Bolsters Lead Plane, Air Attack Fleet For Firefighting

Coulson Aviation USA announced its acquisition of five Cessna Citation 550 aircraft from the Canadian Government with the aim of expanding its fleet of jet-powered Lead Plane and Air Attack aircraft and strengthening its position as one of the world’s largest aerial firefighting companies.

The aircraft will be upgraded and equipped with Coulson’s proprietary mission enhancement package to make them the most advanced aerial supervision jets in service. With their speed, stability, and reliability, the Citation 550 is a significant advancement in safety, situational awareness, and tactical response over legacy turboprop aircraft.

The aircraft will be fitted with Coulson’s most current advanced digital audio systems, advanced communications, and avionics that are interoperable with U.S. and international wildfire agencies.

With the addition of these aircraft, the company now operates the world’s largest jet-powered air attack fleet that supports operations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Chile.

Britton Coulson, President and COO of Coulson Aviation said, “These aircraft are almost purpose-built for speed, coordination, and aerial command. This acquisition expands our capacity while raising the bar for performance and safety in aerial firefighting.”

Coulson added, “We’re not just building fleets, we’re building systems. From command aircraft to retardant delivery, we manage every layer of aerial suppression with our people, technology, and safety programs.”

Coulson Aviation employs over 650 worldwide, and in addition to the Cessna Citation fleet, operates a diverse fleet of jet aircraft, Sikorsky S-61 and S-76, Bell 412, and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for air attack and multi-mission roles as well as CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. In addition Coulson flies Boeing 737 and Lockheed C-130 air attack aircraft.

FMI:  coulsonaviation.com/