Coulson Aviation Expands NVG Program

Coulson Aviation has received approval to conduct night fire suppression operations under Night Vision Goggles (NVG) in Australia using the CH-47D very large helitanker.  

As the first commercial large helicopter operator worldwide to conduct open water source NVG fill operations, Coulson can now continue this practise with the CH-47D in Australia. 

For the past three years Coulson Aviation has been operating successfully in night fire suppression trial operations in Victoria, Australia with the Victorian fire agencies in an NVG-enabled Type 1 S-61 large helitanker.    

Internationally, our pilots and aircraft have been operating successfully and safely in night fire suppression operations in CH-47D very large helitankers and the Type 1 S-61 helitankers for a number of years in North America. 

Last summer, Coulson Aviation worked as part of the game changing Quick Reaction Force (QRF), supported by Southern California Edison, Orange County Fire Authority, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Ventura County Fire Department. 

As a supplier of aircraft for the QRF program, Coulson Aviation’s helicopters and teams were able to operate 24/7, working with fire agency aircraft and personnel to boost protection for communities across the counties. This included the mighty CH-47D very large helitankers, S-61N large helitankers and an S-76 intelligence gathering aircraft.  

Coulson Aviation is proud to work across the globe supporting communities and fire agencies.