Coulson Aviation (United States of America) (CUL, Portland International) has announced the launch of the B767 Very Large Airtanker (VLAT) programme, intended to provide a sustainable replacement for legacy VLAT platforms nearing the end of their operational service life. The new programme will incorporate Coulson’s RADS retardant delivery system and retain capacity for over 160 passengers. It will complement the company’s fleet of large airtankers, which include the C-130H Hercules and the B737 Fireliner. The company did not say when it expects to introduce the B767(VLAT), but underlined that the new converted airtankers could be an alternative in the face of the recent groundings of the MD-11 and DC-10 fleets - many of which currently serve for firefighting purposes.