FIRST TWO FIRE FIGHTING AIRCRAFT ARRIVE AS PART OF PROVINCE'S FLEET RENEWAL

Saskatchewan Environment today announced the arrival of two state-of-the-art Turbo Commander fire fighting aircraft at La Ronge. The planes are part of a 10-year, $183 million plan to renew the province's aerial fire fighting fleet.

"The arrival of these planes is a concrete demonstration of the province's ongoing commitment to renewing and expanding the fleet's capacity to help protect lives, northern communities, forest resources and property," Environment Minister David Forbes said.

The two planes, which cost $1.5 million dollars each, are part of $42 million earmarked over four years for renewing the province's land-based fire suppression aircraft. The land-based fire suppression aircraft currently in use have more hours of service and needed to be replaced first, before upgrading the newer amphibious air tankers.

With an airspeed of over 500 kilometres per hour, the two Turbo Commanders fly more than two hundred kilometres per hour faster than the Aerostar aircraft they replace. Once they have completed their training and maintenance checks, these fast-flying aircraft known as 'birddogs' will become part of regular aerial fire fighting operations for the department later this summer.

Their primary task will be to guide land-based Convair 580A air tankers, two of which are expected to arrive in early 2006. The Convair 580As are substantially faster and carry more fire retardant than the De Havilland Tracker air tankers currently in use. The new planes will also be used to guide the province's existing air tankers, control the airspace over large fire operations, transport spare aircraft parts and move aviation operations support personnel during base changes.

In addition to the purchase of aircraft, part of the $42 million funding for the first four years of the 10-year fleet renewal plan will be used on upgrading the province's fire fighting fleet infrastructure, including work on hangers, tarmac, aprons and runways.

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For More Information, Contact:

Steve Roberts Environment Prince Albert Phone: (306)953-2206

Everett Dorma Environment Regina Phone: (306) 787-6127