An International Air Affair

Jul 19, 2023 - 2 years ago

How did two of Conair’s specialized aircraft end up in Australia? Our Ronald Mullins takes a look at a fiery journey.

An International Air Affair — *Conair Aerial Firefighting*

Canadians are very familiar with the threats and damage caused by forest wildfires, and beginning in March 2023 new records are being recorded for damage and destruction right across the country. In British Columbia, the Donnie Creek wildfire burning south of Fort Nelson, in the northeastern region of the province, at over 534,300 hectares will go into the record books as the largest wildfire to date in the province. In Alberta, wildfires have raged causing multiple communities to be placed on evacuation orders, resulting in over 30,000 people being temporarily forced from their homes. Ontario is reporting over three times more wildfires thus far in 2023 than in previous years. Quebec has seen 1,160,127 hectares charred, far greater than the ten-year average of 8,353 hectares. The maritime provinces have experienced record setting wildfires as well. In Nova Scotia, wildfires have burned approximately 24,128 hectares, causing the evacuation of 18,000 people.

Canada is not the only country experiencing severe destruction and loss from wildfires. Our US neighbours, and further south to Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina are all experiencing record-setting wildfire losses. Europe has not been immune to the damage either with mega wildfires raging in Spain, France, Italy and Greece. Down-under, New Zealand’s north island accounted for three quarters of the country’s wildfires and the south island accounted for 85% of the areas burnt. Further to the west, Australia is experiencing elevated fire danger in central Australia, inland New South Wales, western Tasmania, southern Queensland and western Australia, particularly toward the end of their summer/fall season when drier weather and high fuel loads can be expected.

Fall season in the Northern Hemisphere coincides with spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Due to this difference in the seasons and weather systems, wildfire season in the Northern Hemisphere usually runs from March into October while in the Southern Hemisphere the timing of fire season typically varies compared to that of Canada.

Fighting these wildfires has become an international affair requiring people and resources being shared from country-to-country whenever needed and when possible. This wildfire season has seen crews arriving in Canada from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, France, Portugal and Spain. Along with manpower, aircraft and helicopters form a large part of this international exchange with men, women and machines moving across borders to become part of the bigger firefighting picture.

Canadians Helping In The Fight

Conair Aerial Firefighting, a Canadian company based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, along with their subsidiary company, Aero-Flite Inc. located in Spokane, Washington, has been instrumental in suppressing wildfires and supporting firefighters both domestically and internationally for over 50 years. They are the recognized leaders in the aerial firefighting industry supporting government agencies with the largest, privately owned, fixed wing fleet in the world. Their resources also allow them to be a leader in the international exchange of engineers, planners, aircrews, technicians as well as aircraft. Currently, Conair has aircraft, aircrew and maintenance technicians deployed in Alaska, Yukon, Alberta, British Columbia and Washington State as well as aircraft ready to assist agencies operating across the USA. Additionally, they have delivered aircraft to France’s Sécurité Civile for the French fleet for decades and every fall prepare and ferry aircraft to Australia to assist our good friends down-under.

In the off-season for wildfires in North America, Conair has deployed Avro RJ85 AT and De Havilland Dash 8-400 AT air-tankers, aircrews and support technicians to New South Wales, Australia, where they team up with Australian aerial firefighting and aviation specialist Field Air Group. These aircraft have been highly, custom modified by Conair with specialized avionics including a Flight Envelope Awareness System, which provides pilots with enhanced safety awareness information, such as instantaneous G-Loading, slow speed awareness and angle of attack detail, along with flap configuration over-speed awareness and proprietary constant flow Retardant Delivery System (RDS) purpose built for aerial firefighting. The RJ85 can deliver 11,355 litres (3,000 US gal) while the Dash 8-400 can deliver 10,000 litres (2,640 US gal) of water, retardant or gel on a fire and can remain safely, on the fire for extended periods.

How Do They Do It?

Getting aircraft from Abbotsford to New South Wales, Australia, comes with its own set of challenges… how to get aircraft that are designed and built to fly short distances to destinations that are more than half-way around the world. Yes, it is done everyday by large passenger aircraft, but traditionally aerial firefighting aircraft are only required to fly short distances and in areas with airports where they can be refuelled as needed. But there are no such refuelling facilities in the mid Pacific, just thousands of kilometres of open ocean.

Preparation for these ferry flights starts months in advance. Once the aircraft return from their North American deployment, they are intensely checked and tested from the tip of their nose cone to the very end of the stabilizer and from wing tip to wing tip by Conair’s team of highly-specialized technicians, a process that may take up to six weeks. Included with this is the removal, by the avionics department, of all North American customer radios and the installation of specific Australian FM radios and long-range HF radios for the trip across the Pacific.

Aircrew and support technicians are identified and begin intensive training in Conair’s Training and Tactics Centre. Additionally, planning for all forecasted future maintenance is scheduled as well as parts and materials are ordered and assembled. The aircraft are then fitted with a ferry fuel system consisting of dedicated and internationally approved 500 gallon fuel tanks that are installed in the cabin of each aircraft. Once all modifications are completed, the aircraft are tested with extensive ground runs, fuel system checks and post maintenance test flights. Safety for everyone and everything is of the utmost high priority. Nothing is left to chance.

The trip from Canada to Australia is quite a stretch for both aircraft and crew. Traditionally, each aircrew select a different route, one that better suits the flight characteristics of each aircraft. The crew takes the Avro RJ85 south to Oakland, California, and then west to Honolulu, Hawaii, continuing to Amata Kabua International Airport on the Marshall Islands, then to the Guam International Airport, then to the Solomon Islands before heading to Cairns, Australia and then south to New South Wales. In-flight flying time, depending on weather and winds, will be around 24 hours over two or three days.

While the Dash 8-400 crew leaves Abbotsford and heads straight southwest to Honolulu, and then routes through the Marshall Islands then on to the Solomon Islands. However, if weather and wind conditions are ideal, they may be able to head directly to Cairns, bypassing the Guam leg of the trip. Flying time again will be close to 20 to 24 hours over two or three days.

The RJ in RJ85 stands for Regional Jet, a plane designed to fly approximately three and one-half hours at an average cruising air-speed of about 360 knots (666 kph) and the Dash 8-400, although a little slower, is much easier on fuel. Upon arrival in Australian airspace, the aircraft and crews are greeted with a warm and welcoming G’day, thanks for coming out mate!

Safely Back Home

Last fire season, Conair ferried two RJ85’s to Australia and one Dash 8-400. At the end of the Australian fire season and early this spring both RJ’s returned to Canada, retracing their out-bound route. Following specialized maintenance both have now been deployed to fires in Alberta and British Columbia. For the foreseeable future, the Dash 8-400 will remain in Australia splitting its time in support of firefighters in both New South Wales and Queensland.

Forecasters are predicting that with the continuation of Climate Change, we can expect increased global wildfire activity for years to come. Conair Aerial Firefighting, a proud Canadian company, is constantly looking for ways to enhance their support of wildfire firefighters around the globe.

Ronald Mullins is a Kelowna, B.C. based writer / photographer and is a regular contributor to Supply Post.