Pictured above: Kevin Lemke, Executive Vice President & COO of Cascade Aerospace (left) and David Curtis, Chairman of Longview Aviation Capital (right), sign the contract for training and technical services in support of the CL-415EAF Enhanced Aerial Firefighter Turbine Conversion Program.
Abbotsford, BC, August 10th, 2018: Longview Aviation Capital of Victoria, British Columbia, in cooperation with Viking Air Limited, has signed a contract with Cascade Aerospace of Abbotsford, British Columbia to provide training and resources in support of the Viking CL-415EAF (“Enhanced Aerial Firefighter”) Conversion Program.
Longview Aviation Capital selected Cascade to provide assistance with the Viking CL-415EAF conversion program in order to leverage Cascade’s previous experience converting nine Canadair CL-215 firefighting aircraft to CL-215T turbine configuration for the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The initial Viking CL-415EAF turbine conversion will be conducted at Cascade’s facilities at the Abbotsford International Airport, and is scheduled to commence in September 2018. Cascade will provide training to Longview observers during the initial conversion at their Abbotsford facilities, and will send support staff to provide on-site training at Longview’s facilities in Calgary, Alberta for the second and subsequent CL-415EAF conversions.
“Cascade is both well-respected and well-established in the aerial firefighting community. We’re confident their proven track record as a 214/415 Centre of Excellence converting Canadair CL-215 aircraft to turbine configuration will contribute to the on-time delivery of the initial CL-415EAF Enhanced Aerial Firefighter,” said David Curtis, Chairman of Longview Aviation Capital. “This is a complex modification, and their expertise will lend itself to the development of the broader conversion program as a whole.”
Kevin Lemke, Executive Vice President and COO of Cascade Aerospace, voiced his support for this program - “I’m enthusiastic that Cascade can offer Longview and Viking, two Western-Canadian companies, the advantages we’ve developed over hundreds of thousands of hours of experience working on CL-215 aircraft. We’ve enjoyed many years of successful collaboration with Viking over the years on other programs and look forward to many more on this specialized Canadian platform. I’m confident that Cascade’s honed expertise in the conversion process will substantively contribute to the success of the new Viking CL-415EAF program.”
The CL-415EAF turbine conversion program is based on the Canadair CL-215T configuration, and encompasses installation of two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW 123AF turboprop engines, integration of a new digital avionics suite, installation of six new aircraft structures including winglets and finlets, upgraded power-assist flight controls, installation of a new power distribution system along with complete rewiring of the aircraft, and incorporation of seventy-five Service Bulletins associated with the CL-215T conversion kit.
To initiate the conversion program, Longview is hiring up to 150 technical and support staff members at its Calgary facilities, where eleven specially selected CL-215 aircraft will undergo modification to CL-415EAF configuration utilizing Viking-supplied conversion kits.
The turbine conversion kits will be developed and produced at Viking’s facilities at the Victoria International Airport, where Viking has already hired 50 employees in support of the program.
The Viking CL-415EAF Conversion Program forms part of a staged approach to utilize the advancements made with the Longview converted aircraft as the basis for the proposed Viking CL-515 new-production amphibious aerial firefighting aircraft.
Pictured above from left: Dominique Spragg, Viking Vice-President Strategic Planning, Rick Renard, Cascade Senior Director Business Development, His Worship Henry Braun, Mayor of Abbotsford, Kevin Lemke, Executive Vice President & COO of Cascade Aerospace, David Curtis, Chairman of Longview Aviation Capital, and Jim Quick, President & CEO of Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) are photographed on Cascade’s ramp in front of a Longview CL-415EAF Enhanced Aerial Firefighter Turbine Conversion candidate.
Pictured above: Two of Longview’s eleven Canadair CL-215 aircraft that are destined for CL-415EAF Enhanced Aerial Firefighter Turbine Conversion, photographed on ramp at Viking Air Limited’s facilities at Victoria International Airport.
About Cascade Aerospace:
Cascade Aerospace, an operating unit of IMP Aerospace & Defence, is a leading Canadian specialty aerospace contractor that provides aircraft fleet support and program management, aircraft maintenance, modification, engineering & integrated logistics support to domestic and international military, government, and commercial customers.
About Longview Aviation Capital:
In 2018, Longview Aviation Capital, in partnership with Viking, formally launched the CL-415EAF “Enhanced Aerial Firefighter” aircraft conversion program. The CL-415EAF combines the proven performance of the CL-215 airframe with modern upgrades to create the next generation of the world’s only purpose-built aerial firefighter and multi-mission amphibious platform. For additional information, please visit www.lvav.ca.
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Information:
David Curtis
Chairman
Phone: +1.778.351.1540
Email: dcurtis@lvav.ca
Media Contact:
Angela Murray
Corporate Communications
Phone: +1.250.656.7227
Email: angie.murray@vikingair.com