Coulson Aviation's International Operations 2025-26

 As we enter into winter in the northern United States and contractors supplying aerial wildland firefighting aircraft begin winter maintenance on some of their fleet, the southern hemisphere is in late spring and early summer meaning an uptick in bush fires (aka wildfires). I am grateful that Coulson Aviation is among the wildfire aviation operators in the United States that has an international presence. In particular, Coulson has a presence in South America and Australia in addition to their presence in the U.S  To the best of my knowledge Coulson has been in Australia and South America for at least a couple of years. For example, in July 2024 Coulson entered into a 10 year contract with the New South Wales Rural Fire Service in Australia to manage, operate, and maintain thier fleet of 11 aircraft used to fight bushfires  This 11 aircraft fleet includes a 737 Fireliner a CH-47 Chinook, smaller helicopters and lead planes. 

The CH-47 Chinook based in New South Wales is equipped with night vision capabilities 

Within the last couple of days one of Coulson's 737s touched down in Chile for their summer bush fire season to support the firefighters on the ground and help protect residences and businesses on the ground 

Coulson Aviation Contracts in South America and Australia

One of the aviation contractors with contracts with the U.S. Forest Fire Service is Coulson Aviation, a division of Coulson Group. Not only does Coulson have a ten year contract with the U.S. Forest Fire Service signed in 2023, but Coulson also has a contract to supply year-round helitankers and helicopters to the Southern California Counties of Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura through 2024 with an option for 2025. As I am sure that many of you who are regular readers and follow aerial wildland firefighting through other sources know, Coulson is also active outside the United States and Canada in Australia and South America. Information on Coulson's fleet may be found here. Coulson has a good presence on social media, both the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook. At the time I write this the X platform requires an account while Coulson's Facebook page does not.

In addition to embedding posts from Coulson's account on the X platform (formerly Twitter), I am including direct links to Coulson's press releases to provide you with direct access to these news releases without having to use the links, one is a shortened URL, in the post to the X platform. 

In July 2024, Coulson entered into a ten-year contract with New South Wales in Australia including a Boeing 737 Fireliner, a Chinook helitanker, six helicopters and two Cessna Citations. Coulson's news media release on this contract may be found here. Aerial Fire has good coverage of aerial firefighting operations, you may want to read their article on Coulson's contract with New South Wales.

Press Release: Coulson Aviation secures a 10-year contract with Australia’s @NSWRFS to manage, operate, and maintain the fleet, supporting a robust response to the fire seasons. Read the full release online: https://t.co/QxGiYgEDLg pic.twitter.com/GKheeVByD4

— Coulson Aviation (@CoulsonAviation) July 15, 2024

In November 2023 Coulson signed a three-year contract with Chili in South America for a C-130H Hercules large airtanker and a Citation 550 air attack plane. On November 24, 2024, this contract to include a Boeing 737 Fireliner. You may read Coulson's press release on this 2024 contract extension with Chili here. Aerial Fire has also written about this contract, go here to read their article.

Press Release: Coulson Aviation extends aerial firefighting support to South America with a new contract in Chile for the Boeing 737 FireLiner™. Read the full release online: https://t.co/6WjI4QZ9vG pic.twitter.com/r8RnWYOsQm

— Coulson Aviation (@CoulsonAviation) November 25, 2024

Coulson 737 Fireliner Tanker 22 arrives in Argentina

Direct link to video from Coulson Aviation on YouTube

While looking at some of my social media feed related to aerial wildland firefighting this morning, I came across an article in Aviacionline (english feed) dated sometime in late December 2023 that Coulson Aviation delivered one of their Boeing 737 Fireliners to Argentina, South America. This is the first airtanker that a South American country has purchased. This 737 Fireliner is fully renovated and tanked and ready to go. The Aviacionline article about the purchase of the Coulson Boeing 737 Fireliner may be found here. 

Coulson has a short video reel about the arrival of their 737 Fireliner, known as tanker 22, on their Facebook page, dated December 24, 2023. I am sorry that due to restrictions I am unable to embed the video, I hope that you all take a few moments and go to the link and take a look at tanker 22, she is a nice looking air tanker.

Coulson Aviation Secured Three Year Contract in Chili

 

In a November 14th press release, Coulson Aviation announced that they have a three-year contract in Chili for firefighting. Specifically the contract covers a Lockheed C-130H and a Citation 550 air attack. The C-130H can carry up to 4,000 gallons of retardant. The Citation air attack plane works with the C-130H over wildfires. Here is an excerpt from Coulson's press release:

Coulson Aviation is pleased to announce it has been awarded a three-year firefighting contract with Chile’s Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF) for a C-130H Hercules Large AirTanker and a Citation 550 air attack lead plane with its partner BRYSA. 

“We are honored to continue supporting Chile with our aircraft,” said Britton Coulson, President and COO, Coulson Aviation. “We have been successfully fighting fires in Chile for the past three years with our Boeing CH-47D’s and Lockheed C-130H’s with great success. This new contract solidifies Coulson’s presence with the largest airtanker in the country. It also recognizes the value our C-130 and Citation 550 working together to provide an efficient and productive aerial firefighting response.” 

About aerial firefighting in Sweden

 It is interesting how things happen. As I was out on my walk this morning I found myself thinking about aerial firefighting in other parts of the world. I know that aerial resources are used in globally with some companies such as Coulson and Conair supplying airtankers and helicopters to Australia and perhaps other countries in the southern hemisphere during their summer (our winter in northern climes). I know that countries in Europe user smaller air tankers so I was delighted to find a video from Saab in Sweden. You will hear  Éder Navacerrada discuss how aerial firefighting works in Sweden. It is not that different from what happens in the United States. But I enjoyed hearing about aerial firefighting in Sweden. You might want to go to the direct link below and read the about this video section for a little more information.

The video was uploaded two years ago is less than nine minutes, enjoy.

Direct link to video from Saab on YouTube

Erickson Aircrane (2022)

After I devoted this blog to aerial wildland firefighting and related issues in early 2009 it did not take me long to learn about the Erickson Aircrane. Over thirteen years later, I still enjoy watching videos of the Aircrane working wildfires or performing other heavy lift activities. Erickson has a nice webpage chock full of information. If you go their page on their aviation fleet you will see a link for specifications on the S-64E with a link (pdf file) for technical and performance information for the S-64E. Here is an overview of the specifications for the S-64E:

• power plant: 2 pratt and whitney JFTD12A-4A 
• 2 to 3 crew
• fuselage length 70 ft (21.3 meters)
• Maximum external cargo: 20,000 lbs (9,072 kg)
• max speed: 115 kts.
• max range: 217 NM

Mission specific equipment includes but is not limited to:

• hoists
• night vision goggles
• fire tank
• foam cannon
• sea snorkle
• pond snorkle

According to Erickson's aerial firefighting webpage the Aircrane has been used for aerial firefighting by these U.S. agencies and international agencies:

• SDGE (San Diego Gas and Electric)
• Los Angeles City Fire (California)
• U.S. Forest Service
• Oregon Department of Forestry
• California Deptartment of Forestry and Fire Protection
• Hellenic Fire Service (Greece)
• The National Aerial Firefighting Center (Australia)
• Forestal Arauco S.A. (Chile)

Erickson's aerial firefighting webpage has some short case study write-ups of some past seasons around the world along with a nice photo gallery.

Here a couple of videos I found to share with you. The first video shows an Aircrane working a wildfire in Greece.

Direct link to video from gvlacom on YouTube

The last video is from Australia.

Direct link to video from Ian Fuller on Youtube

Highlights of air tankers and Helicopters working wildfires (2021-2022)

I am taking the opportunity on this Friday in early August to share three short videos with you of helicopters and  air tankers working wildfires.

First up is a video shot in August 2021 of four helicopters dipping in support of wildland firefighters in South Africa.

Direct link to video by Jonathan Endersby on Youtube

Next is a short video from April 2022 of aerial firefighting in Greece.

Direct link to video by Endless Aviation on Youtube

Finally from Montana where the Elmo Fire has burned 21,182 acres at the time I write this post, you will see an August 3rd report from KPAX TV on the Elmo Fire highlighting some of the air tankers used in support of the wildland firefighters on the ground.

Direct link to video from KPAX TV on YouTube

2022 wildfire season: Coulson Aviation in Chile with Dawn Blumberg

Coulson Aviation works in Chile over their summer, our winter in the United States. At this time of year, I am always interested in fire season in the southern hemisphere. I also try to keep a look out for female pilots in fire aviation. Coulson has video that addresses both points, a C-130 tanker working in Chile and one of her pilots, Dawn Blumberg. It is a very short video, just under a minute. I post it here to support Dawn Blumberg and all women in fire aviation. I wish Coulson's C-130, 132CG, and her crew and support staff a safe fire season in Chile. Dawn has been flying C-130's since 2007 with over 3,500 hours and has been fighting fires in the C-130 for four years.

Direct link to video by Coulson Aviation on YouTube

2021 wildfire season: Coulson Aviation highlight video

I think that Coulson does a good job with their videos of their fleet. I always enjoy their videos and  I enjoyed watching their four minute video "Coulson Aviation - 2021 in Review. I hope that you enjoy the video.

Direct link to video from Coulson Aviation on YouTube

2021 wildfire season: wildfires in Spain

 The end of last week and over the weekend, I learned of at least one wildfire in Spain that resulted in one death and multiple evacuations. I understand that the military has been brought in to assist in the firefighting efforts and it looks like there is air support as well.  Thanks to Mike Archer's Wildfire News of the Day Newsletter and NJ Forest Fire Service Section B10"s daily videos for pointing out these wildfires to me. Here is a news article from The Guardian (Sept 13th) Here is an excerpt from the article: 

Almost 1,000 firefighters and emergency workers are battling one of the most intractable Spanish wildfires in recent years as the blaze rages for a sixth day, after devouring at least 7,400 hectares (18,285 acres) of land in the southern region of Andalucía and forcing the evacuation of more than 2,600 people. ... 

Hot and dry temperatures combined with strong winds have created a perfect storm, turning the blaze into a “hungry monster”, according to Alejandro García, Infoca’s deputy operational chief. “The potency and strength of this wildfire is unusual for the kind of blazes that we are used to seeing in this country,” he told reporters on Sunday.

Direct link to YouTube Video

September 15, 2021 I believe but am not certain that this fire has been brought under control, see this short article from Bloomberg News

Coulson Aviation: Scenes from Chile

 I have recently been writing about Coulson Aviation's operations in Chile (February 10th and February 12th), today I will wrap up this short series about Coulson's operations in Chile by sharing some of Coulson's Facebook posts. They are also posting about their operations in Australia. If you have difficulty with the embedded posts or you prefer not to disable any tracking extensions, I hope that the direct link below each of the embedded posts will work, depending on your browser it may not work, I am sorry if that is the case.

Direct link to post on Facebook

Direct link to post on Facebook

Direct link to post on Facebook

Direct link to post on Facebook

2021 wildfire season: Argentina, Patagonia Mountains (El Bolson)

I have recently been reflecting on the knowledge that in the southern hemisphere it is high summer and with that wildfire season. I immediately turned to Mike Archer's wonderful five day a week e-mail newsletter, Wildfire News of the Day,  if you are so inclined, and I would recommend subscribing, you may go here to subscribe. Mike includes international wildfire news, so I have easy access to some media reports. I have been thinking about South America, so this seemed like a good place to start. Just today, he reported on a large fire that soon burned approximately10,000 hectares (27,415 acres) near the town of El Bolson in the Patagonia Mountains was apparently started by accident as a result of an outdoor neighborhood barbecue on Sunday, January 24th. According the article (in Spanish) included in today's Wildfire News of the Day, Clarin (January 27th), this is the largest wildfire of record in the region. Note that I do not speak Spanish, so I rely on Google Translate for a Spanish to English translation. I found a short video which, according to the about page, seems to be footage of this fire near El Bolson. The video below appears to be from a media outlet, El Trece, in Argentina. While the video is in spanish, there is good fire footage so I thought it would be a good video to share with you. At about 1 minute 40 seconds you will see what appears to be an Air Tractor SEAT making a drop.

Direct link to video on Youtube (January 26th) from El Trece