Canadair CL-215
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The Canadair CL-215 (Scooper) is the first model in a series of amphibious
flying boat A flying boat is a type of seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in having a fuselage that is purpose-designed for flotation, while floatplanes rely on fuselage-mounted floats for buoyancy. Though ...
s designed and built by
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
aircraft manufacturer
Canadair Canadair Ltd. was a Canadian civil and military aircraft manufacturer that operated from 1944 to 1986. In 1986, its assets were acquired by Bombardier Aerospace, the aviation division of Canadian transport conglomerate Bombardier Inc. Canadai ...
, and later produced by Bombardier. It is one of only a handful of large amphibious aircraft to have been produced in large numbers during the post-war era, and the first to be developed from the outset as a
water bomber Aerial firefighting, also known as waterbombing, 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 ...
. The CL-215 is a twin-engine, high-wing aircraft designed in the 1960s. From an early stage, it was developed to perform
aerial firefighting Aerial firefighting, also known as waterbombing, is the use of aircraft and other aerial resources to Wildfire suppression, combat wildfires. The types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Smokejumpers and rappellers ar ...
operations as a water bomber; to operate well in such a capacity, it can be flown at relatively low speeds and in high gust-loading environments, as are typically found over
forest fires A forest fire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a bushfire ( in Au ...
. It can also be used for other missions types, including passenger services, freight transport, and air-sea
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) 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, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
operations. On 23 October 1967, the first prototype performed its
maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. In the early days of aviation it could be dange ...
, and the first production aircraft was handed over during June 1969. While production of the CL-215 was terminated during 1990, this was due to the imminent introduction of an improved variant of the aircraft, which was designated as the CL-415, the manufacture of which commenced during 1993. Furthermore, numerous conversion and improvement programmes have been developed for existing aircraft, such as the ''CL-215T'', a
turbine A turbine ( or ) (from the Greek , ''tyrbē'', or Latin ''turbo'', meaning vortex) is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. The work produced can be used for generating electrical ...
-powered model of the original aircraft which replaces the original Pratt & Whitney R-2800-83AM
radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating engine, reciprocating type internal combustion engine, internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinder (engine), cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. ...
s with a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123AF turbine engines. Other changes include the addition of new avionics and various structural improvements.


Development


Origins

The origins of the CL-215 can be traced back to two earlier project studies conducted by
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
aircraft manufacturer
Canadair Canadair Ltd. was a Canadian civil and military aircraft manufacturer that operated from 1944 to 1986. In 1986, its assets were acquired by Bombardier Aerospace, the aviation division of Canadian transport conglomerate Bombardier Inc. Canadai ...
, the ''CL-43'' and ''CL-204''. The CL-43 was conceived as a logistics aircraft and was based on the design of the Canadian Vickers-built ''369 Canso'' (which was itself a variant of the
Consolidated PBY Catalina The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (U.S. Navy designation), is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft designed by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. In U.S. Army service, it was designated as the OA- ...
). Arising from an earlier 1960s research study at the company, the original concept was for a twin-engined
floatplane A floatplane is a type of seaplane with one or more slender floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy. By contrast, a flying boat uses its fuselage for buoyancy. Either type of seaplane may also have landing gear suitable for land, ...
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 Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...
) for a more effective way of delivering water to forest fires. The 1962 preliminary design, designated as the ''CL-204'', was a purpose-designed
water bomber Aerial firefighting, also known as waterbombing, 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 ...
that evolved into an amphibian flying boat configuration, powered by two shoulder-mounted
Pratt & Whitney R-2800 The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp is an American twin-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial aircraft engine with a engine displacement, displacement of , and is part of the long-lived Pratt & Whitney Wasp series, Wasp family of engines. ...
piston engine A reciprocating engine, more often known as a piston engine, is a heat engine that uses one or more Reciprocating motion, reciprocating pistons to convert high temperature and high pressure into a Circular motion, rotating motion. This article ...
s. Reportedly, in excess of 1,700 hours of wind tunnel and water tank testing was used to help define the aircraft's basic configuration. This design was shaped by a desire for it to be well-suited for performing a range of roles, including air-sea
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) 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, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
, cargo haulage and commercial passenger-carrying, beyond the water bomber mission.Flight International 1968, pp. 269, 271. The definitive design, which was designated as the CL-215, was publicly revealed at the 1965
Paris Air Show The Paris Air Show (, ''Salon du Bourget'') is a trade fair and air show held in odd years at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in France. Organized by the French aerospace industry's primary representative body, the ''Groupement des industries frança ...
."Canadair CL-215."
''Flight International'', 21 November 1968. p. 871.
Aviation publication
Flight International ''Flight International'', formerly ''Flight'', is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", i ...
observed that the CL-215 was "one of the very few entirely new large marine aircraft to be put in hand for some 20 years", and that it was the first aircraft to be designed to perform water bombing missions as a primary role.Flight International 1968, p. 269. Developing a newer aircraft meant that, unlike its older competitors, the latest techniques to stave off
corrosion Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials (usually a metal) by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engine ...
could be applied, as well as a
fail-safe In engineering, a fail-safe is a design feature or practice that, in the event of a failure causes, failure of the design feature, inherently responds in a way that will cause minimal or no harm to other equipment, to the environment or to people. ...
structure, to give the aircraft a lengthy lifespan. Canadair's market research indicated that there were many aging seaplanes for which operators required a modern replacement. On 1 February 1966, the programme was authorised to proceed. On 23 October 1967, the first prototype performed its
maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. In the early days of aviation it could be dange ...
.Taylor, John W. R. (editor). ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1976–77''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. . p. 17. By November 1968, Canadair had decided to commit to an initial production batch of 30 aircraft. During June 1969, the first CL-215 was delivered to the French civil protection agency (
Sécurité Civile The (General directorate for civil defense and crisis management) is a civil defense agency of the Government of France, French Government. It operates for the Minister of the Interior (France), Ministry of the Interior and employs some 2,500 civ ...
, then known as Protection Civile). The aircraft, which was one of a batch of ten, had been purchased under a £4 million arrangement; by July 1970, the order had been completed, along with a third of a 15 aircraft order from the government of Quebec. Quebec had ordered the type as a replacement for their aging fleet of Canso water bombers; in comparison to the Canso, the CL-215 required a shorter landing distance and was capable of travelling twice as fast.


Further development

Prior to the delivery of the first aircraft, plans had already been mooted for the production of multiple models of the type. While the ''CL-215A'' served as the standard water bomber configuration, another model, designated as the ''CL-215C'', had been envisioned to dispense with the design compromises as to better perform the water bomber mission, allowing it be furnished with larger doors on the sides of the fuselage and a revised underfloor hull structure.Flight International 1968, p. 272. Production of the CL-215 progressed through five series. Perhaps the most significant development of the type occurred during the 1980s in the form of the ''CL-215T'', an initiative to replace the original Pratt & Whitney R-2800-83AM
radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating engine, reciprocating type internal combustion engine, internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinder (engine), cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. ...
s with a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123AF turbine engines. Speaking during the new model's development, company officials recognised that market demand for the CL-215T was marginal, and thus not enough to justify developing an all-new aircraft.* Goold, Ia
CL-215 "Water Jet"
''Flight International'', 31 December 1988. pp. 23.
Canadian transport conglomerate
Bombardier Aerospace Bombardier Aviation, a division of Bombardier Inc., is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada. The company currently produces the Global and Challenger series of business jets. At its peak, Bombardier operated manufacturing plants in 27 c ...
(who had acquired Canadair during the 1980s) decided to terminate production of the type during the late 1980s. Although manufacturing did come to an end in 1990, a further improved model, designated as the CL-415, entered production during 1993. Additionally, multiple conversion and refit programmes have been launched over the following decades to renovate and improve existing aircraft, typically focused on improving aspects such as the engines, avionics and structure. In 2018 Bombardier sold the design documents and intellectual property rights to the CL-215 and CL-415 to
Viking Air Viking Air Ltd. was an operator and manufacturer of aircraft, as well as aircraft parts and systems, based at Victoria International Airport in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The company provides upgrades to the DHC-2 Beaver, spare ...
. Viking Air had previously purchased the rights to the Twin Otter, and had subsequently opened a production line to manufacture new Twin Otter airframes. Viking announced plans to open a production line to build the CL-515, an improvement over the CL-415, with more recent avionics, instrumentation to allow it to continue fighting fires at night, and the ability to fill other roles, like maritime surveillance, and maritime search and rescue, when it wasn't fire season. Viking also produced an upgrade kit, the CL-415EAF, which would allow the owners of remaining CL-215 planes to upgrade their engines and avionics to the same level as new CL-515 planes. After being upgraded by
Viking Air Viking Air Ltd. was an operator and manufacturer of aircraft, as well as aircraft parts and systems, based at Victoria International Airport in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The company provides upgrades to the DHC-2 Beaver, spare ...
subsidiaries Longview Aviation Services (LAS) and Cascade Aerospace, the CL-415EAF was first flown from
Abbotsford, British Columbia Abbotsford is a city in British Columbia next to the Canada–United States border, Greater Vancouver, and the Fraser River. With a census population of 153,569 people (2021), it is the most populous municipality in the province outside metropol ...
on 12 March 2020, to be delivered in April to Bridger Aerospace.


Design

The Canadair CL-215 is a twin-engine, high-wing general-purpose
amphibious aircraft An amphibious aircraft, or amphibian, is an aircraft that can Takeoff, take off and Landing, land on both solid ground and water. These aircraft are typically Fixed-wing aircraft, fixed-wing, though Amphibious helicopter, amphibious helicopte ...
. It features an atypically spacious fuselage for an amphibian, which is designed to accommodate for the operational needs of various roles that the aircraft was developed to perform. The CL-215 can be used as an airborne firefighting platform, in which capacity it is used as a water bomber; it has been claimed to be the first aircraft designed to withstand the severe aerodynamic and hydrodynamic loads imposed by such usage. Beyond the water bomber role, the CL-215 was designed for use in other capacities, such as a
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) 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, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
platform, passenger transport, and freighter; for this purpose, the cabin can be configured in various different ways, including a flexible combi configuration. Under typical operations, these applications would harness the aircraft's ability to land and takeoff from the water, the hull having been designed to enable its use upon the open seas. The CL-215 was designed to perform well in the aerial firefighter role. The apparatus is designed around previously-proven concepts and careful design. The aircraft's belly houses a pair of water tanks of which large downward-facing doors forms their bottoms; these open to rapidly discharge water over a target area. These doors are normally
hydraulic Hydraulics () is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counterpart of pneumatics, which concer ...
ally actuated and electrically controlled, but a manual release is present for emergency use only; the tanks can be emptied simultaneously, individually, or in sequence at the pilot's selection. Both tanks are positioned directly upon the aircraft's centre of gravity so that filling or emptying the tanks has minimal impact upon the aircraft's flying characteristics. Water can be rapidly drawn into these water tanks while the aircraft is moving across a body of water's surface via purpose-built rotatable aluminium scoops; if a collision occurs, these scoops have been designed to break away from the aircraft without damaging the fuselage. To prevent the tanks from becoming overfilled, overflow ducts are present at the top of the tanks, which discharge excess water via the sides of the fuselage. The CL-215 is said to handle well in both the skies and upon the water; significant attention was paid in its design to attaining a high level of manoeuvrability while at low speeds. The hull was laid out with considerable forethought, using the full length of the fuselage as a hull to give the aircraft good handling across many sea states. This hull incorporates a high deadrise angle to reduce impact loads exerted during landings, along with a high step to improve breakaway. Sufficient buoyancy is acquired via multiple watertight bulkheads and a sealed floor attaching directly to the hull frames, two of which serve as attachment points for the wings. Spray compresses are present along the hull's
chine A chine () is a steep-sided coastal gorge where a river flows to the sea through, typically, soft eroding cliffs of sandstone or clays. The word is still in use in central Southern England—notably in East Devon, Dorset, Hampshire and the Is ...
, directing spray away from the propellers, engines, and tail unit, while a purpose-built plate diverts spray from the pilot's windshield. The CL-215 is relatively conventional in terms of its aerodynamics; all of the flying controls use traditional surfaces and are manually actuated via mechanical linkages. It is furnished with a high-mounted low-aspect ratio wing, which is equipped with single-slotted flaps. To simplify pilot workload, a constant 15-degree flaps position is used for both low speed and low altitude flight, while the need to adjust the aircraft's trim has been minimised during operations such as water uptake and dropping. Both the structure and systems on board the aircraft were reportedly designed to ease manufacture and maintenance. The primary structure is compliant with
fail-safe In engineering, a fail-safe is a design feature or practice that, in the event of a failure causes, failure of the design feature, inherently responds in a way that will cause minimal or no harm to other equipment, to the environment or to people. ...
design principles, as well as with attention paid to minimising built-in residual stresses and maximising protection against corrosion; as such, conventional
alloy An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which in most cases at least one is a metal, metallic element, although it is also sometimes used for mixtures of elements; herein only metallic alloys are described. Metallic alloys often have prop ...
s are used throughout, while numerous materials, including
magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 ...
, are excluded to reduce reactivity. For this purpose, Canadair paid heed to requirements previously defined by the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
under MIL-F-7179, having judged these criteria to be optimal for their purposes. All
aluminium Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...
components that made direct contact with water were sulphurically anodised and sealed used
sodium dichromate Sodium dichromate is the inorganic compound with the formula Na2 Cr2 O7. However, the salt is usually handled as its dihydrate Na2Cr2O7·2 H2O. Virtually all chromium ore is processed via conversion to sodium dichromate and virtually all compoun ...
; other aluminium elements received a chromate coating before the exterior paint was applied while steel was plated with a
cadmium Cadmium is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Cd and atomic number 48. This soft, silvery-white metal is chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group 12 element, group 12, zinc and mercury (element), mercury. Like z ...
-
titanium Titanium is a chemical element; it has symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in ...
alloy. Contact between dissimilar metals was avoided wherever reasonable to do so, or otherwise insulated from another by four coats of primer. The exterior paint layer consists of wash primer, followed by a coat of epoxy-polyamide primer, and then a final top coat; some areas may received a special
synthetic rubber A synthetic rubber is an artificial elastomer. They are polymers synthesized from petroleum byproducts. About of rubber is produced annually in the United States, and of that amount two thirds are synthetic. Synthetic rubber, just like natural ru ...
-based sealant coating to prevent moisture ingress.Flight International 1968, p. 270. The CL-215 is powered by a pair of 2,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-83AM
radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating engine, reciprocating type internal combustion engine, internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinder (engine), cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. ...
s, which was regarded as a proven and reliable power unit. Flight International describes this choice as being unusual as these engines were no longer in production, a decision that was somewhat justified by the large numbers of reconditioned units that were available during the 1960s; it was believed that a piston engine would be more durable in a maritime environment.Flight International 1968, pp. 269–270. In a standard configuration, fuel is housed across 12 tanks within the wing, although additional tanks can be installed within the outer wing.
Deicing De-icing is the process of removing snow, ice or frost from a surface. Anti-icing is the application of chemicals that not only de-ice but also remain on a surface and continue to delay the reformation of ice for a certain period of time, or pr ...
measures protect the engine's
carburettor A carburetor (also spelled carburettor or carburetter) is a device used by a gasoline internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the Vent ...
s, which involves drawing heated air from the engine cylinders over them instead of ambient air. The propellers can also be fitted with electrical heating mats; while these are provisioned for, they were not fitted as standard. Each engine drives a pump for the
hydraulic Hydraulics () is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counterpart of pneumatics, which concer ...
system, which is used to actuate the engine cowl and wing flaps, the wheel
brake A brake is a machine, mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for Acceleration, slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of ...
s, water drop doors and pick-up probes, as well as for undercarriage retraction; each engine also drives a 28V DC generator which powers the aircraft's electrical systems.Flight International 1968, p. 271.


Operational history

Over a period of 21 years beginning in 1969, 125 of these aircraft were built and sold to customers in 11 countries. In 2018, there were reportedly around 165 CL-215 and CL-415s in service across 11 countries.


Variants

;CL-215A: Initial version, with Pratt & Whitney R-2800-83AM 18-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines. Features an internal structure compatible with provisioning water bombing apparatus, which includes a pair of underfloor tanks, belly-mounted doors, and rotating scoops. It was targeted at the water bomber and utility freight market sectors. ;CL-215B: Near-identical to the CL-215A, this model featured minor adaptations made to suit the needs of the
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) 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, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
and commercial freight industry customers. ;CL-215C: Largely identical to the CL-215A, but lacks any provision for the water bomber mission. As such, it features a revised underfloor structure, larger side-mounted doors and more windows in the main cabin area. A maximum of 36 passenger can be accommodated, without making any provision for baggage. ;: In 1987, the CL-215T was announced, with improvements in handling brought about by design changes to the wings and
empennage The empennage ( or ), also known as the tail or tail assembly, is a structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third ed ...
, and more powerful
Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney is an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies). Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation (especially ...
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. Cascade Aerospace, Canada, offers CL-215 to CL-215T engine retrofits using the Bombardier kit and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW123AF engines. ;CL-415EAF:Conversion program offered by
Viking Air Viking Air Ltd. was an operator and manufacturer of aircraft, as well as aircraft parts and systems, based at Victoria International Airport in North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The company provides upgrades to the DHC-2 Beaver, spare ...
featuring
Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney is an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies). Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation (especially ...
turboprop engines and EFIS avionics suite. The first of 11 used aircraft purchased to be modified should be delivered to launch customer, Bridger Aerospace, in the first quarter of 2020. They will be strengthened to raise its maximum takeoff weight and have new flight controls,
hydraulic Hydraulics () is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counterpart of pneumatics, which concer ...
and fuel systems. ;CL-515: A relaunched production version, furnished with the CL-415EAF configuration. Viking Aviation has announced plans to hire up to 150 employees to perform those conversions through its dedicated subsidiary, and in May 2018 applied for government support for restarting production of the type. ;B.TK.1 :()
Royal Thai Armed Forces The Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF; ; ) are the armed forces of the Kingdom of Thailand. The Highest Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces (จอมทัพไทย; ) is the King of Thailand. The armed forces are managed by the Minist ...
designation for the CL-215T.


Operators

; As of April 2023 there were 55 CL-215/ CL-415 registered with
Transport Canada Transport Canada () is the Ministry (government department), department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, Policy, policies and Public services, services of road, rail, marine and air Transport in Canada, tra ...
. * Air Spray,
Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
,
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
: seven total; three CL215 1A10 and four CL-215-6B11 (Series CL-415) operated for the Government of Alberta *
Buffalo Airways Buffalo Airways is a family-run airline based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, established in 1970. Buffalo Airways was launched by Bob Gauchie and later sold to one of his pilots, Joe McBryan (aka "Buffalo Joe"). It operates char ...
,
Yellowknife Yellowknife is the capital, largest community, and the only city in the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, about south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the outlet of t ...
,
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...
: four CL215 1A10 * Conair Group, Abbotsford,
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
: four CL-215-6B11 (Series CL-215T); former contractor for Alberta *
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is the provincial government of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was established by the Newfoundland Act and its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867. Role of ...
,
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
: five CL-215-6B11 (Series CL-415) *
Government of Quebec The Government of Quebec (, ) is the body responsible for the administration of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. The term is typically used to refer to the executive of the day (i.e. Minister of the Crown, mini ...
, Service Aérien Gouvernemental (
Transports Québec Le Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité Durable du Québec (), known by its short form name Transports Québec or alternatively by the acronym MTQ, is a Quebec government ministry (government department), ministry responsible for transpor ...
),
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
: 14 total; four CL215 1A10, two CL-215-6B11 (Series CL-215T) and eight CL-215-6B11 (Series CL-415) * Longview Aviation Services Inc.,
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
,
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
: three CL215 1A10 and two CL-215-6B11 (Series CL-215T) *
Government of Ontario The Government of Ontario () is the body responsible for the administration of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. The term ''Government of Ontario'' refers specifically to the executive—political Minister ...
, Ministry of Natural Resources,
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
: nine CL-215-6B11 (Series CL-415) *
Government of Saskatchewan The Government of Saskatchewan () is the provincial government of the province of Saskatchewan. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867. In modern Canadian use, the term "government" refers broadly to the cabinet of th ...
,
Ministry of Environment An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment, ...
,
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...
: seven total, five CL-215-6B11 (Series CL-215T), two CL215 1A10; according to the Ministry of Environment six CL-215P deployed to Airtanker Groups 3, 4 and 5 ; *
Hellenic Air Force The Hellenic Air Force (HAF; , sometimes abbreviated as ΠΑ) is the air force of Greece (''Hellenic'' being the endonym for ''Greek'' in the Greek language). It is considered to be one of the largest air forces in NATO, and is globally placed 1 ...
: 10 CL-215s as of July 2023.Hoyle ''Flight International'' 6–12 December 2016, p. 36. 7 are CL-215GR and 3 ex-Yugoslav AF ; * Societa Ricerche Esperienze Meteorologiche (SoREM): five CL-215s leased abroadKeijsper 2008, p. 42. and operated on behalf of
Protezione Civile The (Civil Protection), officially (Civil Protection Department), is the national body in Italy that deals with the prediction, prevention and management of emergency events. It was established in 1992 by , which was updated in 2012, and it is ...
; *
Spanish Air and Space Force The Spanish Air and Space Force () is the Aerial warfare, aerial and space warfare branch of the Spanish Armed Forces. History Early stages Hot air balloons have been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with th ...
, 43 Grupo – 14 as of December 2016.Hoyle ''Flight International'' 6–12 December 2016, p. 47. * Ministry of Environment (Spain): 5 ex-Spanish Air Force CL-215TsKeijsper 2008, p. 43. ; *
Royal Thai Navy The Royal Thai Navy (Abbreviation, Abrv: RTN, ทร.; , ) is the Navy, naval warfare force of Thailand. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known as the father of the Royal N ...
: 2 delivered in 1978 with 1 used as search and rescue patrolHoyle ''Flight International'' 6–12 December 2016, p. 48."Thai Boats". ''
Air International ''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd. History and profile The magazine was fir ...
'', Vol. 15, No 4, October 1978, p. 188.
; * Gökçen Aviation of Turkish Aeronautical Association: nine CL-215s and the current contractor for the Turkish Ministry of Forestry ; * Bridger Aerospace: Six CL-415EAFs * Aero-Flite, Inc. Kingman, Arizona: five CL-215s


Former operators

; * 885th Firefighting Squadron of the
Croatian Air Force and Air Defence The Croatian Air Force ( or HRZ) is the aerial warfare Military branch, branch of the Croatian Armed Forces. It is tasked primarily with safeguarding the sovereignty of Croatian airspace and providing aviation support to other branches during jo ...
operated 2 CL-215s from 1995 to 2003. They have been replaced by 6 CL-415s. ; *
Sécurité Civile The (General directorate for civil defense and crisis management) is a civil defense agency of the Government of France, French Government. It operates for the Minister of the Interior (France), Ministry of the Interior and employs some 2,500 civ ...
: 15 aircraft operated from June 1969 to 1996, now all replaced with 12 CL-415s. ; * North Carolina Division of Forest Resources - Purchased a 1969 CL-215 in 1998. Used against over 135 fires during its ten year career, it was eventually retired and sold on
eBay eBay Inc. ( , often stylized as ebay) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that allows users to buy or view items via retail sales through online marketplaces and websites in 190 markets worldwide. ...
in 2011. *
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or Minnesota DNR, 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, rec ...
– operated 2 CL-215; all sold in 2015 and now replaced with Air Tractor 802F Fireboss from contractor Aero Spray of
Appleton, Minnesota Appleton is a city in Swift County, Minnesota, Swift County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 1,412 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. The town is home to a vacant medium-security prison, the Prairie Correctional Facili ...
; *CVG Ferrominera Orinoco: two CL-215s, one crashed on 1989, the other one has been parked ever since at Puerto Ordaz Airport ; *
Yugoslav Air Force The Air Force and Air Defence ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Ратно ваздухопловство и противваздушна одбрана, Ratno vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazdušna odbrana ; abbr. sh-Cyrl-Latn, label=none, separator=/, РВ и ПВ ...
: five CL-215s delivered (5th was lost in 1984 crash) and entered service with the 676th Fire Fighting Squadron from 1981 to 1992, sold by successor Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro to Greece in 1995.Keijsper 2008, p. 44. In 2015 ex-Yugoslav CL-215 lost in crash.


Accidents and incidents

CL-215s have been involved in 31 accidents, 20 fatal.


Aircraft on display

;Canada * 1040 – CL-215 on static display at the
Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre (CBHC), located on the north bank of the St. Marys River (Michigan–Ontario), St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, is dedicated to preserving the history of bush flyin ...
in
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in northern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of the St. Mary's River directly across from its "twin city," Sault Ste. Marie, in the state of Michigan. The city's population was 72,051 at the 2021 census, makin ...
. ;France * 1005 – CL-215 cockpit on static display at the Musée de L'Hydraviation in Biscarrosse, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. * 1023 – CL-215 on static display at the Musée de l'Air in Le Bourget, Île-de-France. ;Germany * 1021 – CL-215 on static display at the Technik Museum Speyer in Speyer, Rhineland-Palatinate. * 1026 – CL-215 on static display at the Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum in Sinsheim, Baden-Württemberg. ;Spain * 1010 – CL-215 on static display at the Museo de Aeronáutica y Astronáutica in
Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
. ;Thailand * 1059 – CL-215 on static display at the Naval Aviation Museum.


Specifications (CL-215)


See also


References


Citations


Bibliography

* "Canadair CL-215". ''
Flight International ''Flight International'', formerly ''Flight'', is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", i ...
'', 22 February 1968. pp. 269–272. * Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". ''Flight International'', Vol. 190, No. 5566, 6–12 December 2016, pp. 22–53. . * Keijsper, Gerard. "Water-Bombers Required!" ''
Air Forces Monthly ''Air Forces Monthly'' (AFM) is a military aviation magazine published by Key Publishing Ltd, based at Stamford in the English county of Lincolnshire in the United Kingdom. Established in 1988, the magazine provides news and analysis on mi ...
'', London: Key Publishing, July 2008.


Further reading

* Pickler, Ron and Larry Milberry. ''Canadair: The First 50 Years.'' Toronto: CANAV Books, 1995. . * Marsaly, Frederic and Samuel Pretat
"Bombardiers d'eau/ Canadair Scoopers."
''Editions Minimonde76,'' May 2012. .


External links








Airliners.net The Canadair CL-215 & 415

CL-215 Aircraft , Viking's Aerial Firefighter


{{Thai utility aircraft designations CL-215 1960s Canadian special-purpose aircraft Flying boats Amphibious aircraft High-wing aircraft Aerial firefighting aircraft Cruciform tail aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1967 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear