Hynaero, a French company based in Bordeaux, announced this week that it has contracted Montreal-based Altitude Aerospace to assist with the design and engineering of their Fregate-F100 amphibious water bomber, a clean-sheet design that the company touts as a next generations aerial firefighter aircraft.
With a payload of 10 tonnes of water, a cruising speed of 250 knots and an endurance of up to four hours, the company admits it is challenging de Havilland Canada’s CL-415 head-on.
“This agreement represents, in addition to the know-how and experience of Altitude Aerospace, significant financial support and a major step forward for the next phases of our aircraft program,” said Hynaero’s co-founder and president David Pincet.
Altitude Aerospace was founded in 2005 and employees more than 170 engineers in Montreal and at its two branch offices in Toulouse (France) and Portland (Oregon).
“We are delighted to collaborate on this ambitious and innovate new program, which is completely in line with the strategic positioning of the group and, moreover, with our geographical development in France,” Altitude Aerospace Group president Nancy Venneman said.
Hynaero hopes to have the Fregate-F100 take to the skies by 2031.