Viking Air
Viking Air is a privately held Canadian aerospace manufacturer (founded 1970, Sidney, BC) that designs, builds, and supports specialized firefighting aircraft — most notably the CL-415EAF Super Scooper — and sells direct to government agencies and emergency response organizations worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersSidney, Canada
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Viking Air does
Viking Air is a privately held Canadian aerospace manufacturer founded in 1970 and headquartered in Sidney, Canada, that specializes in the manufacturing, repair, and maintenance of aerospace products and parts. The company operates with 501-1,000 employees and concentrates on firefighting and special-mission aircraft, most notably the CL-415EAF Super Scooper — an amphibious water bomber purpose-built to scoop water from lakes and oceans and drop it on wildfires. Its aircraft are designed for rapid aerial intervention against wildfires, with industry analysis cited in source indicating early aerial intervention can reduce wildfire spread by up to 40%, underscoring the operational value proposition to firefighting agencies.
Viking Air serves government agencies and emergency response organizations worldwide. The company operates in the global firefighting aircraft market, which was reported at $6.72 billion in 2024 with projected growth through 2033; North America dominates this market due to wildfire frequency and advanced firefighting infrastructure, while key industry players include Airbus, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin in adjacent segments. As a specialized manufacturer of amphibious aerial firefighting platforms, Viking sits in a narrower sub-segment where very few OEMs produce purpose-built scooper-class aircraft.
The business model centers on direct sales and long-cycle support contracts to government and emergency-response customers. Aircraft pricing is negotiated per configuration rather than published, and revenue comes from a mix of airframe sales plus recurring maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and spares revenue typical of aerospace OEMs. Customer concentration is structurally high because qualified buyers are limited to a small number of national and regional government operators, and the company has not disclosed revenue, funding, ownership, or management-team details in the source data; even the company's own website returned only a loader page with no substantive content.
Viking Air firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Viking Air
- Website
- https://vikingair.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Viking Air is a privately held Canadian aerospace manufacturer (founded 1970, Sidney, BC) that designs, builds, and supports specialized firefighting aircraft — most notably the CL-415EAF Super Scooper — and sells direct to government agencies and emergency response organizations worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Viking Air industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aerospace Manufacturing — Special Mission and Firefighting Aircraft
- NAICS
- Aircraft Manufacturing (336411)
- SIC
- Aircraft (3721), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Amphibious & Seaplane Aircraft Manufacturing (IMABAAAF)
Keywords
Where Viking Air is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sidney
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Viking Air business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Viking Air product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Viking Air manufactures specialized aerospace products, including amphibious firefighting aircraft such as the CL-415EAF Super Scooper designed to scoop water from lakes and oceans and drop it on wildfires. The company also provides repair and maintenance services for aerospace products and parts to government agencies, emergency response organizations, and military customers worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CL-415EAF Super Scooper The CL-415EAF Super Scooper is an amphibious firefighting aircraft manufactured by Viking Air that can scoop water directly from lakes and oceans and drop it on wildfires. It is built for government agencies, firefighting organizations, and military customers requiring rapid aerial firefighting response.
- Aerospace Product and Parts Repair and Maintenance Repair and maintenance services for aerospace products and parts, supporting government agencies, emergency response operators, and military fleet operators with special mission aircraft.
Quantifiable outcome
- Early aerial intervention can reduce wildfire spread by up to 40%
Companies that use Viking Air
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Viking Air technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Viking Air partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Viking Air competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- De Havilland Canada: Canadian turboprop aircraft manufacturer (Dash 8 family) that historically produced the CL-215/CL-415 water bomber line before the type certificates were acquired by Viking Air. Direct peer in Canadian special-mission and regional turboprop manufacturing.
- Conair Group: Canadian operator and aerial-firefighting specialist that converts and operates air tankers and water bombers, including CL-215/CL-415 platforms. Competes with Viking Air as a customer/operator and in aerial firefighting mission delivery.
- Coulson Aviation: Aerial firefighting operator (Boeing 737-300 FireLiner, C-130 conversions) competing for government contracts in the same wildfire-suppression market Viking Air serves. Closely comparable as a North American aerial-firefighting platform provider.
Broad incumbents
- Lockheed Martin: Global defense prime whose C-130 Hercules-based air tankers (MAFFS, Coulson conversions) compete directly with Viking Air's CL-415EAF for wildfire-suppression contracts. Much larger scale and broader portfolio.
- Boeing: Large aerospace prime operating in firefighting/special-mission via 737-based platforms and defense/special-mission variants. Listed as a key industry player in the same firefighting aircraft market as Viking Air.
- Airbus: European aerospace prime producing firefighting variants (e.g., A330 MRTT-derived tanker, C295-based platforms). Explicitly identified alongside Boeing and Lockheed as a key industry competitor in firefighting aircraft.
- Embraer Defense & Security: Brazilian aerospace OEM with a defense and special-mission portfolio that overlaps with Viking Air in government/military special-mission aircraft programs. Broader portfolio but comparable customer base.
Emerging players
- Air Tractor: US manufacturer of single-engine turboprop agricultural and firefighting aircraft (AT-802 Fire Boss). Comparable as a maker of purpose-built firefighting airframes, though smaller and land-based rather than amphibious.
- Thrush Aircraft: Manufacturer of agricultural/firefighting turboprop aircraft. Comparable niche producer of purpose-built firefighting platforms, though land-based and smaller-scale than Viking Air's CL-415EAF.
Regional players
- Longview Aviation Capital: Canadian aviation holding company that owns De Havilland Canada and previously held the CL-215/CL-415 type certificates. Strategic competitor and historical counterparty in Canadian special-mission aircraft.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Viking Air social profiles
Digital presenceViking Air financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Viking Air leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Viking Air funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Viking Air M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Viking Air
What does Viking Air do?
Viking Air manufactures specialized aerospace products, including amphibious firefighting aircraft such as the CL-415EAF Super Scooper designed to scoop water from lakes and oceans and drop it on wildfires. The company also provides repair and maintenance services for aerospace products and parts to government agencies, emergency response organizations, and military customers worldwide.
When was Viking Air founded?
Viking Air was founded in 1970. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Viking Air based?
Viking Air is headquartered in Sidney, Canada, in the North America region.
Who are Viking Air's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are De Havilland Canada, Conair Group and Coulson Aviation. Broad incumbents are Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus and Embraer Defense & Security. Emerging players are Air Tractor and Thrush Aircraft. Longview Aviation Capital is listed as a regional player.
Does Viking Air have an API?
No public API is recorded for Viking Air.
What industry is Viking Air in?
Viking Air's product category is Aerospace Manufacturing — Special Mission and Firefighting Aircraft. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAAAF, Amphibious & Seaplane Aircraft Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 336411 and its SIC code is 3721.