Aerial services provider Avincis is to collaborate with De Havilland Canada (DHC) on a series of initiatives to support the airframer’s CL-series family of out-of-production amphibian waterbombers.
Under the agreement, Lisbon-headquartered Avincis will transfer ownership of a pair of supplemental type certificate (STC) modifications for CL-series aircraft to the Canadian manufacturer for inclusion in its spare parts catalogue.
These comprise the addition of ADS-B Out transponders, and upgrades to the flight-management system on CL-215, CL-215T and CL-415 aircraft.
In return, Avincis will use its maintenance capability, knowledge and infrastructure to develop further modifications for the legacy types.
Avincis operates and maintains a fleet of 19 CL-415s, spread across six bases, on behalf of Italy’s national firefighting agency. It also owns and operates five CL-215/Ts.
De Havilland Canada is developing a modernised version of the ‘Super Scooper’ – the DHC-515 – which is due to enter service towards the end of the decade.
Multiple European countries – including Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain – have placed combined orders for more than 20 examples of the DHC-515, paid for by the rescEU civil protection fund. Canadian province Manitoba has also ordered a trio of the waterbombers.
