British Columbia-based Conair is one of the world’s premier aerial firefighting operations. With dozens of aircraft, nearly 100 pilots, and an extensive support staff, the team helps keep Canadians safe by quickly and expertly responding to the country’s many wildfires. They use a large fleet of Twin Commanders to assess fires and then direct firefighting assets in real time. Flight Levels Online spoke to Director of Maintenance Brad Belyan (BB), Fleet Manager of Bird Dog Operations Ryan Gahan (RG), and Vice President of Business Development Jeff Berry (JB) to learn more about their impressive operation. How many airplanes total do you currently operate? How many Twin Commanders and what types? Conair operates a fleet of 70 aircraft for aerial firefighting…

Dale Head’s path to successful business owner was long and winding. Competing in the feast-or-famine world of air attack isn’t easy for anyone, but newcomers must be especially lucky to survive. And although Head’s success comes down to perseverance, fate has given him a hand along the way. Like many pilots, Head knew he wanted to fly since he was a kid. As his family watched the Saturn V lift off the pad on TV, he explained what was happening to his mother. But lackluster grades in school meant no flight school, so he became a firefighter instead. After retiring and building a house, he was standing on the new deck with an inspector and they started talking about aerial…

The irony is undeniable. Roedie Botes, head of a company that works with steam equipment, has ripped it all out of his panel. Botes owns ZS-OOM, a 690B based in Tzaneen in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Head of Steam and Electrical Tzaneen, the accomplished pilot also used to own a local charter business, and has two sons that fly with him as well. When he went shopping for a twin turboprop, the search naturally led to a Twin Commander. “We did a lot of research about what we needed and what was available,” he said. He considered King Airs and others, but a demo flight on a 690B with Dash 10 engines had him hooked. “I was so impressed…

A flight school isn’t necessarily the first place you’d expect to find a Shrike, but Corsair Aviation in Van Nuys, California, isn’t a normal flight school. In addition to being a Cessna Pilot Center, the company offers charter in their fleet of single engine Cessnas, and with the recent acquisition of a Shrike from Northern Wings Aviation in Montana, customers can now ride in style all over the Southwest. Mike Killian is the company’s chief pilot and owner, and he has big plans for the airplane. “We’ve been wanting to grow, but it can be kind of tough to do it with light aircraft,” he said. “Opportunities in government contracting is what is driving my interest.” Having only acquired the…