Capabilities Gaps/Needs Addressed (Capability 7: Remote Operations) Europe is facing a climate emergency that intensifies the frequency and violence of mega-fires, while the current fleet of water bomber aircraft (such as Canadairs) is aging and insufficient. Our solution addresses the "Remote Operations" capability gap by providing the ultimate support to ground firefighters. Aerial firefighting allows for the massive projection of water or retardant onto inaccessible or highly dangerous areas. It acts as a remote operation that secures the perimeter without exposing first responders to extreme thermal risks or structural collapses, thereby preserving human lives. Solution Description Positive Aviation is developing the FF72 family: a next-generation, high-capacity amphibious firefighting aircraft of European design. The solution relies on converting proven ATR 72 transport aircraft (new or second-hand) into scooper aircraft. This transformation includes integrating specialized floats under the fuselage, enabling water landing and rapid high-speed scooping. Targeted for operational entry in 2028, the FF72 will be available in two configurations: Scooper (water amphibious) and Tanker (indirect attack with retardant). Utilizing Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) for these modifications ensures accelerated development and certification. Technology Readiness Level (TRL) TRL 5: technology validated in a relevant environment. Our R&D activities have validated the technological viability of the conversion through relevant and advanced simulation environments. We have successfully completed the modeling and numerical parametric analysis of the floats' hydrodynamic resistance, established the methodology for evaluating their stability, and modeled the load distribution during the critical phases of water landing. Furthermore, the overall performance of the FF72 has been validated through the development of surrogate models implemented in step-by-step simulators.
The primary objective is to accelerate the development, certification, and industrialization of the FF72 Family, transitioning our high-capacity aerial firefighting aircraft from TRL 5 to operational readiness by 2028; through: Advanced Prototyping: Move from advanced numerical simulations to the physical prototyping & testing of the tailored hydrodynamic floats. Accelerated Certification: Finalize engineering to secure Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) for modifying proven ATR 72 transport aircraft into Scooper & Tanker variants. Prepared Industrialization: Establish a scalable, sovereign EU supply chain & conversion methodology to ensure rapid fleet deployment. Relevance to European Needs The FF72 project is acutely relevant to the EU's escalating civil protection crisis. While climate change drives an increase in the frequency & intensity of mega-fires putting more pressure on means availability & deployability, the EU's primary aerial firefighting fleet (legacy Canadairs) is aging beyond 35years and suffering from critical maintenance bottlenecks. The FF72 addresses this vulnerability by offering a modern, cost-effective, and EU-made solution. By converting existing ATR 72 aircraft, Positive Aviation bypasses the decades-long development cycle of a clean-sheet aircraft design, ensuring the fastest possible delivery to market of a new & capability alternative. Regarding Remote Operations, the FF72 acts as a vital force multiplier. By projecting massive payloads of water or retardant onto inaccessible fire fronts, by being quickly on the fire field when every minute matters, it remotely secures perimeters that are too thermally hazardous or difficult to reach for ground crews. This directly protects the lives of first responders, citizens, and critical infrastructure, perfectly aligning with the EU's mandate to enhance disaster resilience. As a side benefit, Positive Aviation will be the first EU seaplane design office repositioning EU alongside China
The strength of the FF72’s innovative approach lies in its highly pragmatic strategy to solve a critical European emergency. Rather than pursuing a "clean-sheet" aircraft design—which typically requires 10 to 15 years and billions of euros in R&D - Positive Aviation introduces a disruptive paradigm to the aerial firefighting industry: Adaptive Reuse & Circular Aerospace: The core innovation is the structural conversion of the ATR 72, an abundant and highly reliable European turboprop. By upcycling existing airframes (or using new ones), we drastically reduce the manufacturing carbon footprint, capital costs, and time-to-market compared to building a new aircraft from scratch. Advanced Hydrodynamic Integration: Transforming a land-based transport aircraft into a high-speed amphibious Scooper is a complex engineering feat. Our innovative approach leverages state-of-the-art numerical parametric analysis, surrogate modeling, and step-by-step simulators to optimize the floats' hydrodynamic resistance and stability. This ensures safe, rapid water scooping without compromising the base aircraft's proven aerodynamic integrity. Agile Certification via STC: Our regulatory pathway is equally innovative. By utilizing Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) rather than a full Type Certificate, we bypass prolonged regulatory bottlenecks. Since the base ATR 72 is already certified, we focus solely on certifying the firefighting modifications. Modular Tactical Versatility: Developing a unified FF72 family with both Scooper and Tanker variants allows for highly effective Remote Operations, tailoring the payload and attack method to the specific needs of ground crews and fire intensity. This combination of engineering, regulatory, and industrial innovation guarantees a rapid response to the climate crisis, delivering a sovereign ans capable European solution by 2028.
The FF72 Family is designed to resolve three critical crises currently threatening European civil protection and environmental stability: 1. The Wildfire Capability Gap Climate change has ushered in an era of "mega-fires" that move faster and burn more intensely than traditional suppression methods can handle. Current European aerial assets often lack the combined volume and speed required to halt these high-intensity fronts. The FF72 resolves this by providing a high-capacity, high-speed, heavy-duty platform capable of delivering massive, sustained water and retardant drops. This high-volume "punch" is essential to lowering fire intensity to a level where ground crews can safely intervene or prevent from needing ground crew on difficult/dangerous fields. 2. The Obsolescence of the European Fleet The backbone of Europe’s firefighting fleet—legacy amphibious aircraft—is aging rapidly. Maintenance is becoming prohibitively expensive, and fleet availability is declining just as the threat increases. The FF72 resolves the urgent need for a modern successor. By converting the proven, reliable ATR 72 platform, we provide a solution that is ready for the field by 2028, in sufficient number, bypassing the costly decade-long development cycle of a "clean-sheet" aircraft design. 3. Safety in "Remote Operations" Ground firefighters are increasingly exposed to extreme thermal risks and unpredictable fire behavior. The FF72 resolves this safety gap by serving as a high-altitude "Remote Operation" asset. It suppresses the most dangerous fire heads from the air, cooling the environment and creating safe corridors for responders. This allows ground crews to conduct their vital work without being directly exposed to lethal heat levels or entrapment. 4. European Strategic Autonomy Today, many European nations lease/buy non-EU aircraft during peak fire seasons, leading to logistical & financial dependency. The FF72 provides back sovereignty & improves cost efficiency
Extended team of 100+ people (including 30 direct employees) cover the various skills involved in the design, manufacturing, assembly, testing, certification and industrialization of CS-25 Supplemental Type Certificates: - Overall Aircraft Design, Overall Physical Design, Overall Systems Design; - Chief Engineering (Requirements Based Engineering, Verification & Validation, Safety, Configuration Management); - Project Management; - Marketing, Communication, Legal; - Finance & Administration
Extended team of 100+ people (including 30 direct employees) cover the various skills involved in the design, manufacturing, assembly, testing, certification and industrialization of CS-25 Supplemental Type Certificates: - Overall Aircraft Design, Overall Physical Design, Overall Systems Design; - Chief Engineering (Requirements Based Engineering, Verification & Validation, Safety, Configuration Management); - Project Management; - Marketing, Communication, Legal; - Finance & Administration