Coulson Aviation to provide NVG wildfire support in British Columbia
The Sikorsky S-61 helitanker will offer aerial firefighting support to the Canadian province of British Columbia
Coulson Aviation Canada has received a 70-day contract from the British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS) to supply a night vision goggles (NVG) equipped Sikorsky S-61 helitanker.
The partnership represents the first time that Coulson Aviation has conducted live-fire NVG aerial firefighting missions in Canada.
The NVG-equipped S-61 gives BCWS the ability to carry out precise water drops in low light conditions, extending operational effectiveness beyond traditional daylight hours.
“This contract represents an exciting milestone for Coulson Aviation Canada,” said Britton Coulson, President and Chief Operating Officer at Coulson Aviation. “We’re proud to bring our global NVG firefighting experience to Canada and collaborate with the BC Wildfire Service to continue developing a program that enhances nighttime fire suppression capability in British Columbia.”
Coulson Aviation previously announced the expansion of its C-130H Hercules fleet to 10 aircraft, following the acquisition of four aircraft from the New Zealand Defence Force.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. 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.