BAe 146 Airtanker Programme Moves Into Conversion Phase
13 Jun 2005
BAE SYSTEMS Regional Aircraft, working closely on an international basis to develop an airtanker version of the BAe 146, has announced that the first aircraft to be converted has been identified and the programme has commenced.
This follows the flight trials of a BAe 146-100 in September 2004, in which Regional Aircraft worked with Tronos Canada, Inc. an owner, lessor and MRO of BAe 146s and Minden Air Corporation, a long-established and industry-leading airtanker converter and operator, lead by Leonard and Janet Parker who have had a lifetime's experience in this specialised business.
A series of flights demonstrated the capabilities of the aircraft to members of the fire-fighting operator community in the Western USA, as well as representatives of the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
The trials were designed to show the suitability of the BAe 146 family for this very demanding operation as an airtanker and they were extremely successful. A total of nine sorties were flown from Minden Air’s base in Nevada using an instrumented and ballasted aircraft. The aircraft was flown on typical firefighting flight profiles to demonstrate the performance and handling in this environment and to gather the resulting loads data.
Now, Regional Aircraft has forged a collaborative venture with Tronos Canada, Inc., which has provided the first BAe 146 - a Series 200 (E 2033) for conversion. Also part of the collaborative team is Minden Air, which is working to develop the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) with support from J2 Engineering, which is providing the detailed design and engineering conversion expertise. The conversion programme will be performed by Minden Air and work started at Minden, Nevada in January 2005.
Under this programme, Regional Aircraft – as OEM for the aircraft - is providing engineering data packs and technical support to the conversion and will provide in-service support to the operation. Initially Tronos will provide aircraft from its portfolio. However, it is anticipated that as the programme develops some aircraft could be sourced from the older aircraft within the Regional Aircraft leasing portfolio.
The first aircraft is scheduled to be completed and flown in 2005, with testing and approvals cleared prior to entering service early in the 2006 US fire season. Regional Aircraft and Tronos have identified further aircraft that can be made available for conversion.
Whilst the BAe 146 Airtanker is being developed initially for the US market, the aircraft will offer a capable and economic solution to large-scale firefighting requirements worldwide.
Note to Editors:
After a series of accidents in recent years, The USDA Forest Service grounded the fleets of large airtankers working on Federal forest firefighting contracts across the USA. The fleet consisted mainly of elderly ex-military aircraft such as P-2 Neptunes, P-3 Orions, early C130A Hercules, and other earlier piston engine types. Whilst some aircraft are returning to service, it is recognised by the Forest Service and the operators that fleet modernisation is necessary. The Forest Service has identified a requirement for a total fleet of 35 turbofan aircraft, made up of least two different aircraft types, to be in service by 2008.
About BAE SYSTEMS
BAE Systems is an international company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced defence and aerospace systems in the air, on land, at sea and in space. The company designs, manufactures and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, fighting vehicles, radar, avionics, communications, electronics and guided weapon systems. It is a pioneer in technology with a heritage stretching back hundreds of years. It is at the forefront of innovation, working to develop the next generation of intelligent defence systems.
BAE Systems has major operations across five continents and customers in some 130 countries. The company has more than 90,000 people and generates annual sales of over 13 billion through its wholly-owned and joint venture operations.
For further information, please contact:
David Dorman, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 (0) 1582 488336 Fax: +44 (0) 1582 488447
ddaviddorman@aol.com
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