Ten year Australian contract for Coulson Aviation
US company Coulson Aviation has announced it has secured a ten-year contract to provide aerial firefighting services in Australia’s New South Wales (NSW). The contract is valued at USD 400 million.
In the previous five years Coulson had already managed the majority of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) aircraft fleet. So, with its over sixty-years of worldwide experience in aerial firefighting, Coulson has been a logical choice for the NSW RFS.
The Coulson team will oversee a fleet of eleven aircraft, including a 737 Fireliner Large Airtanker (LAT), two Cessna Citations, six Bell 412 helicopters, a CH-47 Chinook, and a Beechcraft Super King Air. The focus on employing primarily Australian crews will enhance NSW’s self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on international personnel. In coordination with the NSW RFS, Coulson will conduct rigorous training sessions and thorough equipment inspections as a proactive measure to reduce the devastating impact of bushfires and safeguard communities.
The contract includes expanding the apprenticeship programme to develop the next generation of aviation personnel in NSW. A minimum of two mechanical apprentices will be part of the aviation team, providing them with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with firefighting aircraft.
Coulson Aviation recently became the first aviation firm approved by Transport Canada as an Approved Training Organization (ATO), allowing the company to train technician candidates who can earn while they learn. The plan is to expand this model into NSW, attracting new technicians and training them specifically for the utility aviation environment and to continually develop a well-trained workforce. Additionally, collaboration with local schools will further grow and sustain this initiative.
During the 2022-23 bushfire season, RFS aircraft managed by Coulson Aviation completed over 340 missions and rescued 113 people. The RFS’s 737 Fireliner N138CG Marie Bashir was deployed 41 times, dropping over 600,000 liters of retardant. The fleet also supported other emergency services such as flood rescues.
Photo: Coulson Aviation