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Aircraft Family

C-295 C-212 CN-235 Large aircraft Product support

Airbus Military C-295

The C-295 presents the best operational and acquisition value for Canada’s Fixed Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) aircraft requirement – offering a mission-proven platform with World class logistics support.

This latest member of the Airbus Military tactical airlifter family is versatile, robust and has the lowest cost life-cycle of any aircraft in its category.  Since its launch in 2001, over 70 have been sold to 11 different operators in Spain, Poland, Jordan, Colombia, Algeria, Brazil, Portugal, Finland, Mexico, Chile and the Czech Republic, logging more than 40,000 flight hours in search and rescue (SAR), maritime patrol and tactical lift missions.

The C-295 offers an optimized airframe for SAR and maritime patrol.  With the largest cabin volume and floor space in its class, the C-295 is the only aircraft with adequate space for all SAR gear and mission systems, plus comfortable crew rest and preparation areas. 

Its rear ramp allows for easy loading of mission pallets, passengers, cargo, and litters for medical evacuation, and is fully certified and proven in static line parachute egress and 450 lb. aerial delivery by static line.  A lateral side door on the C-295 also is certified and operational for para-drops, while four bubble spotter windows on the fuselage provide optimal conditions for visual search – including full panoramic coverage beneath the aircraft.

The C-295’s maximum range of 3,040 naut. mi. places all of Canada’s SAR area of responsibility in its reach within one crew day from existing search and rescue bases. 

Key features

  • As a stretched version of Airbus Military’s CN-235, the C-295 benefits from the experience of over 250 aircraft in service around the world, including SAR/maritime patrol duty with the U.S. Coast Guard, Irish Air Corps, and the Spanish Maritime Agency.
  • The C-295 is a highly survivable aircraft, with global operations that include missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Its agile manoeuvrability and low radar signature are enhanced by fully-integrated missile and radar warning systems, along with a countermeasures dispenser.
  • Optimized flight characteristics provide safe operation in the 110-130-kt. flight envelope specified in the Canadian SAR Manual.  The C-295 is designed for operations from austere/unpaved airfields, and is capable of takeoffs and landings in crosswinds of 30 kts., as well as operations in airport winds in excess of 50 kts.
  • Lowest acquisition and operational cost, with fuel consumption of only 1,200 lb./flight hour; lowest maintenance man hour per flight hour in its class.
  • Growth capability for new sensors and internal equipment
  • The C-295’s similarity in fuselage cross-section with CH-47 Chinook helicopter allows the transfer of palletized cargo between the aircraft without the need to break down or build up the payload in height, length or width.

Canadian content

  • Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G engines: recognized worldwide for their reliability, durability and economics, regularly achieving 10,000 flight hours on the wing without a shop visit.
  • Thales avionics: Open systems architecture compliant with all GATM requirements while securing efficient spiral development of new Canadian technologies such as AIMS.
  • CAE: Exclusive simulator and training supplier for air crew and maintainers, allowing for seamless fleet integration and rapid Initial Operational Capability (IOC).