Bombardier is hoping the scheduled service introduction next year with the Greek air force of the multi-purpose (MP) derivative of its 415 amphibian will revitalise sales, allowing production to restart.
The company is pursuing new 415MP orders and conversions of existing aircraft, and "hopes to have some new programmes announced in the near future", says Tom Appleton, president Bombardier Amphibious Aircraft. He says countries in the Mediterranean, the South China Sea, the Baltic and North America, plus Australia, are potential customers.
The first 415MP made its maiden flight in March and is believed to be a modified Greek air force aircraft, though Bombardier is unable to confirm its European launch customer's identity. Greece operates 10 415s and plans to convert a second of its amphibians to the MP configuration.
Bombardier says it must produce around six amphibians a year to sustain the 415 line economically. It has built 56 aircraft, mainly for firefighting. Another two unsold aircraft are in final assembly after which production will be suspended to allow orders to catch up with the inventory.
As well as firefighting, the 415MP can be used for maritime surveillance, search and rescue, environmental monitoring and coastal patrol. It is equipped with twin Ericsson side-looking radar antennas mounted on the aft fuselage, a nose-mounted Honeywell Primus 660 radar, a FLIR Systems Sea FLIR forward-looking infrared imager under the wing and a Swedish Space MSS5000 data-management system.
Source: Flight International