Canadair CL-215
Encyclopedia
The Canadair CL-215 (Scooper) was the first model in a series of firefighting flying boat
amphibious aircraft
built by Canadair
and later Bombardier
. The CL-215 is a twin-engine, high-wing aircraft designed to operate well at low speed and in gust-loading circumstances, as are found over forest fires
. It is also able to land and take off from short, unpaved airstrips.
transport, that was altered into a "firefighter" as a result of a request by forestry officials in the Quebec Service Aérien (Quebec Government Air Service) for a more effective way of delivering water to forest fires. The 1962 preliminary design, the CL-204 was a purpose-designed water bomber
that evolved into an amphibian flying boat configuration, powered by two 2100 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800
piston engine
s, shoulder-mounted. The definitive design known as the CL-215 received a program go-ahead in February 1966 with its maiden flight
on 23 October 1967. The first delivery was to the French
civil protection agency (Sécurité Civile
) in June 1969. Production of CL-215s progressed through 5 series ending in 1990.
, France
, Greece
, Italy
and Serbia
, they are known as "Canadairs." In Spain they are konwn as "botijos
" (a traditional Spanish porous clay container designed to contain water). In western Canada
they are known as "Ducks." Most other operators prefer to go by "Scoopers." The turboprop
versions, CL-215T and 415 are known as "Super Scoopers" because of their increased performance. The aircraft can skim lakes, rivers, reservoirs, or open water to fill its tanks. The water can be mixed with additives for direct attack of wildfire
s and structure protection. The aircraft has a 1400 US gal (5,300 l; 1,166 imp gal) (12000 lb (5,443.1 kg)) fluid capacity, and can refill its tank in ten seconds at 75–80 knots (140–150 km/h; 85-90 mph). With water sources close to fires, CL-215s have delivered 75-125 loads of water in a single day in support of fire fighting efforts.
The CL-215 is a versatile aircraft capable of several configurations such as maritime patrol
and search and rescue
, in addition to its primary role as a water bomber.
CL-215s have been involved in 26 accidents, 21 fatal.
, and more powerful Pratt & Whitney
turboprop engines. Originally the follow-up CL-215T was to be a simple turboprop-powered development of the CL-215, and Canadair converted two aircraft in 1989 to act as development aircraft. The first of these flew on 8 June 1989. Retrofit kits for CL-215s to the new standard are offered, but Canadair elected not to build new CL-215Ts and instead developed the CL-415.
, offers CL-215 to CL-215T engine retrofits using the Bombardier kit and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123AF
engines and is currently the only conversion kit installer in the world.
Over a period of 21 years beginning in 1969, 125 of these aircraft were built and sold to customers in 11 countries.
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
amphibious aircraft
Amphibious aircraft
An amphibious aircraft or amphibian is an aircraft that can take off and land on either land or water. Fixed-wing amphibious aircraft are seaplanes that are equipped with retractable wheels, at the expense of extra weight and complexity, plus diminished range and fuel economy compared to planes...
built by Canadair
Canadair
Canadair Ltd. was a civil and military aircraft manufacturer in Canada. It was a subsidiary of other aircraft manufacturers, then a nationalized corporation until privatized in 1986, and became the core of Bombardier Aerospace....
and later Bombardier
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
. The CL-215 is a twin-engine, high-wing aircraft designed to operate well at low speed and in gust-loading circumstances, as are found over forest fires
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
. It is also able to land and take off from short, unpaved airstrips.
Design and development
The CL-215 can be traced back to early projects by Canadair, the CL-43 and CL-204. The CL-43 was conceived as a logistics aircraft and based on the design from the Canadian Vickers built 369 Canso (variant of Consolidated PBY Catalina). Arising from an earlier 1960s research study at the company, the original concept was for a twin-engined floatplaneFloatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
transport, that was altered into a "firefighter" as a result of a request by forestry officials in the Quebec Service Aérien (Quebec Government Air Service) for a more effective way of delivering water to forest fires. The 1962 preliminary design, the CL-204 was a purpose-designed water bomber
Aerial firefighting
Aerial firefighting is the use of aircraft and other aerial resources to combat wildfires. The types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters, delivered to the fire by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing...
that evolved into an amphibian flying boat configuration, powered by two 2100 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800
Pratt & Whitney R-2800
The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp is a two-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial aircraft engine with a displacement of 2,804 in³ , and is part of the long-lived Wasp family....
piston engine
Reciprocating engine
A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common features of all types...
s, shoulder-mounted. The definitive design known as the CL-215 received a program go-ahead in February 1966 with its maiden flight
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
on 23 October 1967. The first delivery was to the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
civil protection agency (Sécurité Civile
Sécurité Civile
Operating for the French Ministry of the Interior, the Direction de la Défense de la Sécurité Civile is a French Government civil defence agency, employing some 2,500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites...
) in June 1969. Production of CL-215s progressed through 5 series ending in 1990.
Operational history
The CL-215 is known by several nicknames depending on where it is used. In CroatiaCroatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, they are known as "Canadairs." In Spain they are konwn as "botijos
Botijo
A botijo or búcaro is a traditional Spanish porous clay container designed to contain water. The botijo has the property that once filled and placed in the sun, it cools the water that it contains....
" (a traditional Spanish porous clay container designed to contain water). In western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
they are known as "Ducks." Most other operators prefer to go by "Scoopers." The turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
versions, CL-215T and 415 are known as "Super Scoopers" because of their increased performance. The aircraft can skim lakes, rivers, reservoirs, or open water to fill its tanks. The water can be mixed with additives for direct attack of wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s and structure protection. The aircraft has a 1400 US gal (5,300 l; 1,166 imp gal) (12000 lb (5,443.1 kg)) fluid capacity, and can refill its tank in ten seconds at 75–80 knots (140–150 km/h; 85-90 mph). With water sources close to fires, CL-215s have delivered 75-125 loads of water in a single day in support of fire fighting efforts.
The CL-215 is a versatile aircraft capable of several configurations such as maritime patrol
Maritime patrol
Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities....
and search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
, in addition to its primary role as a water bomber.
CL-215s have been involved in 26 accidents, 21 fatal.
Variants
In 1987, the CL-215T was announced, with improvements in handling brought about by design changes to the wings and empennageEmpennage
The empennage , also known as the tail or tail assembly, of most aircraft gives stability to the aircraft, in a similar way to the feathers on an arrow...
, and more powerful Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
turboprop engines. Originally the follow-up CL-215T was to be a simple turboprop-powered development of the CL-215, and Canadair converted two aircraft in 1989 to act as development aircraft. The first of these flew on 8 June 1989. Retrofit kits for CL-215s to the new standard are offered, but Canadair elected not to build new CL-215Ts and instead developed the CL-415.
Modifications
Cascade Aerospace, CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, offers CL-215 to CL-215T engine retrofits using the Bombardier kit and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123AF
Pratt & Whitney Canada PW100
-External links:*...
engines and is currently the only conversion kit installer in the world.
Operators
- Conair Group, AbbotsfordAbbotsford, British ColumbiaAbbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
, British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
- 4 (CL-215P) - Government Air Services, ManitobaManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
- 7 (CL-215P); 5 will be phased out and replaced with 4 Bombardier 415s beginning in fall 2010. - Government of Newfoundland and LabradorGovernment of Newfoundland and LabradorThe Government of Newfoundland and Labrador refers to the provincial government of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
- 6 (CL-215P) - Buffalo AirwaysBuffalo AirwaysBuffalo Airways is a family-run airline based in Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada established in 1970 by Joe McBryan, also known as "Buffalo Joe". It operates scheduled passenger, scheduled cargo, charter passenger, charter cargo, firefighting and fuel services...
, Yellowknife, Northwest TerritoriesNorthwest TerritoriesThe Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
- 6 (CL-215P) - Ministry of Natural ResourcesMinistry of Natural Resources (Ontario)The Ministry of Natural Resources is a government ministry of the Canadian province of Ontario that responsible for Ontario’s provincial parks, forests, fisheries, wildlife, mineral aggregates and the Crown lands and waters that make up 87 per cent of the province...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
- 9 (CL-215T) - Bombardier Inc., MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
- 4 (CL-215T) - Ministry of Natural Resources and WildlifeMinistry of Natural Resources and Wildlife (Quebec)The Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife is responsible for the protection of flora and fauna and manage natural resource extraction in the province of Quebec....
, QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
- 6 (4 CL-215P, 2 CL-215T). They also operate a further 8 CL-415 aircraft. - Ministry of the Environment, SaskatchewanSaskatchewanSaskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
- 6 (CL-215P)
- Sécurité CivileSécurité CivileOperating for the French Ministry of the Interior, the Direction de la Défense de la Sécurité Civile is a French Government civil defence agency, employing some 2,500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites...
15 aircraft, first operated in June 1969, now retired and replaced with 12 CL-415.- 1 retired CL-215 (F-ZBBH) now on display at Sinsheim Technical Museum in Germany
- 1 retired CL-215 (F-ZBAR) now found at Technik Museum Speyer in Germany
- Hellenic Air ForceHellenic Air ForceThe Hellenic Air Force, abbreviated to HAF is the air force of Greece. The mission of the Hellenic Air Force is to guard and protect Greek airspace, provide air assistance and support to the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Navy, as well as the provision of humanitarian aid in Greece and around the...
- 355 MTM - 13 CL-215
- Societa Ricerche Esperienze Meteorologiche (SoREM) - five CL-215 Leased abroad
- Two CL-215, operated by SoREM
- Spanish Air ForceSpanish Air Force-The early stages:Hot air balloons had been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with the help of Alfredo Kindelán, Leonardo Torres y Quevedo directed the construction of the first Spanish dirigible in the Army Military Aerostatics Service, created in 1896 and located...
- 43 Grupo - 14 CL-215T - Ministry of Environment (CEGISA) - five Ex Spanish Air Force CL-215T
- Royal Thai NavyRoyal Thai NavyThe Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the...
- IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
Metropolitan Municipality - Two CL-215 Operated by SoREM - Turkish Ministry of ForestryMinistry of Environment and Forestry (Turkey)The Ministry of Environment and Forest is a government ministry office of the Republic of Turkey, responsible for environmental and forestry related affairs in Turkey. Since 2007, the office-holder is Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu of the Justice and Development Party....
- Two CL-215 Operated by SoREM - Turkish Aeronautical AssociationTurkish Aeronautical AssociationTurkish Aeronautical Association is a non-profit organization with an aim of increasing public awareness and participation in aviation related activities and the national body governing air sports in Turkey...
- Seven CL-215
- Aero Flite, KingmanKingman, ArizonaKingman is located in a desert climate on the edge of the Mojave Desert, but its higher elevation and location between the Colorado Plateau and the Lower Colorado River Valley tempers summer high temperatures and contributes to winter cold and rare snowfall. Summer daytime highs reach above 90 °F ...
, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix... - Division of Forest ResourcesNorth Carolina Division of Forest ResourcesThe ', formerly known as North Carolina Division of Forest Resources is a North Carolina state government agency responsible for providing land management assistance to landowners. The agency is also responsible for wildland fire control on all state and privately owned land in North Carolina,...
, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte... - Department of Natural ResourcesMinnesota Department of Natural ResourcesThe Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recreational trails, and recreation areas as well as managing minerals,...
, MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... - Los Angeles County, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Former operators
- Yugoslav Air ForceSFR Yugoslav Air ForceThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslav Air Force , was the air force of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . Formed in 1945, it was preceded by the Yugoslav Royal Air Force which was disbanded in 1941, following the German occupation of Yugoslavia...
- five CL-215 in service with the 676th Fire Fighting Squadron from 1981, until four sold to Greece in 1995.
- Croatian Air Force - 3 CL-215 retired 2004