Field Air / Conair Aerial Firefighting Dash-8-Q400MR C-FFQE "Bomber 141" Arrives into Bundaberg Airport for the 2026 Bushfire Season - UPDATED!

On Friday 28 August, Field Air / Conair Aerial Firefighting (Canada) Dash-8-Q400MR C-FFQE was noted arriving into Bundaberg Airport ahead the upcoming Queensland bushfire season. It touched down direct from Ballarat where it has been stored for much of this year.

https://www.facebook.com/Bundaberg.Aviation.Fuel

This is the seventh (?) year that the Canadian aircraft and crew members of the Large Air Tanker (LAT) have been deployed to Bundaberg Airport, meaning the state will again not have to borrow aircraft from other states to fight dangerous bushfires.

Again this year, the Dash-8 will be based at Bundaberg Airport and take up the radio callsign of "Bomber 141".  It will be based in Bundaberg for Queensland’s bushfire season and will be sent back to Victoria again for its fire season, which coincides with Queensland’s wet season.

The Dash-8 has a 670km/h travel time meaning the bomber can quickly reach other parts of the state if needed, potentially saving lives and communities all over Queensland. It is able to fly the 300-kilometre direct journey from Bundaberg to Brisbane in 30 minutes at top speed.

Also arriving into Bundaberg Airport for the Bushfire Season, also on Friday 28 August, was Aero Facilities (SA) EADS SOCATA TBM700 VH-PGA as "Birddog 376" which was noted arriving into Bundaberg Airport from Scone and Coffs Harbour.  It had left from Aldinga in South Australia a couple of days prior.  It is assumed that it will again provide airborne support for C-FFQE during this coming bushfire season.

And Microflite Pilatus PC-12/47E VH-8MF also arrived into Bundaberg Airport from Archerfield as "Firescan 399" and will also be based at Bundaberg Airport.

UPDATE!  On Sunday 30 August, Aerotech Aircraft Holdings (Aerotech Helicopters) Pickering Aviation (Sikorsky) UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter VH-8UH as "Helitack 515" and UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter VH-L6H "Helitack 517" arrived into Bundaberg Airport from South Australia via all stops over the last couple of days to also be based at Bundaberg Airport.