| CL-415 / DHC-515 | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Type | Firefighting aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Canadair Bombardier Aerospace De Havilland Canada |
| Status | Active service |
| Primary users | Vigili del Fuoco (Italy) |
| Number built | 95[1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | CL-415: 1993–2015 / DHC-515: 2022–present |
| Introduction date | 1994 |
| First flight | 6 December 1993 |
| Developed from | Canadair CL-215 |
The Canadair CL-415 (Super Scooper,[2] later Bombardier 415) and the De Havilland Canada DHC-515 are a series of amphibious aircraft built originally by Canadair and subsequently by Bombardier and De Havilland Canada. The CL-415 is based on the Canadair CL-215 and is designed specifically for aerial firefighting; it can perform various other roles, such as search and rescue and utility transport.
Development of the CL-415 began in the early 1990s, shortly after the success of the CL-215T retrofit programme had proven a viable demand for a turboprop-powered model of the original CL-215. Entering production in 2003, in addition to its new engines, the aircraft featured numerous modernisation efforts and advances over the CL-215, particularly in terms of its cockpit and aerodynamics, to yield improved performance. By the time the programme's production phase had begun, it was owned by Bombardier, who continued production up until 2015. In October 2016, the CL-415 programme was acquired by Viking Air, aiming to produce an updated CL-515,[3] since renamed the De Havilland Canadair 515, and to be produced in both Victoria, BC and Calgary, Alberta, by De Havilland Canada.[4]
- ^ "Amphibious aircraft – Status report – Bombardier". Archived from the original on 8 November 2013.
- ^ "Super Scooper Helps U.S. Forest Service Get Handle On California Wildfires". sacramento.cbslocal.com. CBS. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Viking515was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "De Havilland launches DHC-515 Firefighter program". Skies. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.