Friday Fun: CL-415 Scoopers, 2024 Fire Season

Direct link to November 2024 video from Michael Redwine on YouTube

A video from Michael Redwine summarizing the CL-415 Scoopers flying wildfires during the 2024 fire season. Enjoy

Friday Fun: Super Scoopers in Action

Direct link to September 2024 video on YouTube

Direct link to August 2017 video on YouTube

Super Scoopers are a great aerial resources for aerial firefighting because as you see in these two videos they scoop water out of a water body and fly to the wildfire to make a drop. The Scooper can make a many drops, the number depending on the distance to the fire and available fuel. I know that two Super Scoopers were on contract In California starting September 1st of 2025, I am not sure how long the contract period is. In January of 2025 Bridger Aerospace sent two Scoopers to California to help fight wildfires. Last but by no means least Super Scoopers from Bridger Aerospace were deployed to Minnesota May 2025 to provide needed aerial support in fighting wildfires.

Friday Fun: CL415 Bombers from 2013

Direct link to 2013 video from JetPremierAviation on YouTube

An oldie but a goodie, I love this 2013video, shot when the CL415 was being manufactured by Bombardier

Deployment of Bridger Super Scoopers to Minnesota and How Scoopers Fly Wildfires

Direct link to video from WCCO - CBS Minnesota on YouTube 

When U.S. State Wildfire Agencies want to use more aerial resources to fight wildfires, they may request that the U.S. Forest Service send some of their contracted aerial assets, e.g. Airtankers, to come to help the crews on the ground fight wildfires in their State. This was the case in Minnesota, when Minnesota officials made such a request to the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service sent two CL 215/415 Super Scoopers Airtankers from Bridger Aerospace. The Super Scoopers take advantage of the 10,000 Lakes in Minnesota providing them close proximity to scope water from the Lake and then proceed to the wildfire to make a lot of drops before their fuel runs out. 

In the video I embedded you will hear the CEO of Bridger Aerospace, Sam Davis, talk about their CL 215-415 Super Scooper aircraft and how Super Scoopers and other airtankers and helicopters fight wildfires and work with local state resources. He adds a caution about the dangers of flying unauthorized drones over wildfires.

The video that I embedded above refers to wildfire statistics on May 21st for the three wildfires burning in Minnesota, see my May 21st post for more information.

CL415 Super Scoopers

Direct link to post from The Film Gate (with stock footage) on YouTube

I have been thinking about the CL415 Super Scoopers today because I know from a Facebook Post that Super Scoopers from Bridger Aerospace are working the wildfires currently burning in North Carolina. I want to thank Bridger Aerospace for helping my friends out in North Carolina.

Super Scoopers in Southern California Jan 2025

Among the aircraft used in aerial wildland firefighting in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere are the Canadair Aerial Firefighters, amphibious purpose built aircraft for wildland firefighting. De Havilland Canada holds the type certificate for these aircraft, The Canadair Aerial Firefighter aircraft are often referred to as Super Scoopers for their ability to quickly scoop water from various water bodies and return to the fire. There will often by a suitable water body for scooping in close proximity to a wildfire so Super Scoopers can make many drops in a short time period.

Quebec Canada has an arrangement to send two of their Super Scoopers to California each year. To the best of my knowledge these two Super Scoopers worked the January 2025 wildfires including but not limited to the Palisades and the Eaton Fires , in addition, at least two other Super Scoopers from Canada went to southern California to assist fighting these fires, see this article from Skies Magazine for more information . I do know that Bridger Aerospace out of Belgrade, Montana sent two of their Super Scoopers to southern California in mid January to help, see this article from Globe Newswire .

One of the Super Scoopers was struck by a drone, the person who flew the drone has been charged with unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft, according to an  article on Fire Aviation for information about these charges.

Bridger Aerospace talked to CNN a couple of weeks ago about their Super Scoopers and took them on a tour of one of their Super Scoopers. The report on the Super Scoopers is at the beginning of the video, accounting for the first three minutes. The rest of the video is a report by Anderson Cooper on the progress that was then made on the Palisades Fire on or about January 16th. The Palisades fire was declared 100 5 contained on January 31st 

Direct link to video from CNN on YouTube 

CL-215/415 "Scoopers"

 One of the aerial tools in the wildfire toolbox are the CL215/415 Scoopers, these are amphibious aircraft specially built to scoop water out of water bodies to fight wildfires. There are at least two companies that fly Scoopers, Bridger Aerospace  and Aeroflite. Bridger has a nice 3D Tour of one of their Scoopers that I hope you can access from Bridger's webpage on Scooper operations, go here for the desktop version, and look for the "access 3D tour link"; I could not access the desktop link on Chrome but could on Safari and Firefox. The link for mobile devices should be here.

I just came across a video from ABC 15 News in Phoenix showcasing Aeroflite's Scooper. I found this report from ABCC 15 on Scooper operations and their benefits to be very informative and I hope that you will enjoy this video, just over 2 minutes. The CL215 and 415 Scoopers from Bridger Aerospace should operate in the same as Aeroflite's. As the video points out, one of the important benefits of Scoopers is that they can scoop water out of a water body near a wildfire, fly the fire and then come back for another load and to the same thing again, as long as needed. ABC 15 Phoenix does have the video on their YouTube channel but I am unable to embed their video, but there is a direct link to video from ABC15Arizona on YouTube if you want other viewing options (report on the Scooper starts at 28 seconds).

Friday Fun: Super Scooper Tanker Up Close

Join me in looking at a video report from KRTV news out of Great Falls Montana as one of their reporters takes us inside a Super Scooper from Bridger Aerospace, probably one of their De Havilland Super Scoopers. According to the the webpage that I just referred to Bridger Aerospace has 10 Super Scoopers, six CL415EAF super scoopers and four CL215T super scoopers.

Direct link to video from KRTVNews on YouTube (uploaded July 27 2021)

Friday Fun: From 43 Grupo of Scoopers Working Wildfires in 2012

 I don't know about you, but I am in the mood for some Friday Fun after a busy week. This week, I am sharing an oldie but a goodie from 43 Grupo (2012), showing CL 415 Super Scoopers working wildfires in Europe with some shots inside the cockpit, footage from cameras on the Scooper and aerial footage. Enjoy.

43 Grupo from Hidros on Vimeo.

Airtankers from 2010

 I have been thinking recently of the Airtankers that were still flying when I started this blog in 2009, in particular the P2V from Neptune Aviation and the Lockheed P-3 Orion from Aero Union. Both are no longer flying. The last P2V was retired a couple of years ago and Lockheed shut down operations about 11 years ago. I wanted to share a video featuring these tankers and remembered a video by Alan Simmons.

In this eight minute video by Alan Simmons shot around 2009 and 2010 you will see the Grumman S2-T flown by CAL Fire (still in service), P2V Neptune, Lockheed P-3 Orion, Canadair CL-215 and 415 (I belive the 415 is still in service, not sure about the 215), and a DC-10 tanker (the DC-10 tanker in this video is no longer flying but 10 Tanker Carrier has a fleet DC-10 tankers flying fires). Alan ends with a section of what were historic tankers at the time he shot this video. Some of you may remember this video as I have shared it here before on a couple of occasions. It is worth seeing again.

Direct link to video by Alan Simmons on YouTube

CL-415 Water Bombers in Newfoundland and Labrador Canada

One of my areas of interest is learning more about Canada. Recently because of an acquaintance whose family is traveling in a remote section of Newfoundland, I began exploring this province on Google Earth. I find this an interesting exercise while knowing that I am limited by not being there in person. Anyway, when I heard that the travelers are in a remote area of Newfoundland with only one road into the village where they are staying, I got curious. Last night I found that this road was closed because of a wildfire or forest fire.

It did not take me long to learn that the wildfire or forest fire that peaked my interest is the Bay d'Espoir Highway Fire. According to a report from the CBC (Monday, July 25th) the Bay d'Espoir Highway (Route 360) is the only road to access the Cannaigre Peninsula in Newfoundland. (read this July 24th CBC article for more information about the road closure). Officials expect the highway to be closed through at least Monday evening. As I write this, the Bay d'Espoir Highway Fire (Fire #139) has burned 540 hectares or 1,334.37 acres and is not contained. I obtained fire information from the Active Forest Fires page (appears to be updated daily) of the Newfoundland Labrador Department of Fisheries Forestry and Agriculture, they also have a twitter account which may be found here. The other current 2022 forest fires listed on the Active Forest Fires page are:

• Fire 135, Conway Lake reported on July 23, 1.4 hectares
• Fire 136 Paradise Lake reported on July 24 , 610 hectares
• Fire 137 Triton Brook/Deer Pond reported on July 24, 29.7 hectares
• Fire 138 Newton Lake reported on July 24, estimated size to be determined
• Fire 139 Bay d'Espoir Highway reported on July 24, 510 hectares
• Fire 140 Newton Lake West reported on July 25, estimated size to be determined

The twitter link from the Newfoundland Labrador Dept of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture includes a map. However, I am not knowledgeable enough about the geography to include a correct image from Google Earth, sorry about that. But you will get an idea of where some of the forest fires are in relation to each other.

Wind and smoke conditions have increased on the Baie D’Espoir Highway (Route 360). The route will remain closed, and a further update will be provided in 2-3 hours. #GovNL @TI_GovNL @JPS_GovNL @VOCMOpenline @GovNL @EddieSheerr pic.twitter.com/GCq6na3Zb7

— Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture NL (@FFA_GovNL) July 25, 2022

When I read in the Active Forest Fires page about the use of water bombing aircraft to work this forest fire, I wanted to see if I could find some videos of Newfoundland Labrador's water bombing aircraft on YouTube to share with you. I do not know if the Province contracts for these aircraft or if they own the aircraft outright. I did find some short videos that I will share with you. The first three short videos are of Canadair CL-415 water bombers working a small forest fire that burned on or about July 17th in Newfoundland. 

The first video is a YouTube short from Colin Lane, there does not seem to be any embed code, but here is a direct link to the video on YouTube.

Here are two more short videos, both under one minute, of  a Newfoundland Labrador CL-415 working the July 17th forest fire. Both videos are from the Newfoundland First Responders.

Direct link to video from Newfoundland First Responders on Youtube

Direct link to video from Newfoundland First Responders on Youtube

The final video, again of a Newfoundland Labradour CL-415 ,was shot in 2020. You will see a CL-415 landing at Gandor International Airport.

Direct link to video from Kyle Jackman

videos of airtankers and a chinook

I don't have to tell you that the 2022 wildfire season is well under way in many parts of the United States, e.g. New Mexico (see Bill Gabbert's May 20th article on Wildfire Today) and Texas (see Bill Gabbert's May 21st article on Wildfire Today). I am sure that many of you have seen various images of airtankers, helicopters and chinooks on social media and news outlets. As I am not in a position at the moment to share reliable information on tankers, helicopters and chinooks on contract, I wanted to do something to acknowledge the important work that they do to support wildland firefighters on the ground, so I am sharing three videos with you.

The first video is a five minute video showcasing Aeroflite's CL-415 Scoopers uploaded by Michael Redwine.

direct link to video on YouTube from Michael Redwine

Here is a short clip of Aeroflite's tanker 160 (RJ85) working a wildfire from Randy Joanson

direct link to video on YouTube from Randy Joanson

And finally a nice 5-minute video of Coulson's Chinooks working wildfires. 

direct link to video on YouTube from Coulson Aviation

Airtankers in Action: CL 215/415 aka Super Scoopers (from 2021)

Enjoy two videos of Super Scoopers in action, both are from the 2021 fire season. For more information and specifications on the different models of CL215/415 aka Super Scoopers, see Viking Aircraft.

I believe that Scooper in the first video was on loan from the Province of Quebec in Canada to Southern California, see Bill Gabbert's September 2021 article on Fire Aviation for more information.

Direct link to video on YouTube

The second and last video is of a Scooper working a fire in Northeast Washington.

Direct link to video on Youtube

Reflections on CL-215.415 amphibious air tankers

I first became acquainted with the CL-215/415 amphibious  air tankers in the spring of 2009 (e.g, see my April 2009 article) shortly after I began writing about aerial wildland firefighting. The CL-215 was built by Canadair, first flew in 1967, This amphibious airtanker scoops water out of a waterbody. The CL-215T was a turboprop version of the CL-215 resulting in an increase in power. In 1986 Canadair soled the manufacturing rights to Bombardier. Based on the success of the CL-215T, Bombardier introduced the CL-415, with two turboprop engines. The CL-415 is often referred to as the “super scooper.” Many of the videos that you might see of these amphibious air tankers around the internet are likely to be CL-415s. I love watch these videos of the CL-215/415 aircraft in action. I have seen videos of these aircraft scooping and working fires, often in pairs, inU.S., Canada, and in Europe. Scoop and drop, scoop and drop.

In November 2016 Bombradier sold the manufacturing rights to Viking Air, see Bill Gabbert’s November 2016 Fire Aviation article for more information and this 2016 press release from Viking Air. Viking’s page on the 415 may be found here. For a discussion of the CL-215T vs the CL-415 including information about the CL-415EAF go here. Bill Gabbert wrote about Viking's CL-415EAF  upgrade in this March 2020 article.

Here is a nice article from yubanet on the visit of one of Aero-Flite’s CL-415s to Grass Valley Airport in June of 2019. I believe that this aircraft was on a call-when-needed contract with the USFS.

Among the operators of the CL-415 that I know of in the United States and Canada are Air Spray, Aero-Flite , and Babcock. In 2016 the United States Forest Service awarded a five year exclusive use contract to Aero-Flite for two of their CL-415s for five years, that contract was cancelled in after the 2017 wildfire season, see Bill Gabbert’s November 29, 2017 Fire Aviation article for more information . I believe, but am not sure, that a couple of Aero-Flite’s 415’s have been under a call-when-needed contract with the USFS in 2018 and 2019.

The Province of Quebec has a fleet of CL-415s, they have leased two of this amphibious aircraft to Los Angeles County each fall for over 25 years, go this September 2019 press release from the County of Los Angeles for more information.

Here are a couple of short videos of CL-415's working fires in Europe:


Direct link to video on Youtube


Direct link to video on Youtube

El Grupo 43 from 2012

This is one of my favarite videos from El Grupo 43 (2012) scenes of their water scoopers, aka Bombardiers CL-415 working wildfires in Europe.



Direct link to video on Vimeo

Scoopers in Spain (2012)

I got sucked into taking care of some important but unexpected personal business that took all day. Literally.. Just done now at a little after 5 pm.

So I am sharing an old favorite video from El Grupo (2012).Enjoy


Direct link to video

Canadair's CL-415 in action

Here are three videos of Canadair's CL-415's. Most of the tankers that you will see are scooping. I don't know about you, but I find watching videos such as these very soothing. Perhaps one day, I'll get to see one in person, close-up.


Direct link to video


Direct link to video


Direct link to video

Scooping Tankers -- CL 415 and Air Tractor-802F Fireboss

I recently came across a nice, short video shot on a Lake near Pateros WA showing two tankers scooping water from the Lake while working the Carlton Complex Fire on July 16, 2014.

The first aircraft you see is probably AeroFlites CL-415 T-260, a new CL-415 that went on contract in May, 2014. For more information on AeroFlites T-260 see Fire Aviation's article of May 8, 2014. It holds 1,600 gallons of water/foam.

The second aircraft looks like an Air Tractor AT-802-F Fireboss, an AT-802F with amphibious flats capable of scooping 800 gallons of water. It is capable of working on the land as well as scooping water.


direct link to video

Aero Flite's CL-415 T-260

For reasons that I'll share momentarily, I have found myself thinking about Aero Flite's CL-415, T-260 (N389AC) that is on contract with the US Forest Service. As you may recall, the US Forest Service awarded a five year contract to Aero-Flite for one CL-415 scooper. The CL-415's tank capacity is 1,600 gallons, see Fire Aviation's 10/29/13 article on the Aero-Flite Contract. 

I know, from Fire Aviation on May 8th, that T-260 worked the wildfires in Oklahoma in early May. Anther media reports on T-260 at the Oklahoma Fires (with pictures) may be found on NewsOk (5/10/14).

I have at least briefly mentioned most (if not all) of what I have written in about T-260 in this article on my Airtankers101 Page. What got me thinking about the CL-415 is a short article that came across my desk a couple of weeks ago from WZZM13 ABC on May 30, 3014 who reported that on May 30th, the CL-415 tanker was stationed in or near the Huron-Manistee National Forests (northern lower peninsula of Michigan). I have been trying, without much success so far, to find out if she is still in the lower peninsula of Michigan. 

I liked thinking about her being here in the east, at least for a short of time. So I felt moved to write this article about her because she was in Michigan ready to work fires. And where ever she is today as I write this, she and her crew are ready to work fires in support of the crews on the ground. To her crew: thank-you and stay safe.

CL-415 super scooper in action

I am taking a day off today to have some fun and play a little. I was looking around for a tanker video to share with you I found the following video through my friends at the New Jersey Forest Fire Service Section B-10's fire videos of the week page. Each week they share four new wildland firefighting videos. Depending on when you read this and access the NJFFS Section B-10 webpage, you may see a new set of videos. If so, they will be worth watching.

This is a nice video, a little under five minutes of a pair of CL-415's working fires and scooping water along with some cool cockpit shots.



Direct link to video