GNWT to buy 8 new Fire Boss aircraft to replace CL-215

[godsrcrazy]

So is this like a childish game. Yesterday you had no idea if this contract was awarded our who to talk to. Today you my as well wrote Na nana na i know something now one else knows.

[cncpc]

I think it'll be a gong show. If we get a community at risk situation, these things will be next to useless.

Do you care to expand or clarify this statement?

I think that these are not machines that are going to make the difference in interface fires because of their limited capacity. I realize that larger aircraft can be in the mix if it develops to that point, but I question if single engine aircraft are going to save endangered communities.

[bigsky]

I think it'll be a gong show. If we get a community at risk situation, these things will be next to useless.

Do you care to expand or clarify this statement?

I think that these are not machines that are going to make the difference in interface fires because of their limited capacity. I realize that larger aircraft can be in the mix if it develops to that point, but I question if single engine aircraft are going to save endangered communities.

I am somewhat surprised that only multi-engine aircaft can save endangered communities.
I shall pass this observation onto my employer and the agencies we work with.

[xsbank]

Curious, my comment was deleted. Its still true, though.

[FAD3C]

I wouldn't bank on Conair getting the contract as it is strictly for NWT companies and Conair is not headquartered in the NWT. It will be interesting to see who gets the contract. I am leaning towards 2, Tindi or NWAL. Regardless of who gets it, it better be announced soon because there is a loooot of work to be done.

[cncpc]

Do you care to expand or clarify this statement?

I think that these are not machines that are going to make the difference in interface fires because of their limited capacity. I realize that larger aircraft can be in the mix if it develops to that point, but I question if single engine aircraft are going to save endangered communities.

I am somewhat surprised that only multi-engine aircaft can save endangered communities.
I shall pass this observation onto my employer and the agencies we work with.

Good. Maybe it's not too late.

[xsbank]

NorthShore, I sent you a PM but I see its sitting in my outbox along with two other mails to others from last Xmas. So I don't know what the problem is or if you will get it. As I can get PMs from you, send me your email and I'll send it to you personally?

[rigpiggy]

I've often said this is the way medevacs should be run. GNWT buy 6 or so B-250/350's run an operations cotract, run them 5yrs/5000hrs, then sell them, and upgrade like the RCMP PC12 fleet

[cncpc]

I've often said this is the way medevacs should be run. GNWT buy 6 or so B-250/350's run an operations cotract, run them 5yrs/5000hrs, then sell them, and upgrade like the RCMP PC12 fleet

I wouldn't dismiss that idea without seeing the numbers, but this may be an offsetting factor.

Private carriers already have a fleet and are committed to at least a medium term investment. Medevac contracts, at least for the winner, provide a sounder economic reason for such companies to be in business. So the government investment in medevac aircraft takes away a source of income from the private fleet, while adding to income from the skill base of pilots, engineers, dispatchers, etc. However, the investment in private aircraft returns considerably less for the operator. As the operator may be vital to community needs for reasons other than medevac, the government may not have acted wisely in so significantly altering that carriers business model.

BC used to own their own fleet. I remember Citations and they had multi roles. I think it was some politics that brought that down, ministers using for private purposes or something.

Arguments for either way.

[rigpiggy]

A lot of the bc medevac problems was pilots on the govt payroll who wanted to be like every other govt. worker ie not work nights, vacations, etc.... this bypasses it by taking them off the govt balance sheet. Just the asset is owned by the govt.

At least this is what PS told me

Alberta was the latest to kill the govt fleet of "executive aircraft" after redfraud was caught "blocking the govt jet" just to have the extra pax mysteriously disappear 30 minutes prior to her highness showing up

[Longtimer]

Buffalo Airways awarded contract to operate N.W.T.'s new water bomber fleet

8 Fireboss aircraft capable of scooping up 3,025 litres of water in 15 seconds

CBC News Posted: Dec 02, 2016 6:35 PM CT| Last Updated: Dec 02, 2016 6:36 PM CT

Buffalo Airways has won a five-year contract to operate eight new aircraft that will help battle — and hopefully slow down — forest fires in the Northwest Territories.

This is at least the second time the territorial government has awarded the contract to the company. It's not clear how much Buffalo is being paid over the course of the contract.
■N.W.T. gov't spends $26M on 8 new Fireboss water bombers

The new Air Tractor 802AF FireBoss planes can operate on land or water — like the C-215s they're replacing — but they're much smaller aircraft, making it possible to land on smaller bodies of water that are potentially closer to the fires they're fighting.
The Fireboss can scoop up to 3,025 litres of water in 15 seconds, 2,000 litres less than the old fleet.

But former minister of environment and natural resources, Wally Schumann, has said it makes more sense to buy the new aircraft than to upgrade the old fleet.

"I think the cost of doing that, from everything I've seen, would have been four times or five times the cost of purchasing these new Firebosses," he said back in February.

The new fleet cost about $26 million.

This is the first time the government has replaced its air tankers. It inherited the fleet of Canadair C-215s, which were introduced in 1969, from the federal government for $1.

Buffalo's contract runs from 2017 through 2021.

[godsrcrazy]

Good to see nothing has changed in the North. Don't get me wrong I like Joe. In my opinion he has a bigger heart then most people see. It does make we wonder how a company can go from losing their O/C etc 1 year ago to winning a contract of this size. Things that make you go hmmmm.

[matt foley]

I am not familiar with the particulars of this contract, however past NWT contracts have been heavily weighted towards northern operators. So much so that "outsiders" need not bother. Call it aviations version of affirmative action.


MF

[godsrcrazy]

I have a hard time believing Buffalo was the only Northern operator that bid on this.

[matt foley]

No he was not. But there would have been a "points system" and being local, having firefighting experience, company infrastructure etc won the contract evidently.

MF