United Rotorcraft and DART Aerospace have announced the signing of a collaboration agreement to develop an aerial firefighting system for the Airbus Super Puma helicopter family.
The new aerial firefighting system will include a fixed external water tank mounted on the lower fuselage with a capacity of 4000 liters, with system controls located in the cabin. United Rotorcraft will also develop multi-mission equipment packages to enhance the helicopter platform’s value throughout the year for specific operator requirements. A key objective is obtaining certification from the FAA, EASA, and Transport Canada’s Supplemental Type Certificates (STC).
Larry Alexandre, President of United Rotorcraft, expressed, «Our mission at United Rotorcraft is to provide emergency response teams with the tools necessary to save lives and protect property and the environment, a mission we fundamentally share with DART Aerospace.»
«We are delighted to partner with such a driven leader in the aviation industry to bring more innovation and versatility to the global aerial firefighting community by adding to our existing product portfolio,» he added.
«This partnership solidifies DART’s position as an industry leader in helicopter mission equipment. Together, United Rotorcraft and DART reaffirm our commitment to providing superior solutions to the firefighting market,» said Alain Madore, President of DART Aerospace.
The new Super Puma system, an expansion of their aerial firefighting solutions, will provide the market with critical wildfire attack capability for Type 1 helicopters, aiming to address the demand generated in recent years, which currently faces a 25% capacity deficit.
Through this long-term agreement, the team will identify and meet additional market needs with a certified aerial firefighting system for operators of the Super Puma helicopter family, including both new and legacy Airbus H225 and AS332 aircraft. The target end-users include government agencies and commercial operators worldwide in need of a highly effective multi-mission solution.
