Q Series: more than airliners	March 2006

Bombardier's Q Series special mission turboprops gained further acceptance in March, 2006 when three Q300 aircraft were ordered by National Air Support (NAS) for the Australian Coastwatch program.

Adelaide-based NAS began flying Bombardier Dash 8/Q200 aircraft in 1996. It currently operates five of the aircraft and they have accumulated more than 70,000 hours patrolling the Australian coastline. They are sometimes grueling missions lasting several hours.

The larger Q300 will offer more cabin space for the Coastwatch crew and Australian Customs officers.

"The Q300 aircraft will be the 'long arms' of the fleet," said Peter Nottage, Chief Executive Officer of NAS. "Their much longer endurance will give us greater flexibility. We will be able to use them on missions requiring extra range, but they will also be able to loiter in a given area, or shadow a target of interest, for much longer periods of time on tactical missions."

The Bombardier Q300 has also been selected the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau for navigation aids inspection and calibration, and by the Swedish Coast Guard for maritime surveillance.