New Helicopters Take Flight, Names Announced
The Province's four new Airbus H125 helicopters are now in service. (Province of Nova Scotia)
NOTE: More photos of the helicopters are available at: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2026/07/14/new-department-natural-resources-helicopters
A fleet of new helicopters is now in service to help fight wildfires and support other important tasks that keep Nova Scotians safe.
The four Airbus H125s are versatile aircraft that will fight wildfires, help in search and rescue efforts, assist in scientific research, transport people and equipment during emergencies and conduct aerial surveillance to support the work of other departments.
A naming competition for the four helicopters garnered nearly 10,000 suggestions. Four groups of related names went to a public vote, and the winners are:
- Spirit of the Osprey
- Spirit of the Eagle
- Spirit of the Hawk
- Spirit of the Falcon.
“These aircraft do serious work that keep Nova Scotians safe especially during emergencies,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources. “I am pleased to see how engaged Nova Scotians were with the naming contest. The final names reflect our great province, while respecting the serious nature of the work these helicopters do.”
The helicopters were purchased through a federal-provincial agreement on wildfire equipment and training; each level of government contributed $12.6 million.
Quotes:
“Completing this fleet renewal gives Nova Scotia a modern, capable and versatile fleet ready to support the critical work carried out by the Department of Natural Resources. The H125 has proven itself in demanding environments across Canada, and we are grateful for Nova Scotia’s continued confidence in Airbus to keep their crews equipped and ready to respond when communities and natural resources are at risk.”
— Dwayne Charette, President, Airbus Helicopters Canada
“Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue is excited about these new additions, which are such valuable assets to our province. Whether we are conducting a search for a lost or missing person or responding to a rescue incident, this new fleet ensures that when we receive these calls, we are more prepared than ever before to bring people home safely.”
— Sherry Veinot, President, Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association
Quick Facts:
- while fighting wildfires, helicopters can scoop and dump water faster than fixed-wing aircraft, dropping a higher volume in total on a wildfire; they can also draw from smaller water bodies, making good use of Nova Scotia’s many lakes and ponds
- in keeping with aviation and maritime naming tradition, “Spirit of the” was added to the names that went to the public vote
- home base for the helicopters is Shubenacadie
- the new helicopters replace the previous fleet, also Airbus H125s
Additional Resources:
News release – Nova Scotians Invited to Name New Helicopters: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/06/11/nova-scotians-invited-name-new-helicopters
News release – Province Purchasing New Helicopter Water Bombers: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2023/12/15/province-purchasing-new-helicopter-water-bombers
Department of Natural Resources:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NSDNR
- X: https://x.com/NS_DNR