Conair (FGD, Abbotsford) has signed a purchase agreement with Bombardier Aerospace for six Dash 8-400 turboprops to be modified to a firefighting configuration.

The Canadian firefighting specialist has announced that the aircraft will be equipped with Conair's proprietary Retardant Delivery System. This will allow for a quick, in-the-field reconfiguration of the interior so that the aircraft will also be able to fly in freighter, medevac or coastal patrol settings.

Conair Aviation, which is the world's largest private owner of fixed-wing firefighting equipment, operates a total of fifty-nine specialised aircraft, including Aero Commanders 690s, Air Tractor AT-802s, ARJ-85s, Cessna Aircraft Company C208Bs and C525s, Canadair CL-215s, Conair Firecats, Convair 340s and 440s, a Lockheed 188A, Piper Aircraft PA-60s, and a Rockwell 690A.