Companies to Collaborate on Super Puma Firefighting System

In humankind’s relentless battle against wildfires, time is a fleeting and precious commodity. Cognizant of such, DART Aerospace has entered into a partnership with United Rotorcraft by which the two concerns will develop an advanced aerial fire-fighting system optimized for Airbus’s Super Puma family of helicopters.

The new aerial firefighting system comprises a fixed, external, 1,056-gallon, belly-mounted water tank, and appropriate cockpit controls. United Rotorcraft will also develop multi-mission equipment packages to extend the year-round value of the helicopter platform for operator-specific requirements. Key project objectives include FAA, EASA, and Transport Canada Supplemental Type Certification (STC).

"This partnership solidifies DART's position as a leader in the helicopter mission equipment industry. Together, United Rotorcraft and DART are reaffirming our commitment to delivering superior solutions to the firefighting market", stated Alain Madore, President of DART Aerospace.

“Our purpose at United Rotorcraft is to provide emergency responders the tools needed to save lives, and protect property and the environment—something that we share at our core with DART Aerospace,” said United Rotorcraft President Larry Alexandre. “We are excited to be partnering with such a driven leader in the world of aviation to bring further innovation and versatility to the global aerial firefighting community by adding to our existing product portfolio.”

The two companies independently produce similar aerial firefighting solutions for assorted Type 1 helicopters. The new Super Puma system, an extension of aerial firefighting solution portfolios currently produced by Dart and United Rotorcraft, will bring to market crucial wildfire attack capability for Type 1 rotorcraft—for which a global 25-percent capacity gap exists. By virtue of the described long-term agreement, Dart and United Rotorcraft intend to identify and meet broader market requirements by dint of a type-certified aerial firefighting system for operators of the Super Puma helicopter family—including new and legacy Airbus H225 and AS332 aircraft. Targeted end users include government agencies and commercial operators.

DART and United Rotorcraft will be on hand 17-18 October 2023 at the Aerial Firefighting Europe Conference in Athens, Greece.

Featuring an impressive line-up of over 1,500 STC's and five-thousand products, Montreal-based DART Aerospace offers a comprehensive portfolio of aftermarket products, aeronautical accessories, spare parts, and services for civil and military operators, all major rotorcraft OEMs, completion centers, and MRO facilities.

DART's principal products include: aerial firefighting systems, emergency flotation systems, landing gear components, tools and ground support equipment, interior and exterior accessories, cargo expansion, windows and doors, cable cutters, engine and drive systems, and external load equipment.

United Rotorcraft specializes in the innovation, integration, certification, and support of critical mission systems. The company offers a comprehensive range of systems, completion, and MRO services and products for Aerial Firefighting, Emergency Medical Services, Search and Rescue, Law Enforcement, Utility, and Military operators in the air and on the ground.

FMI: www.dartaerospace.com