Fighting Quebec Wildfires! Bridger Aerospace CL-215T action in Maniwaki (YMW / CYMW)

A special thanks to the amazing people at Maniwaki airport and at Bridger Aerospace!
I have seen Quebec and Newfoundland CL2T's, this is my first time seeing an for-profit airline CL2T!
I like the very fitting livery.
Welcome to Maniwaki airport (YMW / CYMW). This small regional airport located only 97 km north of Ottawa has become an important base for the aerial fire fighting against the wildfires in Quebec.
Unfortunately due to the worse than usual wildfires across Canada, our normal aerial firefighting groups have been very busy and more spread out. In response, Bridger Aerospace was chartered out to aid our Quebec firefighters.
The Quebec Government operates a fleet of 14 CL-215's and CL-415 which have been battling the fires across the province for weeks now!
Bridger Aerospace is based in Belgrade, Montana. They were founded in 2014 to support front-line firefighters. They have one of the largest fleets of CL-215's in the United States! They operate 6 CL-215T scoopers, 4 Kodiak 100, 4 Twin Commanders, 3 PC-12's and 1 DHC-6 Twin Otter.
Bridger Aerospace has been operating these missions out of Maniwaki for about a week now. They normally fly 4 hours at a time before being refuelled in Val-d'Or (YVO) and then they depart back to the fires again.
The PC-12 is used for fire mapping and aerial coordination. The aircraft provides air support to all the different aircraft that are around a wildfire.
After 4 hours or so, the aircraft will fly to Val-d'Or for refuelling.
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ATC Included!
Airport: Maniwaki Regional Airport - YMW / CYMW
Airline: Bridger Aersopace
Aircraft: Canadair CL-215T (CL-415EAF) / Quest Kodiak 100 (K100) / Pilatus PC-12/47 (PC120
Registration: N203KQ (K100), N851EB (PC12), N418BT, N415BT, N417BT, N422BT (CL2T)
Runways used: 03
Date: June 14 2023
This is not your video, please do not use, download or re-publish without my permission or consent.
© CYUL Plane Spotter / © Mark Brandon
All rights reserved Mark Brandon 2023

[@CraigAllen-re9bf]

One of the best fire fighting platforms being made

[@stevenandrews6627]

Excellent post Mark! One of the best posts of the Super Scoopers up close and personal I've seen .👍👍👍

[@zachboyd4749]

I used to be an intern at Bridger. I’ve cleaned every one of those Kodiaks and Commanders, as well as 281 and 282. They were the only two 415s we had at the time!

[@normramsay7029]

A few years ago one of them filled up just in front of our cottage. There were two of them and they came around twice. WOW!

[@stephenwebber3076]

Great video Mark, my cottage is just south of Maniwaki and we see them fly over our lake all to frequently these days

[@therealjplavoie]

same here, cottage in Messines (bluesea lake) and see them all the time

[@afrahhussain8636]

Brilliant video! Thanks.

[@andrelabonte2294]

Thanks to all involved in helping put the large forest fires in Canada ☮️🇨🇦

[@MrWireguy]

Supperb video and sound. Thanks for shaing !

[@abrahamlincol4123]

lovely video

[@CDNCasanova]

Owning 75% of the world's lakes, but not having enough water bombers to support each province is devastating. Waterton was destroyed in 2017, and now Jasper is about to be.

[@viperq]

Wow what a treat.

[@ramonaresteguigomez3844]

Que impresionantes imágenes, quedé hipnotizado, muchas gracias y felicitaciones.

[@dagger4146]

Those CL-215T's are turboprop conversions using the original 215 airframe. Converted at Viking in Calgary (the old Field Aviation location)

[@Mikishots]

Designated CL-415EAF

[@CraigAllen-re9bf]

They take out the old school radial engines and convert to modern engines

[@dagger4146]

@@Mikishots Interesting !

[@michaelmcclure6972]

Not sure if Bridger is the company that supply's them but always happy to see these planes arrive to help in Southern California when our fire season really heats up at the end of the summer. Always flying in a pair and putting in the work.

[@zachboyd4749]

Yep, those are Bridger’s planes and crews. They’re great guys, I used to work for them, and they take their job very seriously. The planes are very well maintained and always ready to go!

[@chartphred1]

The design of this aircraft is pretty unique. Especially with all the vertical surfaces. It not only has a giant slab of a tail, but they still thought it needed even more vertical surfaces on the tailplane and wingtips. That must make for one hell of a directional aircraft!

[@Wolfhound_81]

The amoumt of turbulent air over a raging wildfire can't be fathomed by mere mortals / pilots IMO

[@douglasgerrard7391]

They are very short airframes, hence the need of extra vertical stability.

[@zachboyd4749]

I worked there, and I always said they looked like a mutated PBY…

[@patricioherrerao.9311]

CL-415EAF Un gran avión anfibio el mejor para el combate de los incendios forestales junto con los CL-215 CL-215T y CL-415

[@Not_So_Weird_in_Austin]

Great airplane thanks for showing its capabilites

[@VOTEREPUBLICANS594]

Outstanding

[@gerardjohnson2106]

When that Pilatus PC12 took off, I could hear war drums. The drums got louder as each of the 4) CL215 got airborne. You gotta know those pilots are taking their machines into battle. Even without incoming ordinance, it is war.

[@MedPig]

Gorgeous planes. I always loved this design. When not being used to fight fires, the boat hull design would make for a relatively badass fishing/camper design. Fly into some remote lake, drop a line, relax…

[@grahammonk8013]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Global_Explorer

[@grahammonk8013]

It is a descendant of the Catalina. That was a nice looking plane.

[@heli-crewhgs5285]

Writing words like ‘badass’ makes you appear to be stupid.

[@mothmagic1]

Much respect and admiration for the crews of the fire bombing trade. They know very well that their lives are at risk every time they go out but they still do it. Brave people in one of the two most dangerous civil aviation activities, the other being crop dusting. I think at least on life is lost to each of them every year.

[@ivanlussich8146]

Splendid video. We do have forest fires here in Uruguay, specially in summer (Dec thru March).

[@anonymos59]

Are the CL 215s being produced nowadays?

[@Chuck59ish]

215s have the radial engine and the 415 is a turbo prop. There is refit kit to bring the 215 up to 215T standards. The Bridger aircraft are Cl-415 EAFs. The new aircraft from Viking, the CL-515, are supposed to come off the line in 2025, but they're all going to Europe, no Canadian order yet, but that may change soon. According to CBC report some of the CL-215s are close to 50 years old. Not to be nasty, but everything the Americans do is for profit. That the neat about turboprops, you can back them just like your car, did it many times with the CC-130 Hercules at CFB Trenton and on deployments in places like Thule AD in Greenland on OP BOXTOP missions.

[@Chuck59ish]

@@MITBT-sr5py Enhanced Aerial Firefighter, Bridger is the launch customer, only 3 made so far, all for Bridger.

[@MarkBrandonAviation]

Hello. I did hear about the CL-515’s, I wouldn’t be surprised if Quebec orders a few. These are all registered as CL-215T’s (according to the FAA) but have been upgraded to CL-415EAF it seems. I was told some of Bridger’s CLs were actually built as CL-215P but have been completely upgraded once they joined the Bridger fleet.

[@Chuck59ish]

@@MarkBrandonAviation If you at the footage you shot in the cockpit it shows on the control yoke it says 415EAF. And in the Wikipedia article Bridger owns the only 6 CL-415EAFs.

[@rogerhuber3133]

Wonderful video! Such neat looking planes. Do the black and white bands have any significance?

[@midcoasttractorservice9182]

I live near St.Louis Missouri and visibility from this smoke was a half mile.

[@av8rshane491]

I like the quick break to the Heavy C one five oh.

[@seanmarr6029]

The Kodiak is powered by the PT6A-34 assembled in Lethbridge Alberta

[@zedostenso3069]

Why the United States registration?

[@boikebeagle]

The first plane does have FF ability?

[@gillesblanchard1699]

They look like a copy of the Canadair CL-415?

[@LokiOdinson-fz8ps]

seriously?????

[@jesusgomezcanada7169]

Cierto, muchas veces creemos que sabemos algo y la practica demuestra que no es así

[@rbrown735]

Pretty sure those are CL415 turbo props, not CL215 Piston engines,,,,duh?

[@zbigniewteterycz1571]

SUPER MATERIAŁ . POZDRAWIAM .

[@70torinogt70]

We should have 50 of these for canada 25 for west n east then combine them like this year fires so many .

[@outlawflyer7868]

Why isn't the Martin Mars being used?

[@johnbernard204]

7 where built and only 1 left. 1942 plane outdated

[@jasonb1414]

She was also sold to a museum. The upkeep was too much the company and no one wanted her anymore. Saw her when burnsbogg was on fire and she buzzed my house.

[@viscount757]

Reference to PW100 engines at 0:47 should read turboprop not turbofan.

[@MarkBrandonAviation]

You are absolutely right. That’s my mistake. Thank you!

[@alexaltrichter1597]

That little 150 Cessna had some real bad front wheel wobble. Something must be wore out or the brakes are messed up.

[@REDMAN298]

nose wheels don`t have brakes

[@Bimmerguy88]

Man, what a unique, tough,Beautiful looking Airplane! I grew up watching a cartoon called "Tailspin" And one of the main caracters flew a yellow twin engine float-plane i think was kinda similar to these! Needless to say, I have always been partial to Float-Planes just for their unique ability to land on water or a regular runway! There are so many more possibilities! :D

[@smeefamily54]

We need more of these planes spread out all over Canada for emergencies like these fires.

[@amarildooctacilio9589]

Show 👏👏👏 Marília SP Brasil

[@bigdthetowguy4341]

im pretty sure those are cl 415 not 215 as 215 was piston pounder not turbo prop

[@Stubby0266]

Turbofan???

[@hdlim8753]

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, there are currently 492 active fires across the country. these plane doesn't fight fire? why they are still on the ground?

[@MarkBrandonAviation]

This is literally a video of them departing, what are you talking about?

[@MidnightVisions]

Why are there invasion stripes on the planes?

[@MarkBrandonAviation]

The stripes on the back of the aircraft serve as a salute to all the men and women in the US military.

[@irvan36mm]

Also 79th anniversary of D-Day

[@colinkobel2868]

You have obviously never worked a fire. Those stripes make their visibility in the smoke!

[@MarkBrandonAviation]

@@colinkobel2868 the yellow paint is to be visible. I spoke with the crew about the stripes on the back of the aircraft. The owner of the company served in the military.

[@J30Vampire]

Im curious who told you these were 215's? when i seen the thumbnail i had to have a look.. as most of the 215s are worn out now.. these are CL-415's. It says so on the yoke. and Bridger only owns 415's no 215's and it even says CL 415 on their support truck. They are good planes and we are proud of them.. Viking is getting ready to put them back in production Here in Victoria. The world begged them to build them again... and I guess enough people showed up with the cash... I have seen these planes from Greece to BC... Its no Mars water bomber.. but it gets the job done fast.

[@MarkBrandonAviation]

Hello. Thanks for the question! These aircraft were bought and are registered (according to the FAA) as 215’s however they have undergone many upgrades and modifications to become 415’s. Admittedly, the 415 logo on the “steering wheel” did confuse me as well.

[@Mikishots]

The conversion from CL-215 using turbines is designated the CL-415EAF when done by Viking. CL-215T's were made by Bombardier.

[@Me_Tom]

I did not see anyone "Fighting Quebec Wildfires!" Stop with click bait

[@ZouaouiBouelam-uv2ni]

الدولة. التى. تفكر. فى. مستقبل. بياتها. وغاباتها. ومحافضة. على. الغابات. وسلامة. شعبها. وتطوير. اسطولها. للجوى. الخاص. باءخماد. الحرايق. مهما. كان. نوع. الحريق🇷🇺🇨🇳🇦🇷🇧🇷🇪🇨🇨🇴🌏🌏🌹🌹🌹

[@ba1097]

비행기중 제일 멋있는비행기

[@AlainBelanger-nd2eh]

I do hope the new generation will have AI FSD to fly 24/7 at night forest fire are dormant

[@jerrygoller4269]

It would have been neater if they'd actually fought some fires, like the video description said they would. Click Bait.

[@s2v8377]

The USA and Canada both need to nationalize and cooperate on fire operations under the two countries Air Force's as a specialized squadron like the USAF Hurricane Hunters. The only modern aircraft fit for this mission is the C-130. Using private contractors and these small ancient aircraft is like shoveling sand against the tide.

[@ludvikblondal9885]

Look at Spain.. airforce sqd.highly efficient!!

[@weatherherk1]

Sir…as a retired hurricane hunter you’re isn’t totally correct. NOAA which falls under Homeland Security also has a small fleet of P-3s and Gulfstream G5s for the hurricane and tropical storm mission as well. The info that is collected is the same but in NOAA case is used for Scientific reasons, and the Air Force reserve hurricane hunters information it’s used for fast warning for tropical systems for the US and some other countries which are US interest .

[@grahammonk8013]

The C130 cannot replace this aircraft or the CL415 until an amphibious version is available. They are working on it but they don't have it yet.

[@jgbaugh]

Governments are far less efficient than the private sector. The C-130 is a great aircraft but, in many cases, it would be using a sledge hammer to drive a tack. On the other hand, the converted 747, DC-10, etc do a great job as well.

[@dannyboy-vtc5741]

That's bs, a turn around of an c130 or any jet that needs an airport for a refill can't be compared with the scoopers, also their precision and attack possibilities and all that without a lead plane. On the other hand, yes having it operated by the air force is good, we do that here in cro, we have over 3000 wildfires per season, but they never get to spread to catastrophic proportions, the biggest ones in the last several years were the ones that spread from other countries that don't have a profficient or any firebombing operations. It is also normal for the countries to help each other, our canadairs flew everywhere, from isralel to portugal, were also sent to turkey snd greece, one to each country when they had those catastrophic fires, but most international help they do in a yearly basis is to countries around us without such a fleet like bosnia and montenegro or slovenia last year when they had a huge uncontrolled fire.

[@JorgePlataTorres]

Suscripciones dd por vida tal cual colegiaturas secundaria,media superior,universidad,saludos.

[@frankschwartz7405]

Pretty amazing fleet of aircraft and crew. Just one question: Is the government practicing California-style "forest management"? (which is none, can't cut the underbrush)

[@johnwoodall3791]

I imagine the sight of One or Two of These Aircraft in an Intense Situation in terms of Wildfires would be a sight for sore eyes by weary and tired Ground Firefighters who do a Brilliant Job as Well. For those of the Public who's Homes and Livelihoods are under threat their a Blessing on the Ground and in the Air. I am only to aware of this myself having watched Aerial Water Bombers in action during an Australian Summer we would like to forget during 2019 - 2020. Unfortunately it also saw the loss of a Coulson Air C130 Hercules and her Three Crew Members just after making a drop on a fire if I read the report properly. It just Underlines the Dangerous Job that these Highly Trained Male And Female Aviator's take when fighting such fires. Like many of our Emergency Services they start their Day not knowing if this could be a Day to Forget and one which indeed could cost them their Own Lives. To that end the next time you're passing a Base for Aerial Water Bombers take a second to think about that which they do in helping to protect us all and if you see a Team Member say Thanks. From Pilot's to Ground Technicians they are the Back Bone of the Never Ending Fight it seems against Wildfires. The Ground Technicians do a Great Job to Ensure all the Aircraft are in A1 Condition to Fly and to the On Board Aircrews who's Skills and Determined Efforts to try and keep such Fire's under control and sees them Fly in conditions that are without doubt Endangering to themselves are Superb and don't hesitate for a Single Second. We owe you a Gratitude of Thanks no matter what Country we live in to the Brave Team's of the Aerial Firefighting Services who Fly and Maintain these Aircraft. On a Foot Note to This a Thought for the Three Crewmembers of the Coulson C130 Air Tanker lost here in Australia a few years back, R.I.P. and Thankyou For all that you Did. For those who Continue the Fight Bless You All for doing what do. Regards

[@MonkPetite]

Lets call them CL 415 or 215T’s .. .. 215 has radial engines

[@Mikishots]

Let's call them neither. They're designated as CL-415EAF.

[@anthonyjohnson100]

Boring. Let’s see the drops!!!

[@kenbarthSimAV8tor]

The fleet is rapidly aging eh!

[@lebaillidessavoies3889]

crap....with the invasion bands painted on it...this is war over there...

[@SandieBrecken-ik9uk]

👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎😒😒😒😒😒😒

[@craiggibson2402]

thats not fighting any thing if its on the ground looks like a parade to me stinks in michigan thanks canada

[@deltavee2]

Guess you missed the part where they were taking off so take off, eh. You're welcome.

[@16-BITFPV]

Michigan smells like human piss and that's not from the wildfire across the river 😂😅

[@BuYung-gg7kb]

Jend. Sam ARBI Abdurrahman B. ,,Arjawinangun... * Jend. Sam Ardi Bolkiah Abdurrahman,,GUAM( irian dar'es salam) country situs Ibrahim nabi.

[@avalanche9026]

Water bummer?? Those things needs lots of work maintenance. I’m surprised they fire up and run ?? Pieces of museum. Hmm.

[@johnbernard204]

huh???

[@avalanche9026]

Fire ?? These things are drop a water in the bucket …. It’s an opportunity for pilots to get some ratings?? Multi engine ?? Build time ? On tax payer money. That’s all.

[@bernardbrock9850]

Most Of Bridgers Pilots are ex-military. I doubt they would require time building.

[@brustar5152]

And a "drop a water in the bucket" is the extent of your water bomber knowledge as MOST countries subjected to frequent wildfires are primarily using fleets of these very aircraft in lieu of alternate types..

[@stevecook7551]

You know very little of which you speak . These are the go to aircraft for fire suppression , designed and purpose built for the task unlike every other land based conversion . They require no runway or on shore water supply to complete their mission as such they can be on scene and putting water down faster than any other aircraft. This family of water bombers can deliver more water per hour than any other , hardly a drop in the bucket.

[@douglasgerrard7391]

You obviously don’t know what you’re talking about.

[@waynemanning3262]

Building time? You need thousands of hours to even have your resume looked at. My guess is most captains on these machines have more than enough hours to go left seat directly in any airline worldwide! They fly these aircraft because this type of flying is fun,interesting,challenging and rewarding! These pilots are highly skilled and the envy of most airline pilots( who would not qualify to fly these aircraft) most of the captains I personally know flying these machine have well over 10,000 hrs! So building time? I think not!

[@CraigAllen-re9bf]

Those planes are just plain BAD ASS MO FOs