Canadair CL-415
Encyclopedia
The Bombardier
415 (formerly Canadair
CL-415) is a Canadian
amphibious aircraft
purpose-built as a water bomber. It is an aircraft designed and built specifically for aerial firefighting
and is based on the company's CL-215
flying boat
. It is marketed in the United States
as the "Superscooper."
powerplants, Canadair undertook the task of retrofitting a number of CL-215 airframes (17) with the Pratt & Whitney Canada
PW123AF
engines, providing a 15% power increase over the original piston engines. The retrofitted aircraft were designated CL-215T and also featured many aerodynamic and systems improvements including powered flight controls, cockpit
air conditioning, as well as upgraded electrical and avionics systems. The most notable external features of the CL-215T retrofit were the aerodynamic additions to the wing
s and empennage
.
Based on the success of the CL-215, the company introduced the CL-415, a new-build production series beginning in 1993. The 415 has an updated cockpit, aerodynamics enhancements and changes to the water-release system as well, creating a modern firefighting amphibious flying boat for use in detecting and suppressing forest fires.
Compared to the CL-215, the 415 has increased operating weight and speed, yielding improved productivity and performance. The 415 can scoop up to 6,140 litres (1350 Imperial gal or 1,620 US gal) of water from a nearby water source, mix it with a chemical foam if desired, and drop it on a fire without having to return to base to refill its tanks. The 415 was specifically developed to provide the capability to deliver massive quantities of suppressant in quick response to fires. The aircraft is built for reliability and longevity, with use of corrosion-resistant materials. The new 415GR has higher operating weights while the Bombardier 415 multi-role is available for use in a paramilitary search and rescue
role and utility transport.
The 415 is currently assembled at the Bombardier Aerospace facility near North Bay/Jack Garland Airport
in North Bay
Ontario, where the planes can occasionally be seen testing on Lake Nipissing.
. Orders from many countries soon followed. Derived from its predecessor's nickname, it acquired the name, "Super Scooper" in light of its greatly enhanced performance as a water bomber and fire suppressant weapon. In recognition of its abilities in the dangerous but necessary tasks of fire fighting, the aircraft was awarded the prestigious Batefuegos de oro (gold fire extinguisher). The award citation in part read "This is the most efficient tool for the aerial combat of forest fires, key to the organization of firefighting in a large number of countries. The continuous improvements to meet the needs of forest firefighting have made these aircraft the aerial means most in demand over more than 30 years."
Of the 76 built, seven have been removed from service due to accidents.
The aircraft requires 1340 m of flyable area to descend from 15 m altitude, scoop 6,137 litres of water during a 12-second 410 m-long run on the water, then climb back to 15 m altitude. According to the Bombardier website, the 415 takes "12 seconds, travelling at 130 km/h (70 knots) and 410 metres (1,350 ft), to scoop up a 6,137-litre (1,621-US-gallon) water load... The advanced Bombardier 415 aircraft scoops water from sites that are only two metres (6.5 ft) deep and 90 metres (300 ft) wide. When the water site is too small for a full pick-up, the Bombardier 415 takes a partial load and returns to the fire. The Bombardier 415 amphibian doesn’t need a straight scooping path. Since the aircraft is still in 'flying' mode while scooping, pilots can easily manoeuvre around river bends or visible obstacles in the water."
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Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
415 (formerly Canadair
Canadair
Canadair Ltd. was a civil and military aircraft manufacturer in Canada. It was a subsidiary of other aircraft manufacturers, then a nationalized corporation until privatized in 1986, and became the core of Bombardier Aerospace....
CL-415) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
amphibious aircraft
Amphibious aircraft
An amphibious aircraft or amphibian is an aircraft that can take off and land on either land or water. Fixed-wing amphibious aircraft are seaplanes that are equipped with retractable wheels, at the expense of extra weight and complexity, plus diminished range and fuel economy compared to planes...
purpose-built as a water bomber. It is an aircraft designed and built specifically for aerial firefighting
Aerial firefighting
Aerial firefighting is the use of aircraft and other aerial resources to combat wildfires. The types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters, delivered to the fire by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing...
and is based on the company's CL-215
Canadair CL-215
The Canadair CL-215 was the first model in a series of firefighting flying boat amphibious aircraft built by Canadair and later Bombardier. The CL-215 is a twin-engine, high-wing aircraft designed to operate well at low speed and in gust-loading circumstances, as are found over forest fires...
flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
. It is marketed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as the "Superscooper."
Design and development
In 1987, following market trends towards more efficient, powerful and reliable turbopropTurboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
powerplants, Canadair undertook the task of retrofitting a number of CL-215 airframes (17) with the Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada is a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer. PWC's headquarters are in Longueuil, Quebec, just outside Montreal. It is a division of the larger US-based Pratt & Whitney , itself a business unit of United Technologies...
PW123AF
Pratt & Whitney Canada PW100
-External links:*...
engines, providing a 15% power increase over the original piston engines. The retrofitted aircraft were designated CL-215T and also featured many aerodynamic and systems improvements including powered flight controls, cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
air conditioning, as well as upgraded electrical and avionics systems. The most notable external features of the CL-215T retrofit were the aerodynamic additions to the wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...
s and empennage
Empennage
The empennage , also known as the tail or tail assembly, of most aircraft gives stability to the aircraft, in a similar way to the feathers on an arrow...
.
Based on the success of the CL-215, the company introduced the CL-415, a new-build production series beginning in 1993. The 415 has an updated cockpit, aerodynamics enhancements and changes to the water-release system as well, creating a modern firefighting amphibious flying boat for use in detecting and suppressing forest fires.
Compared to the CL-215, the 415 has increased operating weight and speed, yielding improved productivity and performance. The 415 can scoop up to 6,140 litres (1350 Imperial gal or 1,620 US gal) of water from a nearby water source, mix it with a chemical foam if desired, and drop it on a fire without having to return to base to refill its tanks. The 415 was specifically developed to provide the capability to deliver massive quantities of suppressant in quick response to fires. The aircraft is built for reliability and longevity, with use of corrosion-resistant materials. The new 415GR has higher operating weights while the Bombardier 415 multi-role is available for use in a paramilitary search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
role and utility transport.
The 415 is currently assembled at the Bombardier Aerospace facility near North Bay/Jack Garland Airport
North Bay/Jack Garland Airport
North Bay Airport or North Bay/Jack Garland Airport in North Bay, Ontario, Canada is located at Hornell Heights, north-northeast of the city. The airport serves as a North American Aerospace Defense Command base....
in North Bay
North Bay
-Places:*North Bay, Ontario, a city in Ontario, Canada*North Bay Village, Florida, a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida*North Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community in Door County, Wisconsin...
Ontario, where the planes can occasionally be seen testing on Lake Nipissing.
Operational history
The "415" first flew on December 6, 1993 with the first deliveries in November 19941994 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1994:-March:* March 23 – Aeroflot Flight 593, an Airbus A310-304, is flying with unauthorized people – the pilots 16-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter – in the cockpit when the 16-year-old unintentionally disengages the autopilot...
. Orders from many countries soon followed. Derived from its predecessor's nickname, it acquired the name, "Super Scooper" in light of its greatly enhanced performance as a water bomber and fire suppressant weapon. In recognition of its abilities in the dangerous but necessary tasks of fire fighting, the aircraft was awarded the prestigious Batefuegos de oro (gold fire extinguisher). The award citation in part read "This is the most efficient tool for the aerial combat of forest fires, key to the organization of firefighting in a large number of countries. The continuous improvements to meet the needs of forest firefighting have made these aircraft the aerial means most in demand over more than 30 years."
The aircraft requires 1340 m of flyable area to descend from 15 m altitude, scoop 6,137 litres of water during a 12-second 410 m-long run on the water, then climb back to 15 m altitude. According to the Bombardier website, the 415 takes "12 seconds, travelling at 130 km/h (70 knots) and 410 metres (1,350 ft), to scoop up a 6,137-litre (1,621-US-gallon) water load... The advanced Bombardier 415 aircraft scoops water from sites that are only two metres (6.5 ft) deep and 90 metres (300 ft) wide. When the water site is too small for a full pick-up, the Bombardier 415 takes a partial load and returns to the fire. The Bombardier 415 amphibian doesn’t need a straight scooping path. Since the aircraft is still in 'flying' mode while scooping, pilots can easily manoeuvre around river bends or visible obstacles in the water."
Operators
- Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife (Quebec)Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife (Quebec)The Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife is responsible for the protection of flora and fauna and manage natural resource extraction in the province of Quebec....
- eight 415s - Ministry of Natural Resources (Ontario)Ministry of Natural Resources (Ontario)The Ministry of Natural Resources is a government ministry of the Canadian province of Ontario that responsible for Ontario’s provincial parks, forests, fisheries, wildlife, mineral aggregates and the Crown lands and waters that make up 87 per cent of the province...
- nine 415s - Department of Natural Resources (Newfoundland and Labrador)Government of Newfoundland and LabradorThe Government of Newfoundland and Labrador refers to the provincial government of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
- four 415s - Government Air Services, ManitobaManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
- four 415s (Delivery in 2010 (one), 2011 (two), and 2012 (one))
- Croatian Air Force - 6 415s
- Sécurité CivileSécurité CivileOperating for the French Ministry of the Interior, the Direction de la Défense de la Sécurité Civile is a French Government civil defence agency, employing some 2,500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites...
- 12 415s
- Hellenic Air ForceHellenic Air ForceThe Hellenic Air Force, abbreviated to HAF is the air force of Greece. The mission of the Hellenic Air Force is to guard and protect Greek airspace, provide air assistance and support to the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Navy, as well as the provision of humanitarian aid in Greece and around the...
- eight (seven 415GRs and one 415MP)
- Protezione CivileProtezione CivileThe "Protezione Civile" department is the national body in Italy that deals with the prediction, prevention and management of exceptional events....
- 15 415s; three on order
- Spanish Air ForceSpanish Air Force-The early stages:Hot air balloons had been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with the help of Alfredo Kindelán, Leonardo Torres y Quevedo directed the construction of the first Spanish dirigible in the Army Military Aerostatics Service, created in 1896 and located...
- three 415s; two on order - Unidad Militar Emergencias - two 415s on order
:
- Los Angeles County Fire DepartmentLos Angeles County Fire DepartmentThe Los Angeles County Fire Department , serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including La Habra. It should not be confused with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, which serves the city of...
- leases two CL-415s from the Province of Quebec for use during the wildfire season. - San Diego County - leases two CL-415s from the Province of Quebec for use during the three-month period from September 13 to December 13.
:
- Malaysian Maritime Enforcement AgencyMalaysian Maritime Enforcement AgencyThe Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency , the Malaysian Coast Guard version, is the principal government agency tasked with maintaining law and order and coordinating search and rescue operations in the Malaysian Maritime Zone and on the high seas. It is in effect the Coast Guard of Malaysia...
- Ordered two 415MP.
:
- Moroccan Air Force - four 415s (two on Order)
Incidents
- November 17, 1997 - Sécurité CivileSécurité CivileOperating for the French Ministry of the Interior, the Direction de la Défense de la Sécurité Civile is a French Government civil defence agency, employing some 2,500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites...
CL-415 crashed in Marseilles, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with one fatality - August 16, 2003 - Società Ricerche Esperienze Meteorologiche CL-415 crashed in Esine, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with no fatalities - March 8, 2004 - Sécurité CivileSécurité CivileOperating for the French Ministry of the Interior, the Direction de la Défense de la Sécurité Civile is a French Government civil defence agency, employing some 2,500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites...
CL-415 crashed in Lac Sainte-Croix, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with two fatalities - March 18, 2005 - Società Ricerche Esperienze Meteorologiche CL-415 crashed in Forte dei Marmi, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with two fatalities - August 1, 2005 - Sécurité CivileSécurité CivileOperating for the French Ministry of the Interior, the Direction de la Défense de la Sécurité Civile is a French Government civil defence agency, employing some 2,500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites...
CL-415 crashed in Calenzana with two fatalities - July 23, 2007 - Hellenic Air ForceHellenic Air ForceThe Hellenic Air Force, abbreviated to HAF is the air force of Greece. The mission of the Hellenic Air Force is to guard and protect Greek airspace, provide air assistance and support to the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Navy, as well as the provision of humanitarian aid in Greece and around the...
CL-415 crashed in Dilesos, GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
with two fatalities - July 23, 2007 - Società Ricerche Esperienze Meteorologiche CL-415 crashed in Sant'Erasmo, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with one fatality