McDermott Aviation has begun deployment of 15 helicopters to Greece ahead of the peak wildfire season, the seventh consecutive year the company has supported Greek authorities. The 15 aircraft, 11 Bell 214STs and four Bell 214B helitaks – are being mobilised from Australia and the United States, with operations running through to the end of October .
Once in Greece, the aircraft will be dispersed to 11 bases, spanning from Araxos in the west to Alexandroupolis in the east, and from Ioannina in the north to Crete and Rhodes in the south, enabling rapid response across high-risk fire zones.
At peak deployment, 14 aircraft will be on contract at any one time, supported by approximately 100 specialist personnel rotating through Greece, alongside additional operational support teams based in Australia and working in partnership with local Greek providers.
Over the past three fire seasons, McDermott Aviation aircraft have flown between 2,500 and 4,500 hours annually on firefighting operations in Greece. In 2023, the Hellenic Fire Brigade attributed higher aircraft utilisation and faster response times to reducing the total area burned.
Founder and President of McDermott Aviation, John McDermott, said the deployment reflects a long-term commitment to supporting large-scale fire operations internationally. “Our continued deployment to Greece reflects a long-term commitment to supporting large-scale fire operations internationally. We have invested heavily in both our fleet and our capability, including ownership and ongoing development of the Bell 214 platform, which allows us to deliver a level of reliability and performance that is critical in these environments”.
In March, during VERTICON, McDermott Aviation announce that it would capitalise on the ownership to the 214ST type certificate returning the type to production in the US partnering with a number of suppliers including Bell and Safran.
Image: McDermott Aviation
