French aviation company Kepplair has begun converting an ATR 72 cargo aircraft into a firefighting water bomber at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in southwestern France.
The twin-engine turboprop aircraft, provided by Irish aircraft leasing company ACIA Aero, arrived at an airport hangar roughly two weeks ago. It has already received a green and white livery displaying the project name Kepplair 72 along its fuselage.
Before entering physical modification, the aircraft completed two specialized test flights over Toulouse this week. Fitted with test instrumentation, the plane carried out a calibration campaign to validate digital aerodynamic and structural models established by engineers.
David Joubert, the founder and president of Kepplair, said test pilots executed one flight at full load and another empty to confirm numerical predictions before structural cutting begins.
Structural modifications and tank installation
Kepplair is partnering with French aeronautical maintenance firm Aerotec to execute the modification program. The transformation work is expected to take four to five months inside Aerotec's facilities at the airport.
The ATR 72, built by European turboprop manufacturer ATR, is widely operated for regional passenger and freight routes. Converting the commercial cargo platform into a heavy aerial firefighter requires major airframe reinforcement.
Pierre Da Costa, head of the water bombers division at Aerotec, explained that technicians will first structurally reinforce the aircraft around the ventral belly fairing. This section will house two internal water tanks with a combined capacity of 7,500 litres.
Technicians will then install water drop doors between the main landing gear assemblies. The final phase involves integrating a control system into the flight deck, allowing pilots to operate the discharge system directly from the cockpit.
Flight testing and certification schedule
If work stays on schedule, the modified aircraft will perform its maiden flight as a water bomber in January 2027. A multi-month flight testing and water-dropping trial campaign will follow immediately.
Kepplair aims to secure European aviation safety certification during 2027, clearing the Kepplair 72 to enter commercial service early in 2028.
By 2030, the company plans to produce up to 12 converted water bombers annually. Production will utilize two conversion lines inside a new Aerotec hangar currently in the final stages of construction at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.
Converting an ATR 72 into a water bomber will cost between 9 million euros and 12 million euros per airframe.
Funding rounds and commercial interest
While Kepplair has not yet logged firm purchase orders, the company has secured 22 letters of intent along with formal expressions of interest from the French government.
The company recently finalized a 6 million euro fundraising round, bringing total public and private funding to 17.5 million euros since the program was launched.
A crowdfunding initiative launched in late May has raised 900,000 euros. Previously limited to the company's existing community, the investment campaign opened to the general public on September 1, 2026.
The project highlights growing regional efforts in southwestern France to convert existing commercial aircraft platforms for seasonal wildfire suppression across southern Europe.
