https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/5f2220bd-264c-42c3-8aa5-7080bca65675 This profile of the CL-215 (Scooper) was produced as a sales film by Canadair around 1969, prior to the plane's production by Bombardier. The CL-15 was the first model in a series of firefighting flying boat amphibious aircraft built by these companies and the first amphibian aircraft to be produced in many years. The CL-215 is a twin-engine, high-wing aircraft designed to operate well at low speeds and in high gust-loading environments, as are found over forest fires. The CL215 is a specialized amphibious aircraft developed by Canadair in the late 20th century to revolutionize forest firefighting. Unlike the slow and ineffective methods of the 1930s, the CL215 can scoop up 1,200 imperial gallons (approximately 6 tons) of water in under 18 seconds while skimming over a lake and drop it over wildfires with remarkable speed and precision. Its twin engines and rugged design allow it to operate in extreme conditions, making multiple drops per flight depending on the fire’s proximity to water sources. Besides firefighting, the CL215 also supports agricultural spraying, search and rescue, coastal patrol, and aerial surveys. The aircraft features gravity-operated release doors for near-instant water drops, and its performance has been validated through rigorous computer modeling and real-world data. Widely adopted by fire control agencies in France and Quebec, the CL215 has proven essential in combating massive fires that damage millions of acres annually in both the U.S. and Canada. 0:00 – In the 1930s, fighting forest fires was slow and largely ineffective, with little hope of extinguishing fires entirely. 1:03 – Modern firefighting dramatically improved with the introduction of the CL215, an aircraft specifically designed for aerial firefighting. 1:10 – The CL215’s major advantage is its ability to scoop up 6 tons of water from a lake in seconds using special probes. 1:28 – Besides firefighting, the CL215 is versatile, capable of aerial surveys, coastal patrol, agriculture, rescue missions, and transport. 1:41 – The aircraft features a 93 ft 10 in wingspan, 65 ft fuselage, and is powered by two Pratt & Whitney engines. 1:54 – It is the only amphibious aircraft built in nearly 25 years and has been ordered by France and Quebec for forest firefighting. 2:10 – A computer model was used during development to account for factors like forest flammability, weather, fire growth, lake distance, and drop effectiveness, ensuring optimal performance. 2:53 – The ideal configuration includes a 1,200 imperial gallon water load and a reinforced airframe for rough flying and water scooping. 3:10 – Two 600-gallon water tanks can be filled while the aircraft planes on water, taking 12–18 seconds, or just 8 seconds if probes are pre-extended. 3:33 – Water release is nearly instantaneous (under 1 second) via large, gravity-operated doors triggered by a button in the cockpit. 4:04 – The plane requires 3/4 of a mile of open water for scooping, with tank ducts providing venting and overflow control. 4:29 – Maximum takeoff weight after scooping is 43,500 lbs, and tanks are centered for trim stability during water operations. 5:01 – The number of drops per fuel load depends on lake proximity: 12–13 drops if 20 miles away. 5:28 – If the fire is 2 miles from the water source, the aircraft can make 40–45 drops and still maintain a 45-minute fuel reserve. 5:38 – Water doors can be opened simultaneously (salvo drop) or separately (train drop), with salvo covering 200 ft x 100 ft, and train drop 300 ft x 70 ft. 5:58 – In 1968, the U.S. had over 125,000 forest fires, damaging 4.25 million acres, while Canada averaged 7,500 fires, damaging 2.4 million acres yearly. 6:20 – In large or high-risk areas, multiple CL215s may be needed to control fires effectively. 6:35 – Slow-motion footage shows the clarity and impact of the water drop from the CL215. 6:48 – The CL215 was designed by Canadair and is produced at its Montreal manufacturing facilities. Motion picture films don't last forever; many have already been lost or destroyed. For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK5H5f0vY1U Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Sat, 13 Jun 2026 15:14:24 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/5f2220bd-264c-42c3-8aa5-7080bca65675 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.