Gone are the days of the red and white water-bombing aircraft. It’s official: the Civil Protection Service’s seven Trackers will no longer be flying. A problem with the landing gear, which is beyond repair due to the aircraft’s age, has prompted the Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Crisis Management (DGSCGC) to permanently ground them.
From now on, only four Dash 8s and twelve Canadairs will be used to fight the forest fires. The French fleet of water-bombing aircraft (ABE) is set to be bolstered by four further Dash 8s by 2023. Pending their delivery, the government has not ruled out the possibility of leasing additional aircraft or helicopters to cope with the coming season.