour.
Today, Bombardier has over 1,000 specialized aircraft in service around the world. For over 50 years, governments have selected Bombardier aircraft to perform military surveillance, intelligence and utility activities.
Among the advantages of using off-the-shelf platforms for special missions are a reduced development time and faster time to market, civil certification, reliability, ease of maintenance and an international customer support network.
Governments also benefit from Bombardier’s engineering and flight test experience, and its well-established relationships with top industry mission integrators.
