Having invested in a new and modern Eurocopter fleet, CoyotAir is today one of the most important operators on the Iberian Peninsula where, every summer, its Ecureuil fleet plays a leading role fighting forest fires.

"The fire season runs from June to October in our country,” explains Francisco ‘Paco’ Lucas, head of the company and professional pilot. “Last year, we used 12 Ecureuils – including six AS350 B3s – to fight fires in the regions of Castilla and León, Asturias, Navarra, and Madrid.” In total, more than 2,500 flight hours were performed in what were often very difficult conditions and, after so many hours of incident-free flight, Señor Lucas really knows what he is talking about: “The B3 is an extraordinary aircraft and it is perfect for aerial work!”

In fact, CoyotAir is so happy with its aircraft’s performances it plans to double its AS350 B3 Ecureuil fleet by 2008. “We use the Ecureuils to quickly attack the beginnings of the fire,” ‘Paco’ Lucas reveals, and the AS350 B3 Ecureuil relishes this work because it was built to fly in tough conditions, including high altitudes and extreme temperatures (-40°C to +50°C). The new generation ‘bambi bucket’ used by CoyotAir offers all the flexibility of a traditional bucket with the added capacity to draw water from shallow sources thanks to its built-in pump.

The pilot can also adjust the water pumping and release, and even add fire retardant. The AS350 B3 Ecureuil and this new generation ‘bambi bucket’ therefore make a winning combination! CoyotAir also uses its AS355 N Ecureuils as ‘flying operations rooms’ coordinating the efforts of the fire fighters on the ground and in the air and, during last year’s season, a small onboard computer was used to send photographs in real time via the GPRS digital network. In 2006, these helicopters will take to the front line with the possibility of carrying a ‘traditional’ 600-liter ‘bambi bucket’ and a Wescam or Cineflex system.