Kestrel aircraft ready to fight fires

Having taken the opportunity with Douglas Aerospace at Wagga Wagga to repaint more of the fleet in the red and white livery, communities will be able to clearly identify when a Kestrel helicopter is hard at work fighting fires.

The sight of aircraft out on the aprons at the bespoke facility at Mangalore was a first for Kestrel since the construction of two additional hangars in 2019.

Managing director Ray Cronin said the engineering team had done an excellent job to ensure the fleet maintains its position as one of the most reliable operators on the fire ground.

“Having continued to operate safely and effectively through the coronavirus pandemic, we are well placed to assist the fire agencies with keeping local communities safe from the threat of fires,” he said. 

“While we anticipate a more normal start to the season than last year, due to a number of significant rain events, we remain at the peak state of readiness.”