For the past three years, the Conair RJ85 has traveled from its home hangar at Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, to New South Wales, Australia, to support government agency partners and local firefighters in protecting communities and natural resources from wildfires during their summer season.
The four-engine jet aircraft has excellent low-speed and high-speed performance capabilities, making it ideal for almost any terrain, whether in an Initial Attack capacity or supporting sustained suppression missions.
When contracts complete each year, the aircraft undergoes a comprehensive maintenance program. In late September, the RJ85 aerial firefighter heads south, taking off to battle bushfires in the southern hemisphere until February.
They know this multi-million dollar machine intimately, having flown critical and challenging missions at its controls for years. Safety is paramount in this unique industry. In addition to aircraft systems instruction and RJ85 simulator training in fire suppression tactics, pilots learn about the mechanics of fighting fires, from strategy to fire behavior, fire weather, and human factors such as fatigue.
The RJ85 team knows the aircraft inside and out. They are tight, supporting each other during missions and while on the ground, forming a small family bubble while away from home for months at a time positioned remotely at bases. Parts required are either shipped or carried on board the aircraft. With COVID this year, the team has been proactively planning, anticipating potential supply delays and longer shipping times. These specialized individuals are experts in the RJ85 as an aircraft and in the specifications of the modified RJ85 as an air tanker.
