U.S. Firm Signs on As Flagship Operator/Supporter of French ATR Firefighter Mod

Positive Aviation, Inc, of Blagnac France, is hard at work on a modification of the ATR 72-600 they call the FF72, an amphibious firefighting plane.

Earlier this year, the firm reached an agreement with U.S. firm Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, designating them as the exclusive launch customer for the plane. Bridger will act as the go-to for everything to do with the FF72 in the states, from support and sales to marketing, modifications, certification, and training for air and ground crews. The deal included an option to purchase 10 FF72s, along with another 10 should Bridger choose to exercise it. Positive said they plan on delivering the first aircraft to Bridger in time for the 2029 fire season. 

The FF72 is an interesting concept, today existing exclusively in the realm of CGI, but the basic theory is sound: A well-known, well-sorted, reliable aircraft with proven, well-understood technologies to perform an urgent mission wherever and whenever it’s needed. Positive may have missed their timing though: A big raison d’etre for the FF72 is the lapse in production of the Old Canadair CL-415 Super Scoopers, which last left the line a decade ago.

Everything was hunky-dory for the amphibious scooper ATR concept, until Viking Aviation announced it would bring back production of the old Canadair design as the DHC-515 under its De Havilland brand. The seaplane hull and retractable gear, overwing-mounted turboprops, and stout seagoing performance of the Super Scooper will be tough to beat with an ATR 72 as the backbone of a firefighter… but there are some ways they could ‘win’ the matchup. Operating, acquisition, and training costs, plus a wider pool of support for a popular commuter liner all save money in the long run. As governments augment their firefighting fleets, production becomes a concern, too, and the DHC-515 will probably be flying off the line as fast as they can make them. 

Surprisingly enough, the FF72 is quite competitive on paper, too, refueling in 12 seconds from a water landing with a max capacity of 2,114 gallons. A modern production DHC-515 carries 1,621 gallons of water, and 180 gallons of foam. Positive Aviation cites a cruise TAS of 260 knots at FL180, which speeds up the approach to target, too. Of course, in the world of theoretical performance numbers, it’s easy to promise the world, and until we have real flight tests logged we won’t know just how well the FF72 stacks up against the others. For the time being, Bridger is excited to be first in line for the new design, which should complement their CL-415s in time. 

“Bridger is the leading aerial firefighting company in North America and has long been recognized for its expertise in deploying, training, and providing aerial firefighting services to communities affected by wildfires,” said Laurent Schmitt, Chairman and Founder of PA. “We are proud to partner with Bridger and are excited to develop this aircraft to meet the growing demand for cost-effective wildfire fighting solutions both in the U.S. and globally.”

FMI: www.positive-aviation.com