Bombardier Delivers a Bombardier 415 Amphibious Firefighting Aircraft To Italy

First of four ordered firefighting aircraft delivered to Italy

Bombardier Aerospace announced Italy’s civil protection agency Protezione Civile took delivery of the first of four Bombardier 415 amphibious aircraft that were ordered in November 2007 by the Italian government. The order, previously reported as made by an undisclosed customer, also included additional special mission equipment items to enhance the aircraft’s capabilities.

With this order, the Italian government will increase its firefighting fleet to 19 Bombardier 415 aircraft. Deliveries of the other three remaining aircraft will take place in 2008 and 2009. In 2007, during firefighting missions, the Italian fleet accumulated in excess of 6,730 flying hours and dropped more than 176,000,000 litres of water.

Since the first delivery of a Bombardier 415 amphibious aircraft in 1994, 66 have been delivered to firefighting agencies in Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Ontario, Québec and Spain – 41 of these aircraft currently operate in the Mediterranean region. In addition, 25 Bombardier CL-215 amphibious piston aircraft remain in service fighting fires in this region.

“The Bombardier 415 aircraft is recognized as the market leader in the aerial firefighting industry and has been repeatedly selected by Mediterranean countries such as Italy, France, Greece, Croatia and Spain. Both Croatia and Spain recently each ordered two Bombardier 415 aircraft,” said Michel Bourgeois, President, Bombardier Amphibious Aircraft.

The Bombardier 415 firefighter aircraft has a maximum speed of 224 mph (359 km/h) under certain conditions. In an average mission of six nautical miles (11 kilometres) distance from water to fire, it can complete nine drops within an hour and deliver 14,589 U.S. gallons (55,233 litres) of fire suppressant.

The aircraft is also offered in a multi-purpose version, the Bombardier 415MP, which can be used in a variety of specialized missions such as search and rescue, maritime patrol and environmental protection. Currently, a Greek Bombardier 415 aircraft is equipped with the MP configuration.