Canadair CL-415

The Canadair CL-415 (Super Scooper, later Bombardier 415) and the De Havilland Canadair DHC-515 are a series of amphibious aircraft built originally by Canadair and subsequently by Bombardier and De Havilland Canada. The CL-415 is based on the Canadair CL-215 and is designed specifically for aerial firefighting, although it can perform various other roles, such as search and rescue and utility transport. Development of the CL-415 began in the early 1990s, shortly after the success of the CL-215T retrofit programme had proven a viable demand for a turboprop-powered model of the original CL-215. Entering production in 2003, in addition to its new engines, the aircraft featured numerous modernisation efforts and advances over the CL-215, particularly in terms of its cockpit and aerodynamics, to yield improved performance.