Coulson Aviation has announced an AUS $400 million, 10-year contract with Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service (RFS). Under the terms of the contract, awarded after an open and competitive bid process, Coulson will manage, operate, and maintain the entire RFS fleet. The company has managed the majority of the NSW RFS aircraft fleet for the previous five years.
The contract calls for the Coulson team to oversee a fleet of 11 aircraft, including a 737 FIRELINER Large Airtanker (LAT), two Cessna Citations, six Bell-412 helicopters, a CH-47 Chinook, and a Beechcraft Super King Air.
The focus on employing primarily Australian crews will enhance NSW’s self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on international personnel. In coordination with the NSW RFS, Coulson will conduct rigorous training sessions and thorough equipment inspections as a proactive measure to reduce the devastating impact of bushfires and safeguard communities.
Interestingly, the contract also includes expanding the apprenticeship programme to develop the next generation of aviation personnel in NSW. A minimum of two mechanical apprentices will be part of the aviation team, providing them with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with firefighting aircraft. Coulson Aviation recently became the first aviation firm approved by Transport Canada as an Approved Training Organisation (ATO), allowing the company to train technician candidates who can earn while they learn. The plan is to expand this model into NSW, attracting new technicians and training them specifically for the utility aviation environment and to continually develop a well-trained workforce.
“We are extremely pleased to have been chosen as the sole aviation supplier to operate the NSW Rural Fire Service-owned fleet of firefighting and emergency services aircraft,” said Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Group. “Coulson Aviation Australia has been the leading supplier of Large Air Tankers and Very Large Heli-Tankers to the Australian Governments for the past decade, and it’s an honour to have been selected again to continue to run RFS’s world-class fleet.”
“The RFS has found a reliable and high-performing partner in Coulson Aviation, and we look forward to working with them as our aerial capability continues to expand,” added Rob Rogers, Commissioner of the RFS.
Photo: Coulson
