Kepplair Evolution launches ATR 72 water-bomber flight-test programme

Kepplair Evolution has completed the first pre-modification flight of its ATR 72 prototype, formally launching the flight-test programme for the KEPPLAIR 72 multi-role firefighting aircraft.

The aircraft conducted two flights over Toulouse under the command of flight-test director Eric Delesalle, a former ATR chief pilot and test pilot, and Aerotec & Concept test pilot Axel Valat. It will now remain grounded until the end of 2026 while undergoing conversion at Toulouse-Blagnac.

Aerotec & Concept will install the KEDS water-delivery system, developed by Kepplair Evolution with the Toulouse Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Professor Dominique Legendre and US specialist Trotter Controls.

Laboratory drops have already been conducted using a full-scale test rig. In-flight drop testing is scheduled to begin in January 2027 to assess the system’s accuracy and performance under operational conditions.

Kepplair aims to obtain a Supplemental Type Certificate from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and place the aircraft in service during 2027. Certification would subsequently be sought from other regulators, including the US Federal Aviation Administration.

Based on converted ATR 72 airframes, the KEPPLAIR 72 is intended to operate either as a dedicated water bomber or in a multi-role configuration supporting firefighting, cargo transport and medical evacuation.

The company claims that using an existing aircraft platform could halve development and acquisition costs, reduce operating and maintenance expenses by around 30% and cut CO? emissions by as much as 40% compared with competing solutions.

Kepplair Evolution has raised €17.5 million through its first funding rounds, including €5 million in public support through France 2030 and the European Regional Development Fund. A third round is under way to finance certification and industrialisation.

The programme has received institutional support from the French state, the Occitanie Region and national firefighting organisations, as well as a letter of interest from France’s Directorate-General for Civil Security and Crisis Management.