By IAN ROSS
After some listless years at Bombardier Aerospace's water-bomber assembly plant in North Bay, the demand for the aircraft has come back with a vengeance.
A healthy order book for CL-415 aircraft has the operation and its 35 full-and part-time workforce running full out.
Montreal-based Bombardier and Canada's $20-billion aerospace industry are surging right now.
After some shaky times, the future of the North Bay operation in the short to intermediate future looks good with half of their sales in Europe, says Michel Bourgeois, president of Bombardier's amphibious aircraft division.
"We've have an order book taking us for a couple of years and building up."
Bourgeois toured the North Bay facility in early February to recognize its employees as part of a quality improvement program and the plant's ISO 9000 certification achievement last October.
Because of the shortage of skilled people and the demand for the aircraft, the plant is running almost two shifts, seven days a week.
Bourgeois says the company is "deeply in need" of 15 additional people, searching for both experienced hands and aviation technical graduates from Canadore College.
When North Bay production was intermittently halted between 2002 and 2005, there were a number of unsold aircraft that Bombardier needed to find markets for.
The gradual resumption of production beginning almost three years ago is the result of years of a concerted sales effort, says Bourgeois.
"The sell-cycle to a government for these type of aircraft is probably three years."
Bombardier has had a presence in North Bay since 1998 when Jack Garland Airport was selected as the final assembly point for the 415 'Super Scoop' water-bomber. Thirty aircraft have been built in North Bay.
In recent years, the plant had temporarily suspended operations because of the general malaise in the aircraft industry.
Now the good times are back in this cyclical industry.
Assembling a 415 aircraft from start to finish can take up to 160 days. Bombardier wants to improve that time-frame to 100 days.
"We are moving up to five aircraft by the end of this year or early next year," says Bourgeois.
"The move to North Bay was a good decision and we're happy to be there. We've looked many times whether we should bring it back or go elsewhere and every time we come back to the conclusion, why change something that works?"
The company has made great inroads selling aircraft in the Mediterranean region.
Recently, Italy's civil protection agency Protezione Civile took possession of the first of four planes ordered in November 2007 by the Italian government. The order included "special mission equipment" items to enhance the aircraft's capabilities.
Deliveries of the other three remaining aircraft will take place this year and next.
The Government of Spain placed an order for two 415's with a contract valued at $60 million US. Those aircraft will be delivered this year.
Bombardier has delivered 66 of these amphibious aircraft to firefighting agencies in Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Spain as well as Ontario and Quebec.
Bourgeois says a recent trend of wildfires in France, Portugal and Greece have governments there increasing the size of their firefighting aircraft fleet "because their mission is extending."
In Italy and across the Mediterranean, the fire season now extends year-round. More aircraft are needed to accommodate regular maintenance down-time.
As well, the role of the CL-415 aircraft is expanding among customers.
Besides firefighting, a modified version, the Bombardier 415MP (multi-purpose) is used for search and rescue, maritime patrol and environmental protection.
Bourgeois calls it the "rebirth of the amphibious aircraft" similar to the long-range PBY Catalina flying boats of the Second World War, but now outfitted with modern instrumentation.
"One customer we're talking to in Asia, where we're finalizing an agreement, they are going to use it to do patrol. The most important factor is the visibility of the aircraft."
Most surveillance aircraft fly, almost unseen, at 45,000 feet.
But governments like the 415 as a visible deterrent, says Bourgeois, flying at 50 feet over water.
Bourgeois says other customers select various components of the multi-purpose version such as nose radar and the auto-pilot option for search patterns.
He doesn't expect any major growth at North Bay beyond increasing the production rate of five aircraft per year.
"We have no plans to move out of North Bay for the time being...and we should be safe for the next two or three years.
"Canadore (College) is a good supplier for us and we continue working with them on a regular basis and with the teachers, many of whom work for us on a part-time basis."
Canadore's three aviation trades in aircraft maintenance, structure and avionics are all involved with Bombardier, says Darrin Caron, dean of trades and technology.
With Bombardier ramping up local operations, officials are talking to Caron about graduates coming out in May.
"I've been at Canadore for three years and I've never had a year with as many calls from Bombardier and Pratt-Whitney," says Caron. "Everyone is coming here to recruit students."
Many of the aviation grads' skills in hydraulics, pneumatics, electricity and engine repair are transferable to other industries. Some are finding work in the Alberta oil fields.
Caron expects about 105 students to graduate in the three trades in May. With recruiters coming on campus this winter, all will find jobs.
