Coulson Aviation

== Area Served ==
Coulson Aviation currently provides aerial firefighting service under contract to clients in Canada, the United States (California, and Idaho), South America (Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile), Australia, and Asia (Indonesia).
== Company Profile ==
Coulson Aircrane Ltd., a subsidiary of the Coulson Group, is a privately-owned family company based in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. The company has over 160,000 flight hours and has been in the aviation business for over 36 years, operating a diverse fleet of both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Coulson's operations have included helicopter logging, forest fire suppression, power-line construction, airliner passenger, transport and many other industrial heavy lift operations. Coulson's fleet is geared for mobility and supported by mobile fuel tankers and aircraft maintenance service vehicles staffed with qualified engineers. These helicopter aviation services are provided to clients on a turnkey basis. Coulson Aviation (USA) Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Coulson Aircrane Ltd., while Coulson Aviation (Australia) PTY Ltd. was created in 2010 to support Coulson Aircrane's long term operations and commitment to its Australian customers.
== History ==
Cliff Coulson, a Canadian tank driver during World War II and frontiersman / bulldozer operator after the conflict, settled in Port Alberni, British Columbia on Vancouver Island where he founded Coulson Forest Products Ltd. in 1960. Under the leadership of Cliff’s son, Wayne Coulson, what was once a small logging company has evolved into a conglomerate of companies working in a variety of industries, including the fire service. Coulson entered the aviation business in the late 1980s when it purchased a Sikorsky S-61N for "heli-logging", which currently comprises S-61N firefighting contracts in Canada, the United States, South America, and Australia. In 2007, Coulson purchased Flying Tankers' two Martin JMR Mars flying boats, the largest water bombers in the world, obtained a US Forest Service contract for aerial firefighting, and founded Coulson Flying Tanker. When the Mars contract was cancelled, Coulson began converting four-engine C-130Q/Hs Hercules, and later Boeing 737-300 jet aircraft, into air tankers. Four former US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Cessna 550 Citation II aircraft outfitted with surveillance sensors have been added to Coulson's versatile fleet to support aerial firefighting operations in the United States and overseas.
On March 4, 2019, Coulson Aviation USA, a member of the Coulson Group, and Unical Air, a new unit of the Unical Group of Companies, joined forces to create a heavy lift helicopter joint venture company that will build and operate Boeing CH-47 and Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk aircraft for aerial firefighting and other markets.
==Aircraft Roster==
===Headquarters - 4890 Cherry Creek Road, Port Alberni, British Columbia  ===
===Canadian Based Aircraft - Various Locations===
=== Rotary wing helitankers ===
*HeliTanker 348 - 1972 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-492) (Civil Registration C-FCLM)
=== Corporate aircraft ===
*1982 Canadair CL-600 1A11 Challenger 600S (C/N 1048) (Civil Registration N604CG)
*1972 Bell 206B JetRanger II (C/N 865) (Civil Registration C-GXOH)
===Canada Fire Support Vehicles===
*CA393 - Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
*CTK30 - Volvo Tractor
*CTK33 - Kenworth Fuel Tanker
*CTK32 - Freightliner Fuel Tanker
*CTR40 - Mobile support Trailer
===USA Based Aircraft - Various Locations===
===Headquarters - 655 South Rock Boulevard, Reno, Nevada===
=== Fixed wing air tankers ===
*Tanker 137 "Gaia" - 1995 Boeing 737-3H4(WL) / Coulson Fireliner (4000F) (SN#27700) (Civil Registration N137CG) (Ex-Southwest Airlines)
*Tanker 131 "Hercules" - 1981 Lockheed EC-130Q Hercules (SN#4901) (Civil Registration N131CG) (Ex-US Navy)
*Tanker 130 "Brage" - 1968 Lockheed C-130H Hercules (4000gal RADS System) (SN#4339) (Civil Registration N130CG) (Ex-Royal Norwegian Air Force) - Grounded
*Tanker 132 "Ty" - 1969 Lockheed C-130H Hercules (4000gal RADS System) (SN#4338) (Civil Registration N132CG) (Ex-Royal Norwegian Air Force)
*Tanker 133 "Frøy" - 1968 Lockheed C-130H Hercules (4000gal RADS System) (SN#4337) (Civil Registration N140CG) (Ex-Royal Norwegian Air Force)
*Tanker 138 "Balder" - 1969 Lockheed C-130H Hercules (4000gal RADS System) (SN#4336) (Civil Registration N382CG) (Ex-Royal Norwegian Air Force)
*Tanker 136 "Odin" 1969 Lockheed C-130H Hercules (4000gal RADS System) (SN#4334) (Civil Registration N136CG) (Ex-Royal Norwegian Air Force) - Being converted to air tanker at the Thermal Airport, CA with an anticipated completion date in early 2024) 
===Rotary wing helitankers===
*HeliTanker - 1993 Boeing CH-47D Chinook (3000gal RADS-L System) (C/N M.3461) (Civil Registration N49CU) (Coulson-Unical Fleet)
*HeliTanker 47 - 1991 Boeing CH-47D Chinook (3000gal RADS-L System) (C/N M.3419) (Civil Registration N42CU) (Coulson-Unical Fleet)
*HeliTanker 55 - 1990 Boeing CH-47D Chinook (3000gal RADS-L System) (M.3334) (Civil Registration N43CU) (Coulson-Unical Fleet) 
*HeliTanker - 1989 Boeing CH-47D Chinook (3000gal RADS-L System) (C/N M.3323) (N40CU) (Coulson-Unical Fleet)
*HeliTanker - 1985 Sikorsky S-76B (C/N 76-0312) (Civil Registration N509HH)
*HeliTanker - 1980 Sikorsky UH-60A Blackhawk (C/N 70-265) (Civil Registration N160CD) (Coulson-Unical Fleet)  
*HeliTanker 60 "Camo" - 1980 Sikorsky UH-60A Blackhawk (C/N 70-257) (Civil Registration N60CU) (Coulson-Unical Fleet) 
*HeliTanker - 1978 Sikorsky S-61N Mk. II (C/N 61-745) (Civil Registration N745AW) (Ex-US Department of State)
*HeliTanker - 1970 Sikorsky S-61N Mk. II (C/N 61-476) (Civil Registration N476AW) (Ex-US Department of State)
*HeliTanker - 1969 Sikorsky S-61N Mk. II (C/N 61-471) (Civil Registration N471WR) (Ex-US Department of State)
*HeliTanker 47 - 1968 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-363) (Civil Registration N161CG) (Ex-United States Forest Service contract as N306V, ex-C-FMAY)
*HeliTanker 61 - 1964 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-257) (Civil Registration N261CG) (Ex-Ventura County Fire Department contract as HeliTanker 349, ex-C-FIRX) 
===Fixed wing command and control (“Birddog”) / intelligence gathering aircraft ===
*N1200N - 1992 Cessna 550 Citation II (C/N 550-0681) (Aerial Intelligence Platform) (Ex-US Customs and Border Protection)
*N554CG - 1992 Cessna 550 Citation II (C/N 550-0680) (Aerial Intelligence Platform) (Ex-US Customs and Border Protection N6776T)
*N550CG - 1991 Cessna 550 Citation II (C/N 550-0677) (Aerial Intelligence Platform) (Ex-US Customs and Border Protection N6775C)
*N552CG - 1991 Cessna 550 Citation II (C/N 550-0659) (Aerial Intelligence Platform) (Ex-US Customs and Border Protection N4614N)
=== USA Fire Support Vehicles ===
*Fireliner Support - Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van
*UA404 - Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
*UA410 - Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
*UA418 - Chevrolet Silverado 1500
*UB01 - Prevost bus command unit
*UTK32- Volvo prime mover tractor 
*UTK33 - Volvo prime mover tractor 
*UTK34 - Volvo prime mover tractor w/ tanker trailer (9558 gallons Jet A) 
*UTK 35 - Volvo prime mover tractor 
*UTK37 - Volvo prime mover tractor 
*UTK39 - Volvo prime mover tractor 
*UTK - Volvo prime mover tractor 
*UTK - Volvo prime mover tractor 
*UTR54 - Support trailer
*UTR56 - Command trailer
*UTR - Command trailer
*UTR - Command trailer
*UTR63 - Fuel Tanker trailer
*UTR - Fuel Tanker trailer
*UTR - Fuel Tanker trailer
*UTR - Fuel Tanker trailer
===Australia Based Aircraft - Various Locations ===
===Headquarters - 12 Drover Road, Bankstown, New South Wales===
All Aircraft Owned by State of New South Wales Rural Fire Service and Operated by Coulson Aviation Australia
=== Fixed wing air tankers ===
*Bomber 210 "Marie Bashir" - 1995 Boeing 737-3H4(WL) / Coulson Fireliner (4000F) (SN#27928) (Civil Registration N318CG) (Ex-Southwest Airlines)
===Rotary wing helitankers===
*HeliTak 348 - 1979 Sikorsky S-61N Mk. II (C/N 61-821) (Civil Registration C-FXEC) (Under contract to Victoria State Government, Australia, ex US Forrest Service contract as N264F)
*HeliTak 203 - 1997 Bell 412EP (C/N 36174) (Civil Registration VH-VJD) (Ex-Fukushima Prefecture Emergency Management Air Corps, Japan)
*HeliTak 204 - 2004 Bell 412EP (C/N 36329) (Civil Registration VH-VJF) (-/420) (Ex-Los Angeles Fire Department Fire 1 / N301FD)
*HeliTak 211 - 1992 Boeing CH-47D Chinook (3000gal RADS-L System) (C/N M.3440 & 92-0299) (Civil Registration N47CU) (Coulson-Unical Fleet)  
===Fixed wing command and control / intelligence gathering aircraft ===
*Fire Scan 200 - 1989 Cessna 560 Citation V (C/N 560-0030) (Civil Registration VH-VJT)
*Fire Scan 201 - 1993 Cessna 560 Citation V (C/N 560-0232) (Civil Registration VH-VJO) 
===Rotary wing command and control aircraft ===
*Firebird 322 "Firewatch 76" - 1989 Sikorsky S-76B (C/N 76-0355) (Civil Registration N76CG)
=== Australia Fire Support Vehicles ===
*Ford Transit w/ Support Trailer
==Stored Aircraft==
*2001 Boeing 737-7L9 (SN#28015) (Civil Registration N7841A) (Ex-Southwest Airlines) (Awaiting modification into air tanker)
*1995 Boeing 737-3H4(WL) (SN#27695) (Civil Registration N601WN) (Ex-Southwest Airlines) (Delivered in July, 2022 and stored at Alberni Valley Regional Airport since October 26, 2023 awaiting modification into air tanker)
*1995 Boeing 737-3H4(WL) (SN#27693) (Civil Registration N399WN) (Ex-Southwest Airlines) (Delivered on January 21, 2023 and stored awaiting modification into air tanker)
*1970 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-473) (Civil Registration C-FTNK) (Stored at Alberni Valley Regional Airport in non-flyable condition/used for parts)
==Retired Aircraft==
*1995 Boeing 737-3H4(WL) / Coulson Fireliner (4000F) (SN#28035) (Civil Registration N319SW) (Ex-Bomber 139, ex-Tanker 139. ex-Southwest Airlines) (Crashed after striking terrain during water bombing operations over Fitzgerald River National Park, Western Australia on February 6, 2023. Both aircrew survived)
*1981 Lockheed EC-130Q Hercules (SN#4904) (Civil Registration N134CG) (Ex-Tanker 134 "Zeus", ex-N130CG, ex-US Navy BuNo 161496) (Crashed and destroyed during water bombing operations in the Snowy Monaro Area of NSW, Australia on January 23, 2020. All 3 crew members perished)
*1978 Sikorsky S-61N Mk. II (C/N 61-814) (Civil Registration C-GBFZ) (Crashed after impacting terrain north of the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, Hawaii on February 22, 2022 while under contract to Croman Corporation. All 4 crew members perished)
*1976 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-748) (Civil Registration C-GBRF) (Crashed during heli-logging operations at Stave Lake, BC, after pilots lost cyclic control on April 19, 1997. One of two crew members perished)
*1975 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-743) (Civil Registration C-FWYN) (Crashed during heli-logging operations at Canoe Creek, BC, Canada on April 2, 1993. Both aircrew survived with serious injuries) 
*1974 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-715) (Civil Registration C-FLHA) (Sold to Croman Corporation, White City, Oregon)
*1972 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-703) (Civil Registration C-GJQE) (Sold to EP Aviation, formerly Blackwater Security, McLean, Virginia)
*1968 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-428) (Civil Registration C-GJDR) (Sold to Carson Helicopters, Perkasie, Pennsylvania)
*1968 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-365) (Civil Registration C-GBSF) (Sold to US Department of State)
*1964 Sikorsky S-61N (C/N 61-222) (Civil Registration C-GBSF) (Sold to Croman Corporation, White City, Oregon)
*1948 Martin JRM-3 Mars (-/7200/600F) (C/N 9268) (Civil Registration CF-LYM “Caroline Mars”) (Ex-US Navy BuNo 76824) (Converted into water bomber in 1961 by Fairey Aviation, Victoria, BC) (Damaged beyond repair at Victoria International Airport, BC, Canada during Typhoon Freda on October 12, 1962)
*1946 Martin JRM-3 Mars (-/7200/600F) (C/N 9267) (Civil Registration C-FLYL “Hawaii Mars II”) (Ex-US Navy BuNo 76823) (Converted into water bomber in 1964 by Fairey Aviation, Victoria, BC) (Stored at Coulson's Sproat Lake base, BC, Canada awaiting a possible move to the B.C. Aviation Museum in North Saanich, BC for preservation)
*1946 JRM-3 Martin Mars (-/7200/600F) (C/N 9265) (Civil Registration CF-LYJ “Marianas Mars”) (Ex-US Navy BuNo 76821) (Converted into water bomber in 1960 by Fairey Aviation, Victoria, BC) (Crashed into Mount Moriarty near Parksville, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada on June 23, 1961. All 3 crew members perished)  
*1946 Martin JRM-3 Mars (-/7200/600F) (C/N 9264) (Civil Registration C-FLYK “Philippine Mars”) (Ex-US Navy BuNo 76820, ex-CF-LYK) (Converted into water bomber in 1962 by Fairey Aviation, Victoria, BC) (Stored at Coulson's Sproat Lake base, BC, Canada awaiting disposition).
==Future plans==
:The Coulson Group and Airbus Defense have signed a memorandum of understanding to produce a water-bomber version of the Airbus C295W. The aircraft will have 2x3500 gallon water/retardant tanks.
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Category:Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District
Category:Aircraft
Category:For profit emergency service providers in Canada