Stephan Burnett
Northern News Services

Hay River (Apr 12/04) - There's a new generation at Buffalo Airways Ltd.

That message was relayed loud and clear by Buffalo Airways owner Joe McBryan as he choked with pride over the landing of a Canadair 215 water bomber, bought from Croatia, at the Yellowknife airport last Tuesday.

The plane is the first of two water bombers purchased from Croatia. Myles Cane, who landed the first water bomber, will fly to Croatia next month to bring the second one home.

Cane has worked with Buffalo Airways since he was 16 years old.

"When he first came here he was working as a ramp rat, moving stuff around on the ramp and now look at him," said McBryan, as the 215 taxied on to the Buffalo Airways ramp.

As Cane disembarked, the first hand he shook was that of Rod McBryan, Joe's son.

"Rod and Myles did all the planning for this themselves," said Joe as Rod walked around the plane for a quick inspection.

"By the time we get everything home we're into it for $5 million," said Joe.

The planes were bought from Croatia because with the denser populated areas, a large fleet of water bombers is used for air suppression of fires.

"They have to protect at a greater rate. It's a big thing up there," said Rod.

"(The plane) is a purpose-built scooper, out of fresh or salt water. It has manoeuvrability, stability and safety and it gets off the water as quickly as possible," Rod said of the aircraft built in 1971.

Joe McBryan said next month's "ferry crossing" of the next 215 across the North Atlantic will signify the passing of the torch for Buffalo.

"It's representative of the enthusiasm and youthfulness of people like Myles and Rod as well as Cory Dodd and Cliff Sabel. There's four to five guys, all schoolmates, coming up in a different era of aviation and the success of it will depend on their enthusiasm and knowledge," said Joe.

Along with a new generation comes a new idea.

Buffalo Airways is planning an aerospace program that would make them technical leaders in retrofitting the propeller driven water bombers into turbine powered aircraft.

The converted aircraft will be able to fly higher into mountainous fires, they will have greater access to commonly used fuel and they will be fitted for airborne pollution control.

"Should there be an oil spill we will spray to clump the oil together, or to sink it or break it up," said McBryan. "We have to keep our watersheds pristine."

Buffalo is working with Bombardier on the program, although both Joe McBryan and Bombardier representative Peter Likoray say it will take a couple years to fly the concept past government regulators.

"I want my school to specialize in Canadian products geared toward maintenance and conversion of the 215 aircraft," said McBryan.