I have now seen the last 2 remaining L188 operators in the world. Luckily there is no plan yet for retirement however given their age and the increased difficulty to obtain parts, I would imagine they won't last unfortunately.
Who would have thought that Red Deer, Alberta would be the place that houses the most L188 in the world?!
Red Deer regional airport situated between Calgary and Edmonton is a hub
for both Air Spray and Buffalo Airways. Air Spray is aerial firefighting and suppression company based in Edmonton but with its main facilities at Red Deer airport. Air Spray has a large and diverse fleet they use to fight wildfires, this includes operating the world's largest Lockheed L-188 fleet; a turboprop built in the 1950's and 1960's!
Air Spray has 14 L-188 Electras listed on the Canadian register, and 9 of them are currently active making Air Spray the world's largest L-188 operator!
These aircraft can hold up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant.
Both Air Spray and Buffalo Airways owns a large number of L-188's however a lot of them were purchases for parts to maintain their current fleet as finding parts for these old aircraft can prove to be challenging.
Air Spray and Buffalo Airways are the last 2 remaining L-188 operators in the world. C-FVFH is the oldest one being built in 1958 however its engines are missing so the future of this aircraft is bleak.
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ATC Included!
Airport: Red Deer Regional Airport - YQF / CYQF
Airline: Air Spray
Aircraft: Lockheed L-188A(F) Electra (L188) / Rockwell 690B Turbo Commander (AC90)
Flight: ASB498T / ASB485T / ASB058T
Callsign: Air Spray 498 Trainer / 485 Trainer / 058 Trainer
Registration: C-FDTH (498) 🇨🇦 / C-GZVM (485) 🇨🇦 / C-FMCX (058) 🇨🇦
Runways used: 17
Date: March 28 2024
Origin/ Destination: Red Deer - YQF
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© CYUL Plane Spotter / © Mark Brandon
All rights reserved Mark Brandon 2024
4 апр 2024
