Conair deploys certified TBM 960 lead planes to tackle British Columbia wildfires

Conair Group has deployed two Daher TBM 960 air attack aircraft for the wildfire season, after receiving both supplementary type certification (STC) and airworthiness certification from Transport Canada on the new aircraft type. First acquired in January, the two Daher TBM 960 air attack are converted, owned and operated by Conair, and are under contract with the British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS).

The aircraft have been retrofitted by Conair with specialized avionics and equipment specific to wildfire operations before deploying to provide tactical and strategic direction to aerial firefighting aircraft over wildfires.

Nicolas Chabbert, CEO of Daher Aircraft, commented: “Our teams supported the rapid-paced conversion and certification process, and Conair can count on the full resources of Daher as these airplanes perform their vital wildfire air attack duties.”

In each aircraft is a government agency air attack officer and Conair pilot. The air attack officer communicates with all pilots, rotary and fixed-wing, as well as all ground crews, ensuring safe and effective aerial firefighting operations. The fire experts in this command-and-control aircraft work to slow down and contain extreme wildfires, ensuring aircraft drops are strategically placed for the best results given the terrain, fuel type, wind, weather and aerial response available.

“These new aircraft are fast, keeping pace with large airtankers or multi-engine water scoopers, plus can fly low and slow, showing aircraft where to place drops using an onboard smoke generation system,” said Michael Benson, Conair Director of Business Development. “We also outfit the aircraft with additional radios, enhanced sensor and vision systems, plus a siren, to warn ground crews of an impending drop. In the future, we could install additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment to convert the aircraft into a multi-role, mapping wildfires or providing search and rescue capability.”