Aero-Flite reports early aircraft deployments
The operator has sent out five fixed-wing aircraft to help support wildfire-fighting efforts in Oklahoma and Texas
Aero-Flite has deployed a fleet of five airtankers to the US states of Texas and Oklahoma, to support firefighters combating the Smokehouse Creek fire.
The fleet includes two Type 1 RJ85s, two CL-415s, and one Type 2 Dash 8-400AT.
Chris Niemann, General Manager at Aero-Flite, stated that the deployment was “significant … this early in the season”, adding: “I believe it is our largest early deployment in the history of our company, which spans over 60 years.”
The two CL-415s arrived at Clinton/Sherman Airport in Oklahoma on 1 March. Meanwhile, a further two airtankers of unspecified type were sent to Abilene Regional Airport in Texas on 29 February.
The Smokehouse Creek fire, which started on 26 February and has since burned 1,059,570 acres across western Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle region, is now the largest wildfire on record in Texas.
Aero-Flite’s move follows similar announcements by Bridger Aerospace that it was deploying two CL-415s to Texas, and one PC-12 to Oklahoma – the latter deployment was described by the firm as “the earliest seasonal deployment” it had ever conducted.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.