Bridger Aerospace

American company providing aerial firefighting services

Bridger Aerospace

Company type| Public

Traded as

| Nasdaq: BAER
Industry| Aerospace
Founded| 2014
Founder| Tim Sheehy
Headquarters|

Belgrade, Montana

United States

Key people

* Sam Davis (CEO)
* James Muchmore (CLO)
* Eric Gerratt (CFO)

[1]
Website| Official website

Bridger Aerospace is an American aerospace company which provides aerial firefighting and wildfire management services.[2] The company has supported firefighting efforts in 24 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.[3]

In January 2023, Bridger went public via SPAC merger with a valuation of $869 million.[4] The company has not been profitable since going public.[5]

## History

[edit]

The company was founded in 2014 by Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL who utilized airborne surveillance during his service.[6][7] Initially, Sheehy operated one plane to assist ranchers with tracking their cattle from the air.[2] He shifted the company's focus to aerial firefighting during the 2015 wildfire season.[8]

In 2018, Bridger was one of four companies awarded a contract with the United States Department of the Interior to use drones in emergency situations, including during wildfires.[9] It became the first private company to legally use drones for wildfire fighting during the Martin Fire in Nevada, mapping 435,000 acres of burned land in 11 flight runs.[2][9]

By August 2019 the company had grown to a fleet of 20 aircraft and a staff of 100.[10]

In March 2020, Bridger Aerospace offered its fleet to healthcare workers for moving supplies and patients as a response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.[11] The company also manufactured face shields that it donated to frontline workers and used its fleet to deliver other personal protection equipment to medical personnel throughout Montana.[12][13][14]

Bridger was the launch customer for the De Havilland CL-415EAF Firefighting Aircraft.[15]

In 2024, Tim Sheehy resigned as CEO to focus on his candidacy in the U.S. Senate election in Montana, which he later won.[5] On Monday, March 17th, Sam Davis was appointed CEO by the Board of Directors. Prior to his appointment, Davis served as Interim CEO following Sheehy's resignation in July 2024.[16]

## Operations

[edit]

The company is headquartered in Belgrade, Montana and provides aerial firefighting services to government agencies, including the United States Forest Service, across the U.S.[10] Its planes are used for fire suppression and it uses unmanned aerial vehicles to map and provide surveillance of fires.[2] The drones provide fire crews with information including infrared imagery of active fires, and support communication with and tracking of firefighters on the ground.[17]

## Fleet

[edit]

As of 2021, the company's fleet includes over 20 aircraft, including:

Aircraft | No. of aircraft | Variants | Notes

|
|
|

AC500 Shrike Commander[8] | 1 | S | Twin Engine Piston
AC690 Turbine Commander[8] | 5 | A, B, C | Twin Engine Turbine
AC681 Turbine Commander | 1 | A | Twin Engine Turbine
K100 Daher Kodiak[8] | 4 | S | Single Engine Turbine
Pilatus PC-12[18] | 3  | PC-12  | Single Engine Turbine
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | 1 | Series 300 | Twin Engine Turbine with Floats
FVR90 | 2 |  | Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)
Canadair CL-415[8] | 6 | CL-415EAF[19][20] | EAF "Enhanced Aerial Firefighter" configuration

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Executive Team". Bridger Aerospace. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
2. ^ a b c d Writer, Abby Lynes Chronicle Staff (8 September 2019). "Fighting fires and thwarting drones: Belgrade-based sister companies expanding". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
3. ^ "Bridger Aerospace Charts". Bridger Aerospace. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
4. ^ Katje, Chris. "Benzinga's 'Stock Whisper' Index: 5 Stocks Investors Are Secretly Monitoring, But Not Yet Talking About". Benzinga. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
5. ^ a b Reinhard, Beth; O'Connell, Jonathan (10 August 2024). "Montana GOP Senate candidate touts his business. It's losing millions". The Washington Post.
6. ^ "CEO Of Bridger Aerospace (BAER) On The Importance For Aerial Wildfire Fighting Services". TD Ameritrade Network. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
7. ^ Record, AL KNAUBER Independent (27 August 2015). "Matter of valor: Former Navy SEAL awarded Bronze Star, Purple Heart". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
8. ^ a b c d e "Bridger Aerospace - Scooping to Success". AerialFire Magazine. November 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
9. ^ a b Wright, Michael (20 July 2018). "Drones becoming vital part of wildland firefighting". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
10. ^ a b Krevat, Gaby (20 August 2019). "Bozeman high-tech firm provides jobs for veterans and Montana State University graduates". KBKZ. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
11. ^ "Local company offers planes to support patients and healthcare workers". KHQ Right Now. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
12. ^ "Bridger Aerospace makes face shields for Bozeman Health and emergency responders". KBZK. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
13. ^ Evans, Cameron (8 April 2020). "Bridger Aerospace delivers face shields to Frenchtown firefighters". missoulian.com. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
14. ^ Davidson, Marian (16 April 2020). "Bozeman company donates masks across western Montana". KECI. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
15. ^ "Longview delivers first production Viking CL-415eaf Enhancel Aerial Firefighter to Launch Customer Bridger Aerospace Group". VikingAir. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
16. ^ https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/bridger-aerospace-appoints-sam-davis-chief-executive-officer-1034483077
17. ^ Magill, Jim (2 November 2020). "Fighting Wildfires with Drones: On the Front Lines with Bridger Aerospace". DRONELIFE. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
18. ^ "2022 Brochure". Bridger Aerospace. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
19. ^ Montana, Rachel Louise; Just ABC FOX (30 September 2019). "Belgrade-based company expanding aerial firefighting fleet". KULR-8 Local News. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
20. ^ Gabbert, Bill (18 April 2020). "Bridger Aerospace receives the first Viking CL-415EAF". WildFire Today. International Association of Wildland Fire. Retrieved 28 May 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website