Coulson Aviation has signed an AUS$400 million dollar (US$270m), 10 year contract with Australia's New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS). Awarded after an open and competitive bid process, Coulson will manage, operate and maintain the entire fleet. Indeed it has managed the majority of the NSW RFS aircraft fleet for the previous five years.

The Coulson team will oversee a fleet of 11 aircraft, including a 737 Fireliner large air tanker, two Cessna Citations, six Bell 412 helicopters, a CH-47 Chinook and a Beechcraft Super King Air. The focus on employing primarily Australian crews will enhance NSW's self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on international personnel. In coordination with the NSW RFS, Coulson will conduct rigorous training sessions and thorough equipment inspections as a proactive measure to reduce the devastating impact of bushfires and safeguard communities.

The contract includes expanding the apprenticeship programme to develop the next generation of aviation personnel in NSW. A minimum of two mechanical apprentices will be part of the aviation team, providing them with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with firefighting aircraft. Coulson Aviation recently became the first aviation firm approved by Transport Canada as an Approved Training Organisation (ATO), allowing the company to train technician candidates who can earn while they learn. The plan is to expand this model into NSW, attracting new technicians and training them specifically for the utility aviation environment and to continually develop a well-trained workforce. Additionally, collaboration with local schools will further grow and sustain this initiative.

“We are extremely pleased to have been chosen as the sole aviation supplier to operate the NSW Rural Fire Service owned fleet of firefighting and emergency services aircraft,” says Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Group. “Coulson Aviation Australia has been the leading supplier of large air tankers and very large heli-tankers to the Australian governments for the past decade and it's an honour to have been selected again to continue to run RFS's world-class fleet.”

“The RFS has found a reliable and high-performing partner in Coulson Aviation, and we look forward to working with it as our aerial capability continues to expand,” adds RFS commissioner Rob Rogers.

During the 2022-23 bushfire season, RFS aircraft managed by Coulson Aviation completed over 340 missions and rescued 113 people. The RFS's 737 ‘Marie Bashir’ was deployed 41 times, dropping over 600,000 litres of retardant. The fleet also supported other emergency services such as flood rescues.