Maritime Patrol Aircraft Fly Under COASTWATCH Contract
At a ceremony this week at Field Aviation's Toronto airport
facilities, the company delivered the tenth Bombardier Dash 8
Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) to its long-standing customer,
Surveillance Australia.
"This is a significant milestone for Field Aviation as an
organization; it is also fitting that this event takes place during
our company's 60th year in business as an aircraft modifier," said
Joar Gronlund, vice-president of business development at Field.
Field's relationship with Surveillance Australia goes back 15
years when the two companies teamed up in preparation for the
Australian Government's COASTWATCH contract. This team was
instrumental in Surveillance Australia being awarded the first
COASTWATCH contract in 1994, and Field Aviation the accompanying
modification contract.
The first three Dash 8 MPAs were delivered by Field to
Surveillance Australia in 1996, and two more followed in 2000.
These five aircraft have over the last 12 years flown more than
75,000 hours and completed 12,000 surveillance missions, with each
aircraft providing more than 2,000 surveillance hours per
year.
The collaboration was maintained for the Australian government's
re-tender of the civil surveillance contract in 2004. The winning
bid from Surveillance Australia included Field contracted to modify
the five additional Dash 8 aircraft that have just been completed,
as well as providing upgrade kits for the original five.
"The successful operation of the Dash 8 MPAs in Australia has
not gone unnoticed," says Gronlund. "Our international customer
list for Dash 8 MPAs has now grown, with the addition of US Customs
and Border Protection, the Swedish Coast Guard, Japanese Coast
Guard and the Icelandic Coast Guard. The number of Dash 8 MPAs
deliveries will reach 23 within the next two years based on current
orders, and we are still counting."
The Dash 8 MPA capability has been constantly upgraded by Field
Aviation since the first units were delivered 11 years ago, and new
features, such as an air-operable rear door for paratroopers and
rescue equipment, have been added to the options list. Current Dash
8 MPAs are evenly divided between the Series 200 and the larger
Series 300 aircraft, but Field is also adapting the MPA
modifications to the newer and larger Dash 8 Q400 aircraft for
those customers that require the higher payload and increased
cruise speed.
Surveillance Australia specializes in surveillance-related
aviation services, primarily serving the Australian Customs Service
COASTWATCH program, the largest civilian aerial surveillance
program in the world. A 12-year surveillance contract, valued at 1
billion Australian dollars was awarded to Surveillance Australia in
early 2006, and 10 Dash 8 MPAs will be dedicated to this contract
as of January 1, 2008.