Seaplane Global Air Services orders 10 Be-200ES amphibious aircraft.

The US-based company Seaplane Global Air Services on September 8 ordered 10 Be-200ES, the Russian aircraft makers consortium UAC said announced in an official statement. The contract was signed during the "Hydroaviasalon 2018" exhibition, held last week in Gelendzhik.

A Russian Ministry for Emergencies Be-200ES amphibious aircraft
(Credit: Beriev)

The contract provides for the supply of four Be-200BC amphibious aircraft and an option for another six such aircraft. The first two aircraft will be equipped with D-436TP engines, the eight others with Safran Aircraft Engines' SaM146 engines.

"Over the years, the Be-200ChS amphibious aircraft has proven itself in the EMERCOM requirements of Russia and Europe. It was originally created as a fire-fighting aircraft with the ability to drop 12 tons of water in 20 seconds. We hope that this order will be the beginning of Seaplane Global Air Services' great advancement of our Be-200BC aircraft to the American and European markets," said the Director General of Beriev, Yuri Vladimirovich Grudinin.

Seaplane Global Air Services President Patrick Massardi stated that "We committed ourselves to helping our customers to combat forest fires by using the most efficient aircraft available on the market, and so we opted for the Be-200 with its speed characteristics, its flight range and the amount of discharged water, and our pilots are now ready to fly on this outstanding aircraft."

The Be-200CHS amphibian aircraft was certified in 2003 by the IAC Aviation Registry in accordance with the AP-25 standards. In 2007, the Be-200ES was allowed to be used to transport 43 passengers on medium-length flights, both from airport and on water surfaces. In 2010, a European type certificate (EASA) was obtained. At the moment the Be-200BC aircraft is mass-produced in Taganrog.