Kestrel Aviation upgrades its AS332 for Australian night fire program

Australian-owned Kestrel Aviation, based in Victoria, has upgraded its Airbus AS332 L1 Super Puma (Helitak 349) over the winter as it transitions into the state’s Night Fire Aviation Program (NFAP). 

The aircraft is now known as the Shadow Cat and has been approved for aerial firefighting operations at night.

The Super Puma is a multi-mission-capable asset with its winch, rappel, passenger carriage, heavy lift, and fire suppression activities with either its belly tank or 4,000-liter Bambi MAX bucket. This one features a new livery to match Kestrel’s fleet.

Fitted with extended-range fuel tanks and a ferry speed of 130kts, it also has an endurance of over four hours, meaning it has the ability for its crew to fly to all parts of Victoria and still be able to undertake up to two hours of fire suppression on arrival before refueling.

Over the winter, Kestrel has modified the aircraft for night operations. This includes changes to the flight deck to allow night vision goggle operations and the fitting of external lighting and oversized mirrors that assist the crew with increased visibility while undertaking hover-fill activities at night.

During the 2023/24 fire season, Shadow Cat will operate alongside Microflite’s Airbus H135 (Firebird 308) as part of the NFAP.