Coulson and NSW purchase Boeing 737 Fireliner
Australia-based New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Canada-based Coulson Aviation have secured a deal that will see the NSW Government purchasing a Boeing 737-300 modified for firefighting duties and two Citation V Lead / Intelligence Aircraft, in addition to securing Coulson as the provider of all flight and maintenance personnel with a 10-year operational contract
The first large air tanker ever to be purchased by a country, the B737 Fireliner has multi-role capability, and it will be highlighted in this unique new operation. “When we started the B737 Fireliner programme, we set out to create a new generation of airtanker,” said Britton Coulson, Vice-President of Aviation. “The goal was to utilise the latest SMART technology in our tanking system and create a multi-use firefighting aircraft that would create the best value for our customers.”
NSW RFS Acting Commissioner Rob Rogers said that the RFS had evaluated several different large and very large air tankers over recent fire seasons and had settled on the B737 Fireliner as the preferred option.
“We are honoured to have our Boeing 737 Fireliner and Citation Vs chosen by RFS to protect the beautiful state of New South Wales,” said Wayne Coulson, President and CEO of the Coulson Group. “Our C-130 Hercules fleet has supported RFS for several years, along with our first B737 Fireliner during the 2018/2019 fire season. We see the NSW government leading the industry with new creative solutions in protecting life and property.”