A Flight Design CTLS light sport aircraft (LSA) has entered service providing aerial support to firefighters from a base high in the Ecuadorian Andes mountains.
The Air Volunteer Fire Department of Basin (Bomberos de Cuenca), Ecuador, will fly the LSA from the Mariscal Lamar Airport, field elevation approximately 8,300 feet mean sea level. Two representatives of the manufacturer’s southeastern U.S. distributor traveled to Ecuador to train fire department personnel in assembly and maintenance, and to provide flight instruction in the CTLS, according to a news release.
“Using the CTLS in this way, our fire department has an effective tool to help in search functions, recognition and support of ground operations by providing a better service to the community of Cuenca,” said Hugo Cobo, leader of the fire department. He estimated that the aircraft would fly about 25 hours per month.
Department pilots received five hours of training at distributor Sebring Aviation in Sebring, Fla., and five hours at Cuenca.
Flight Design is a 23-year-old air sport products producer based in Germany. More than 1,500 of its aircraft are flying in 39 countries, said the announcement from the LSA Marketing Group.
