Aerial Firefighting News

FlightGlobal • Dominic Perry

Airbus backs ATR 72 waterbomber conversion as Positive Aviation targets a 2029 alternative to the Canadair

Airbus will begin assembling the first float for a Positive Aviation program to convert an ATR 72 into a firefighting waterbomber, aiming for an initial operational alternative to the Canadair by 2029. In parallel, Corsica Technics has signed an LoI for 10 Kepplair 72 conversion kits, while France has also contracted for two DHC Canadair 515 amphibious aircraft.

4 Sources

2026-07-17T06:43:56.547534-07:00

eVTOL Insights

NOEMI Aerospace wins €3M from Innovation Norway to fund flight tests of its electric amphibious aircraft

2 Sources

2026-07-17T00:15:41.524898-07:00

Vertical Mag

France taps helicopters and CL-415s as Poland starts Sikorsky S-70 FIREHAWK production for Czech aerial firefighting

4 Sources

2026-07-15T05:45:46.605164-07:00

Vertical Mag

Kaman K-Max helicopter pilot killed in Colorado wildfire firefighting crash

4 Sources

2026-07-14T07:30:14.107146-07:00

Aerial Firefighting News Timeline

Ars Technica

None source

Google-backed satellites for wildfire detection launch as smoke chokes US, Canada

2026-07-17T12:59:09.185978-07:00

Google-backed satellites for w

FlightGlobal

4 sources

Airbus backs ATR 72 waterbomber conversion as Positive Aviation targets a 2029 alternative to the Canadair Airbus will begin assembling the first float for a Positive Aviation program to convert an ATR 72 into a firefighting waterbomber, aiming for an initial operational alternative to the Canadair by 2029. In parallel, Corsica Technics has signed an LoI for 10 Kepplair 72 conversion kits, while France has also contracted for two DHC Canadair 515 amphibious aircraft.

2026-07-17T06:43:56.547534-07:00

Airbus backs ATR 72 waterbomber conversion as Positive Aviation targets a 2029 alternative to the Canadair

eVTOL Insights

2 sources

NOEMI Aerospace wins €3M from Innovation Norway to fund flight tests of its electric amphibious aircraft NOEMI Aerospace has secured €3 million from Innovation Norway to support its flight test program for an electric amphibious aircraft. The funding is earmarked specifically for flight-test activities as the company advances from development toward operational evaluation.

2026-07-17T00:15:41.524898-07:00

NOEMI Aerospace wins €3M from Innovation Norway to fund flight tests of its electric amphibious aircraft

Vertical Mag

4 sources

France taps helicopters and CL-415s as Poland starts Sikorsky S-70 FIREHAWK production for Czech aerial firefighting French civil security forces are fighting multiple wildfires with a mix of rotorcraft and CL-415 waterbombers while, in parallel, Poland’s PZL Mielec (a Lockheed Martin company) has begun production of Europe’s first Sikorsky S-70 FIREHAWK helicopters. The initial units are being built for Czech Republic firefighting and emergency response.

2026-07-15T05:45:46.605164-07:00

France taps helicopters and CL-415s as Poland starts Sikorsky S-70 FIREHAWK production for Czech aerial firefighting

Vertical Mag

4 sources

Kaman K-Max helicopter pilot killed in Colorado wildfire firefighting crash Police in southwestern Colorado say a helicopter crash killed Nicholas Dale, a pilot from Sooke, British Columbia, while he was battling the Gold Mountain Fire. Authorities identified the aircraft as a Kaman K-1200 K-Max used by Helicopter Express for aerial firefighting operations.

2026-07-14T07:30:14.107146-07:00

Kaman K-Max helicopter pilot killed in Colorado wildfire firefighting crash

Vertical Mag

1 source

Layered aerial firefighting fleets become the backbone of modern wildfire response Wildfire agencies are moving from single-aircraft tactics to layered aerial fleets that combine different platforms and roles as blazes grow more intense. The approach is designed to improve coverage, speed of attack, and operational flexibility across fast-changing fire behavior.

2026-07-13T05:30:08.511573-07:00

Layered aerial firefighting fleets become the backbone of modern wildfire response

Vertical Mag

1 source

Night-vision operations are reshaping aerial firefighting for wildfire response Aerial firefighting is evolving beyond daylight-only tactics as night-vision capability becomes central to wildfire management. The shift affects how aircraft are deployed, how missions are planned and executed after dark, and how responders integrate aerial operations into broader incident strategy.

2026-07-09T06:46:24.249654-07:00

Night-vision operations are reshaping aerial firefighting for wildfire response

SpaceWatch Global

1 source

OroraTech achieves first light for Greece’s Hellenic Fire System wildfire satellite network OroraTech says its Hellenic Fire System has achieved “first light” over Greece less than a month after launch, validating early operations for the country’s first national wildfire satellite capability. The system is intended for wildfire detection and tracking, forming a dedicated national space monitoring layer.

2026-07-08T23:31:51.887844-07:00

OroraTech achieves first light for Greece’s Hellenic Fire System wildfire satellite network

Create a free account to see more recent Aerial Firefighting clusters.

Aerial Firefighting News

Airbus backs ATR 72 waterbomber conversion as Positiv​​e Aviation targets a 2029 alternative to the Canadair

NOEMI Aerospace wins €3M from Innovation Norway to fund flight tests of its electric amphibious aircraft

France taps helicopters and CL-415s as Poland starts Sikorsky S-70 FIREHAWK production for Czech aerial firefighting

Kaman K-Max helicopter pilot killed in Colorado wildfire firefighting crash

Aerial Firefighting News Timeline

Airbus backs ATR 72 waterbomber conversion as Positive Aviation targets a 2029 alternative to the Canadair