Canadair CL-415
Canadair · Canada · first flew 1993 · transport aircraft
The Canadair CL-415 is Canada's modern turboprop amphibious water bomber, the definitive lake-scooping firefighting aircraft of European and North American aerial fleets.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 19.8 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High straight wing with two turboprops above a boxy hull
- Tall single fin with a high-set tailplane
- Stubby fixed wingtip floats and slab-sided water-bomber hull
Spot it by the high-mounted twin turboprops, the upswept water-bomber hull with belly scoop doors, and the tall tail, almost always in high-visibility red and yellow firefighting colours.
Specifications
- The Canadair CL-415 has a length of 19.8 m (65 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 28.6 m (94 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 359 km/h (223 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
A purpose-built amphibious firefighter developed from the earlier piston CL-215, the CL-415 first flew in 1993, with about 95 built. Its turboprop power and improved systems make it the leading dedicated 'scooper', able to skim a lake and reload roughly 6,100 litres of water in seconds.
Variants
The baseline CL-415 is the firefighter; the CL-415MP is a maritime-patrol version, and the GR and EAF designations cover enhanced firefighting variants. The modernised De Havilland Canada DHC-515 is the type's current development.
Where you'll see it
There is no RAF or UK fleet operation, as Britain has historically chartered or relied on shared European assets rather than buying scoopers; honest recognition of a Canadian type with limited UK presence. Major operators include France's Sécurité Civile, Greece, Italy, Spain and Croatia, and the EU's rescEU programme has ordered DHC-515s.
Related aircraft
- Canadair CF-5 Freedom Fighter
- Canadair CF-5A Freedom Fighter
- Canadair CL-215
- Canadair CL-84 Dynavert
- Bombardier 415 (Canadair 415 SuperScooper)
- Dassault Falcon 2000
- PZL M28B Bryza
- Airbus CC-150 Polaris
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.