Important upgrades are being made that will increase the functionality and effectiveness of this legendarily rugged firefighting aircraft.
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited recently launched the De Havilland DHC-515 Firefighter earlier known as the CL-515 program. This new program will build on the history of the iconic Canadair CL-215 and CL-415 aircraft which have been a critical part of European and North American aerial firefighting fleets for over 50 years. Important upgrades are being made that will increase the functionality and effectiveness of this legendarily rugged firefighting aircraft.
Brian Chafe, Chief Executive Officer of De Havilland Canada said, “After an extensive business and technical review, we are pleased to announce that we have launched the De Havilland DHC-515 Firefighter program, which will involve negotiating contracts with our European customers and ramping up for production.”
The final assembly of the aircraft will take place in Calgary, Alberta where work on the CL-215 and CL- 415 aircraft currently takes place. It is anticipated that more than 500 people will need to be recruited over the coming years to successfully deliver this program.
Chafe further added, “To bring the DHC-515 into production is important for not only our company but countries around the world who rely on our aircraft to protect their people and forests. We understand the important role the previous aircraft have played in protecting people and property and as our climate continues to change and summers increase in both temperature and length, the DHC-515 will be an important tool for countries around the globe to use in putting out fires.”
De Havilland Canada expects the first deliveries of the DHC-515 by the middle of the decade, with deliveries of aircraft 23 and beyond to begin at the end of the decade. The new DHC-515 Firefighter matches the other aircraft in the De Havilland fleet in terms of lifespan, ruggedness, and Canadian aerospace engineering quality.
