A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 touched down in Port Alberni on Wednesday, May 22 after a more than 20 year span providing domestic flights across the United States and Europe. It'll be converted into a water tanker to fight wildfires. (submitted photo/Coulson Aviation)

By Alex Rawnsley

wildfire fight

‘Newer, more capable aircraft:’ Boeing 737 lands in Port Alberni ahead of water tanker refit

May 23, 2024 | 9:25 AM

PORT ALBERNI — The future of water bomber development on Vancouver Island has officially touched down.

Staff from Coulson Aviation watched on as a former Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 NG airliner landed at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport just after 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 22 after a quick trip over from Everett, Washington via Vancouver.

President and chief operating officer of Coulson Aviation, Britton Coulson said the plane is a follow-up on the immensely successful 737-300 and represents the next generation of air tankers.

“This is going to have a higher payload, flies faster and is more fuel efficient. They operate all over the world and have been flawless with what they’ve done. As we look to expand, we look to continue to create newer, more capable aircraft.”

With a wingspan of over 34 metres, the 737-700 is considered ideal to handle wildfires in more remote areas. (submitted photo/Coulson Aviation)

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This specific aircraft was rolled out in February 2001 and provided regular passenger service up until early May of this year.

With Southwest it made roughly a half dozen flights each day in the United States, however records also indicate the plane flew in Europe in the 2000’s and early 2010’s for a handful of airlines.

Its new life in Port Alberni will see all the seats removed and the plane converted at the company’s local heavy maintenance facility to fit a 5,000-gallon tank.

Work is expected to take between 18 and 24 months.

Coulson said planes like this are what’s needed to fight the continued wildfire risk across the country.

“Having faster, more capable, larger air tankers are really going to be able to help against that war on wildfire both in Canada and the U.S., but also internationally.”

Staff from Coulson Aviation along with invited guests greeted the plane at the airport on Wednesday, May 22. (submitted photo/Coulson Aviation)

The 737 series is not designed to replace the company fleet of Hercules aircraft, according to Coulson, but rather work in tandem.

He added they’re complementary aircraft to be deployed in different situations.

“The C-130 can fly a little bit lower, a little bit slower and into shorter fields than what the 737 can. But in large land masses where you don’t have a lot of bases, the 737 can get to and from the fire faster.”

He added the 737 is so widely used around the world finding parts and mechanics to work on the plane will be extremely easy when the need arises.

Coulson’s infamous Hawaii Martian Mars water bomber is poised to take its final flight later this year and become an exhibit in the British Columbia Aviation Museum in Victoria.

— with files from David Wiwchar, 93.3 The Peak

It’s expected the former airliner will be put into wildfire service in the next couple of years, likely deployed to somewhere in Canada or the United States. (submitted photo/Coulson Aviation)

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