Wildfire Forest Fire Suppression is the cornerstone of Air Spray's operations. Fire bombing requires exceptionally skilled pilots to battle blazes in the difficult terrain and conditions in and around a large forest fire. Aircraft will perform numerous bombing runs during a typical day to help ground crews and other aircraft battle wildfires. Additionally aircraft engineers wait at the ready should any aircraft require a quick maintenance check or if maintenance is required, work all night to have the aircraft ready for another day of fire bombing. Air Spray is exceptionally proud of its pilots and maintenance engineers and the amazing work they perform to ensure wildfires are kept in control.
Safety
Safety is paramount at Air Spray. Air Spray has fully adopted and integrated into our organization Transport Canada Safety Management System (SMS) requirements of safety reporting. Air Spray fully endorses and supports the philosophy of reporting of safety incidents and conducting frequent safety audits in order to understand and identify possible safety issues before they become serious. At Air Spray we in fact go beyond minimum requirements and have made safety a part of our corporate culture from the ground up. Air Spray is proud of its safety record and continues to ensure that every facet of our organization is governed by a culture of safety.
Innovations
Air Spray is an industry leader in the introduction of new aircraft, new technology and new procedures to improve the aerial forest fire suppression industry. Through innovative tank design, powerful, heavy air tankers and other state of the art technological advances, Air Spray provides an outstanding service that gets the job done fast and efficiently. Air Spray understands the need for eqiuipment that efficiently and cost effectively controls wild fires and reduces forest loss. To this end, Air Spray's goal is to provide air tanker services and equipment that is at all times safe, efficient and cost effective.
Our Fleet
Air Spray presently owns and operates L-188 Electra “Longliner” air tankers and Turbo Commander 690 "Bird Dog" aircraft for forest fire control with the British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. Air Spray also owns spare L-188 Electra aircraft, Turbo Commander 690 passenger aircraft, Cessna 340 and Aerostar aircraft for both forest additional fire suppression work and aircraft charter.
The L-188 Electra is considered by many to be the optimal large capacity air tanker for the control of wild fires. The L-188 Electra is fast, maneuverable and capable of carrying large loads of fire retardant. Additionally, its tremendous power reserve contributes to an excellent margin of safety. Coupled with the computerized constant/variable flow tank, the performance of the L-188 Electra is unsurpassed by any other air tanker.
Specifications
| Allison 501-D13 constant speed axial flow gas turbine engine |
|
| Normal Retardant Load |
3,000 US gallons |
| Normal Loaded Cruise Speed |
330 knots* |
Drop Speed and Configuration
under various conditions |
125 - 140 knots |
Minimum safe maneuvering speed
@ fire bombing flap settings |
120 knots |
Rate of Climb at maximum take
off weight - all engines |
1500’ - 2000’ per minute |
| Gravel Strip operating capabilities |
compacted gravel |
Time Required - cold start to
ready for take-off |
3 minutes |
| Flight Endurance in hours under normal loaded Cruise @ 12,000 feet ASL: |
4.5 hours |
| Flight Endurance in hours under normal loaded Cruise on fire bombing missions @ 5,000 feet ASL: |
4.0 hours (5,000 lbs. per hour) |
The Turbo Commander 690 is the ideal aircraft for use in the Bird Dog role. The aircraft gives the pilot the performance needed to operate in unison with faster air tankers both in terms of cruising to and working a fire. Additionally, the exceptional visibility characteristics of the Turbo Commander 690 make it the perfect for bird dog operations in even the most severe fire situations.
Specifications
| Normal Loaded Cruise Speed |
260 knots |
| Engine Out performance |
1000-fpm climb @ sea level |
| Gravel Strip operating capabilities |
compacted gravel |
Time Required - cold start to
ready take-off |
3 minutes |
| Endurance |
4 hours plus reserves |
| Capable of single pilot IFR for fire management operation |
|
| Maneuverability at 120 knots over the fire |
|
| Passenger capacity of five people plus luggage |
|
