As Australia braces for another hot summer, McDermott Aviation's heavy-lift firefighting helicopters have arrived home after completing an international deployment assisting with wildfire operations across Greece.

A Boeing 747 carrying six McDermott Aviation helicopters landed at Toowoomba Wellcamp airport en route from Athens. The arrival marked the return of one of the world's largest privately owned firefighting helicopter fleets.

Two Bell 214ST helicopters were offloaded in Toowoomba before being transported to McDermott Aviation's Sunshine Coast base, where they will be reassembled and prepared for operational readiness ahead of the Australian summer. The 747 then continued to Western Australia, where four additional Bell 214B helicopters were unloaded and will be reassembled by McDermott's Western Australia based team in preparation for the state's fire season.

“McDermott Aviation operates globally, but our heart is here in Australia,” says John McDermott, founder and president of McDermott Aviation. “After supporting firefighting efforts across Europe, some of our crews and aircraft have returned home to strengthen our capability as we prepare to protect Australian communities this bushfire season.”

While four McDermott Aviation aircraft have remained in Greece to continue search and rescue operations, the company is also preparing for future growth, with two Bell 214ST airframes from long-term storage in Australia now en route to its Alabama facility in the United States for full refurbishment and fleet expansion.

The return of the helicopters came as authorities across several states prepared for heightened bushfire activity, with early forecasts indicating dry conditions and above-average temperatures in many regions.

“The return of these aircraft has bolstered our assets, allowing us to position them across Australia so that we are ready to respond wherever we are needed most,” McDermott adds.

McDermott Aviation, headquartered on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, operates the Southern Hemisphere's largest privately-owned helicopter fleet, with more than 50 aircraft, including the world's largest collection of Bell 214 series helicopters. The company is a recognised leader in aerial firefighting and natural disaster response, supporting governments and communities across Australia, Europe and North America with safe, reliable and rapid-response aviation solutions.