The Billings team celebrate the award of restricted category certification for its CH-47D. Image: BFS
Billings Flying Services (BFS) has received its long-awaited FAA Restricted Category Type Certification for its Boeing CH-47Ds. BFS acquired six CH-47D Chinooks from the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) in July 2023. Two of the aircraft have been added to the type certificate, while the remainder are currently completing the certification process.
The CH-47Ds feature a 54,000-lb gross weight and 28,000-lb lifting capacity, neither of which are available on any other civilian-operated CH-47.
The aircraft are also equipped with glass cockpits, NVG compatibility, and auto hover features. BFS is performing additional mission modifications to make the aircraft available for firefighting during the summer of 2025.
“We are thrilled to announce the achievement of receiving FAA Type Certification for our CH-47D aircraft from the RNLAF,” said Bridger Blain, President and CEO of Billings Flying Service, Inc. “This milestone marks a significant step forward in our mission to provide global aviation solutions – a game-changer in the industry. We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our FAA representatives for their support moving this across the finish line, our congressional partners for their efforts, and to our incredible employees whose hard work and commitment made this possible.”
