By Pascale Pfann
Translation: Jessica Baldwin
With the emergence of so many new, state-of-the art technologies and inventions, it was about time to find a way to rein in the fires that continue to destroy hundreds of thousands of hectares of land throughout the world. A French company claims that it now has a way to help firefighters to contain fires in endangered areas: transform former commercial planes into water-dropping aircraft.
70 tons of water in 20 seconds
The French startup Kepplair Evolution, , located in Toulouse, is poised to turn an Airbus A330 into a waterbomber. In collaboration with a consortium of companies from the Occitanie region (which encompasses the southwest and southeast of France), and after having tested the system on its entire line at the Institute of Fluid Mechanics, the project is all set to move from the planning phase to the execution. Passenger airplanes that have been converted into waterbombers are able to disperse 70 tons of water in 20 seconds. “This feat is only possible with an adapted 747 or DC-10,” David Joubert, the president of the company, told French television.
According to Joubert, it’s possible to start firefighting efforts in September, as long as they find the financing. “Our objective is to be ready for the 2024 Olympic Games,” he added. The 2024 Olympic Games will take place during the time of year in which forest fires often happen in France.
Registered under the name Kios, the project started 10 years ago with an A310. French and European governments have expressed interest in it, but as of now, no actual proposal for the allocation of funds has been made. Despite its advantages, it became expensive, according to the company’s director. He says that the situation is more favorable at present, “Since several A330s are for sale, due to Covid-19 and the renovation of aircraft by the airlines. Furthermore, the A330 has a greater capacity,” he added.
In Brazil, agricultural towns in the State of Goiás created aerial brigades in order to fight fires in the countryside. These are composed of the same airplanes used for spraying crops, except this time their tanks are loaded up with 700 liters (about 185 gallons) of water. Watch the report broadcast by Jornal Nacional, on TV Globo, here.
Sources: France 3, Kepplair Evolution, Jornal Nacional
Cover photo is an example of a commercial airliner converted into a waterbomber for fighting forest fires. From Kepplair Evolution.
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