Conair Group has deployed two newly converted Daher TBM 960s as lead airplanes for aerial firefighting operations in British Columbia. With the supplemental type and airworthiness certifications from Transport Canada in hand, the turboprop singles are in active service with the BC Wildfire Service for the 2025 wildfire season.
The aircraft are operated by Conair and will serve as birddogs—airborne command-and-control platforms that coordinate airtanker drops and provide real-time strategic oversight.
Conair selected the TBM 960 for its performance, safety features, design, and OEM support. The aircraft were modified with mission-specific avionics, communications gear, smoke generators, and additional sensor systems. A government air attack officer flies onboard each aircraft alongside a Conair pilot to manage operations and ensure coordination with ground crews and other firefighting aircraft.
“We received our first TBM from Daher in November 2024 and our second in January 2025,” said Michael Benson, Conair’s director of business development. “Conair was able to purchase, engineer, convert, certify, and deploy this new aircraft type within six months, including training our pilot crews. That turnaround time is a statement to our team’s expertise and experience.”
The TBM platform replaces Conair’s aging fleet of Turbo Commanders, which the company notes are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. “Although a great aircraft…parts are becoming hard to find, and maintenance overhaul costs and time are increasing,” Benson added.
“These new aircraft are fast, keeping pace with large airtankers or multi-engine water scoopers, plus can fly low and slow, showing aircraft where to place drops,” said Benson. The TBM 960s are also outfitted with sirens to alert ground crews to drops and may be adapted for [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] or search-and-rescue missions in the future.
Daher Aircraft CEO Nicolas Chabbert praised the milestone, saying, “The STC and airworthiness certification in the birddog role open an important new multi-mission application for the TBM 960, and we congratulate Conair on its achievement.”
Conair operates a privately owned fixed-wing firefighting fleet globally, with 70 aircraft serving operations across North America, Europe, and Australia. The company has certified 16 aircraft types for aerial firefighting over the past 56 years and has modified more than 200 aircraft to date.