De Havilland Aircraft of Canada has completed the certification of a new-generation avionics package for the CL-415 firefighting aircraft, opening the way for operators to significantly modernize the cockpit of their existing aircraft without replacing the airframe itself. The Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the CL-415 Avionics Upgrade has been approved by Transport Canada, while the same avionics architecture will also form the basis of the cockpit in the upcoming DHC-515.

The upgrade goes considerably further than simply replacing individual instruments. The system is based on Universal Avionics’ InSight platform and features five high-resolution digital displays, two touchscreen control displays and two Flight Management Systems (FMS). The package also includes KAPTURE cockpit voice and flight data recorders capable of meeting the requirement for 25-hour cockpit voice recording.

The new cockpit also introduces a Synthetic Vision System, digital maps, integrated engine data displays, crew alerting functions and information from the Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS). For CL-415 crews regularly operating at low altitude, in mountainous terrain, smoke and other challenging conditions typical of aerial firefighting missions, improved situational awareness represents one of the most important benefits of the upgrade.

The system is also connected with Universal Avionics’ UniLink communications unit and UA FlightPartner applications, enabling digital data exchange, partial automation of communications and the transfer of information that can be used for aircraft health monitoring and maintenance. As a result, the modernization is not limited to what pilots see on the instrument panel, but also brings the CL-415 into a much more modern connected avionics environment.

One of the key reasons behind the development of the package is the growing problem of equipment obsolescence. The CL-415 has formed the backbone of aerial firefighting fleets in numerous countries for decades, while some of its original avionics and electronic components are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain due to age and limited availability of spare parts. Replacing older analogue and early-generation digital systems with modern modular avionics should improve aircraft reliability, simplify maintenance and support continued operation for many years to come.

The upgrade was jointly developed by De Havilland Canada, its subsidiaries Mid-Canada Mod Center and Avionics Design Services, and Universal Avionics.

“The approval of this STC not only modernizes the CL-415 but also reinforces our commitment to delivering advanced, mission-ready solutions for aerial firefighting operators. We look forward to deploying these advanced avionics systems across the CL-415 fleet and into the next generation of DHC-515 aircraft,” said Jean-Philippe Côté, Vice President, Programs and Business Improvement at De Havilland Canada.

The cooperation with Universal Avionics is not new. De Havilland Canada selected the company in 2023 as one of the key avionics suppliers for its family of firefighting aircraft, with modern systems intended from the outset for the CL-215T, CL-415 and the new DHC-515. This means operators that eventually operate both older CL-415s and new DHC-515s could benefit from a significantly higher level of system commonality between the two types.

This is one of the most important aspects of the entire program. The new DHC-515 will not represent a complete break with the previous generation, but rather an evolution of the well-established Canadian amphibious firefighting aircraft concept. De Havilland Canada has confirmed that the avionics architecture certified through the CL-415 modernization program will also be incorporated into the DHC-515, allowing for more similar procedures, easier crew transition and simplified logistics between generations.

The program comes at a time when De Havilland Canada is once again investing heavily in the former Canadair firefighting aircraft program. Viking Air acquired the type certificates for the CL-215, CL-215T and CL-415 from Bombardier in late 2016, with the program later becoming part of today’s De Havilland Canada. After several years of evaluating a return to production, development of the DHC-515 as the successor to the CL-415 was formally launched in 2022.

Production of the DHC-515 is now underway. In March this year, De Havilland Canada announced that 22 aircraft were in production for European customers, including Croatia, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and France, while contracts have also been signed with the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta. The cockpit and fuselage of the first production aircraft have already been joined, while construction of the first centre wing section has also been completed.

The modernization is particularly interesting from a Croatian perspective. The Croatian Air Force operates a fleet of six CL-415s, for which De Havilland Canada has provided support in recent years through its Maintenance Plus program. Croatia is also among the European customers for the new DHC-515, meaning that the possibility of using related avionics in both the existing and future firefighting aircraft could potentially simplify the transition to the new generation. However, it has not yet been publicly announced whether Croatia’s CL-415 fleet will undergo the newly certified cockpit modernization.

The CL-415 is therefore entering a new phase of its operational life. Rather than allowing existing aircraft to gradually become technologically outdated while operators wait for deliveries of the DHC-515, De Havilland Canada is offering a way to modernize them to a digital standard closely aligned with the next generation. For aircraft whose airframes can remain in service for many more years with proper maintenance, the new cockpit could become one of the key elements in extending their operational usefulness.