'Enhanced Aerial Firefighter' Amphibious Aircraft Takes Inaugural Flight

Longview Aviation Services (LAS) of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in cooperation with Viking Air Limited of Victoria, British Columbia, is pleased to announce the first Viking CL-415EAF “Enhanced Aerial Firefighter” has taken its inaugural flight at Cascade Aerospace’s facility in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Manufacturer’s serial number (MSN) 1081 is the first Canadair CL-215 to undergo the major modification to CL-415EAF “Enhanced Aerial Firefighter” configuration by LAS in collaboration with Cascade Aerospace. Cascade was awarded a contract to assist with the CL-415EAF “Enhanced Aerial Firefighter” modification program in 2018 that included carrying out the first aircraft modification using Viking-supplied conversion kits and providing on-site process training to LAS personnel.

This initial CL-415EAF is the first of six amphibious aerial firefighters ordered by launch customer Bridger Aerospace Group (Bridger Aerospace) of Bozeman, Montana and is scheduled for delivery in April in advance of the start of the 2020 North American wildfire season.

"This is a significant milestone for the CL-415EAF Enhanced Aerial Firefighter program that wouldn’t have been possible without the focus, hard work and dedication of the entire team," said Don Boitson, chief operating officer for Longview Aviation Western Operations. "With the conversion kit manufacturing support from Viking, the technical production expertise of Cascade, and the project management team at LAS, we have collaborated to produce the best-value amphibious firefighting aircraft available on the market today. I’m extremely proud of everyone who has contributed to make this program a success.”

The CL-415EAF “Enhanced Aerial Firefighter” modification program, originally announced in 2018 as a collaboration between the two subsidiaries of Longview Aviation Capital, provides an economic boost throughout Western Canada derived from job creation, aerospace manufacturing innovation, supply chain development, academic partnerships, and global export opportunities.

The Viking CL-415EAF modification program forms part of a staged approach to utilize the advancements made with the LAS converted aircraft as the basis for the proposed next-generation Viking CL-515 new-production aerial firefighting and multi-purpose amphibious aircraft.

(Image provided with Longview Aviation news release)

FMI: www.lvas.ca