Flying Colours Corp (FCC) will modify six production Q400MR aircraft to support multipurpose missions for Conair, which provides fixed-wing aerial firefighting aircraft. The contract will be fulfilled over “the next several years”, with the first aircraft due to arrive at FCC’s facility in St Louis, Missouri, in March 2018.
FCC will engineer, fabricate, install, certify and complete four interiors, enabling each aircraft to be switched quickly in line with the mission. For passenger-only missions, the cabin will accommodate 64 passengers. In freighter mode it will have room for nine tons of cargo.
The medevac cabin will fit six stretchers, associated medical equipment and a clinical team. Finally, a combined passenger/cargo cabin will accommodate freight and 19 passengers. A customized Inmarsat Cobham Aviator 700 system will be installed, enabling communications and connectivity that can be adapted for each mission.
“This is the first time that a Q400 has had all these interior types configured for a single fuselage,” said Sean Gillespie, executive vice president at FCC. “It’s a unique project and we are delighted to have been awarded the contract.”
The aircraft will also feature an upgraded version of Conair’s Retardant Delivery System – it will carry more water or retardant than its current 10,000L capacity. It will be possible to remove and install the tank in the field within a few hours.
“This is a very important project for Conair Group as it maximizes the potential of the interior of the aircraft while maintaining its exceptional ability as an aerial firefighting aircraft,” said Barry Marsden, chairman and CEO at Conair. “We selected FCC as it is renowned for its flexibility and expertise in missionizing aircraft to very particular cabin specifications.”
February 21, 2017
