Coulson Aviation Aerial Fire Power in Chile

Chile’s Coulson Aviation contracted aircraft are in place and ready for the fire season. This is Coulson’s third consecutive year of aerial firefighting operations in Chile. 

Coulson has six aircraft on contract in Chile operating with three different agencies. Five rotary aircraft: two Chinooks, two S61 Sikorskys, and a Blackhawk. One fixed wing aircraft: C-130 Hercules Airtanker. 

Coulson Aviation’s Partners in Chile

CMPC has also contracted the mighty Coulson CH-47D (Reg. N49CU) with it’s nearly 10,000 litre retardant capacity, and it will be returning to Trilahue airport. A second Chinook will be based at Angol air base. 

ARAUCO has two S61 Helitankers and a Blackhawk which will be based at Talca as an Aerial Taskforce, providing an aggregated total capacity of 11,500 litres.

CONAF has contracted a C-130 Hercules Large Air Tanker. The C-130 known as “Ty” is part of President Piñera’s National Forest Fire Protection Plan, and is the largest aircraft CONAF will be employing this fire season. The Large Airtanker will be based at the Vina del Mar operating from the Torquemada aerodrome and will be able to fly in the entire national territory air space.    

Coulson has again partnered with Chile-based PESCO, which provides local management, logistics and facilities support to the teams working in Chile’s major fire operations

Chile Meet “Ty”

C-130 Ty is new to Chile. Ty was commissioned as an aerial bomber after undergoing a large conversion in 2020. It first flew as a firefighting large air tanker in Australia during the 2020/21 summer and went on to fly fires in California before being contracted into Chile. The C-130 has a capacity of 15,000 litres and is one of the world’s most powerful aerial firefighting aircraft due to its range and versatility. See Ty’s unveiling video below (R/H).