THERMAL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 19, 2025--
Coulson Aviation USA has acquired five Citation 550 aircraft from the Canadian Government, expanding its fleet of jet-powered Lead Plane and Air Attack platforms and reinforcing its role as the world’s largest aerial firefighting company.
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The FAR Part 25-certified aircraft will be upgraded with Coulson’s proprietary mission enhancement package, making them the most advanced jet-based aerial supervision aircraft in service. Known for their speed, stability, and reliability, the Citation 550 represents a significant advancement in safety, situational awareness, and tactical response over legacy turboprops.
“These aircraft are almost purpose-built for speed, coordination, and aerial command,” said Britton Coulson, President and COO. “This acquisition expands our capacity while raising the bar for performance and safety in aerial firefighting.”
Each aircraft will be outfitted with Coulson’s latest digital audio systems, advanced communications, and interoperable avionics to ensure seamless coordination with U.S. and international wildfire agencies.
Coulson operates the industry’s most diverse aerial firefighting fleet, supporting early and aggressive initial attack, the most effective strategy to reduce carbon emissions, ecosystem damage, and long-term wildfire costs. With this expansion, the company now operates the world’s largest jet-powered air attack fleet, supporting operations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Chile. These aircraft provide tactical coordination, Large Airtanker integration, and low-level airspace deconfliction during multi-agency wildfire responses.
“We’re not just building fleets, we’re building systems,” said Coulson. “From command aircraft to retardant delivery, we manage every layer of aerial suppression with our people, technology, and safety programs.”
As the only vertically integrated aerial firefighting company operating air attack, lead planes, large air tankers, and helicopters, Coulson combines operational integration with continued investment in innovation, specialized training, supported maintenance, and global deployed crews, positioning it as a key partner in combating wildfire threats.
About Coulson Aviation
Throughout the company’s 60+ years, the mission has remained the same: to protect the world from forest fires. Our organizational capabilities allow our team to provide simultaneous aerial support across numerous continents. As a leading supplier to county, state, and federal governments worldwide, Coulson has focused its next-generation multi-mission fleet on sustainable, in-production aircraft. Working in partnership with OEMs and leveraging the latest technology allows Coulson to provide superior all-hazard response aircraft. Learn more about Coulson Aviation by visiting: coulsonaviation.com.
Coulson Aviation’s newly acquired fleet of five Citation 550 aircraft—part of the industry’s most diverse aerial firefighting fleet—await conversion into advanced jet-powered Lead Plane and Air Attack platforms.
CHICAGO (AP) — Derrick Rose figured he would experience all sorts of emotions when he saw his banner hang from the rafters. They started flowing long before the moment arrived.
The Chicago Bulls retired his No. 1 following their win over the Boston Celtics on Saturday night. And the kid who went from growing up in a rough South Side neighborhood to starring for his hometown team was ready for the moment.
“I had someone or a journalist ask me, ‘Man, did you cry?’ I told him I cry every day,” Rose said. "And he asked about what. Being joyful, knowing where I grew up, knowing my coming back here, my being practical with knowing the economy, with me being there, and the neighborhoods. And you just know.
"That’s one of the reasons why I came back, is to curate things and to employ people.”
Rose joined Michael Jordan (23), Scottie Pippen (33), Jerry Sloan (4) and Bob Love (10) as the only players whose numbers have been retired by the team.
He shed tears during emotional speeches by former teammates Taj Gibson, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah and by coach Tom Thibodeau. He got choked up when he addressed his mother and older brothers as well as his wife, two sons and daughter. There were hugs and smiles, too, when the banner was unveiled.
Rose had already gotten a glimpse at it. On Friday, the Bulls posted video on social media of him seeing it for the first time.
Rose said seeing the banner was “unreal.” But it hadn't really sunk in.
“All this, the moment, I’m still trying to take in, I’m still trying to process in real time,” he said. “And yeah, and just feeling grateful, you know what I mean? Like knowing the weather conditions out there, knowing that it’s a Chicago thing to even show up here, to fight through that and still go to an event. It’s huge, so it’s something that I’m grateful for.”
The video the Bulls posted shows a wide-eyed Rose walking out to center court. He lets out a “wow, are you serious?” as he gazes at the unfurled banner in front of the scorer's table. He squats, walks over and touches it, rubbing his hand over the No. 1. He's then joined by his family as well as former teammates Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and Kirk Hinrich.
Noah says in the video seeing Rose's number raised to the rafters “is our championship moment.”
On Saturday, there were black Rose jerseys at each seat. The Bulls posted video from Jordan and Pippen congratulating him. Rose left roses from his flower shop — Rose's Flower Shop — in both teams' locker rooms before the game.
“He instilled that heart, he instilled that trust in us and that made us come out and fight for you every single night,” Gibson told the crowd.
Former coach Tom Thibodeau called Rose “a basketball savant" whose humility is what really made him stand out.
“The next stop, in my opinion, is the Hall of Fame and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
This isn't the first time the team honored Rose. The Bulls did it when they played New York on Jan. 4, 2025, symbolizing the date as well as the numbers he wore with the Bulls as well as the Knicks and Chicago's Simeon Career Academy. That same day, the Bulls announced they would retire Rose's jersey.
Rose, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft, went from being Rookie of the Year to an All-Star to NBA MVP in his first three seasons. He remains the league’s youngest MVP, winning it when he was 22.
A major knee injury during the 2012 playoffs forced him to miss almost two full seasons and he contemplated stepping away from the game several times following other injury issues.
Rose averaged 17.4 points and 5.2 assists in 723 regular-season games. He averaged 21 points per game before the ACL tear 12 years ago and 15.1 per game in the seasons that followed. But he doesn't dwell on what might have been.
At 37, Rose is more focused on his family and business interests, like an online flower shop and employing people from the city. Or his work promoting participation in chess, particularly among at-rise youngsters. He's not all that interested in working in basketball.
“Everybody thinks the the path or the motif was, 'All right, after you get done, you gotta go back and be around basketball,'” he said. “I didn’t want that. I wanted to curate things or be in lanes that nobody was in. Coming from Chicago, when you tend to enter lanes that people are in, you step on toes and certain things can happen.
"So with me having that in mind, I wanted curate things so that I don’t have to worry about any competition.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Former Chicago Bulls player Derrick Rose, talks during a press conference before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Chicago. Rose's jersey will be retired after the game today. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Former Chicago Bulls player Derrick Rose, center, laughs while talking with writer Sam Smith, right, after a press conference, before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Chicago. Rose's jersey will be retired after the game today. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Former Chicago Bulls player Derrick Rose, smiles after a press conference before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Chicago Bulls guard Kevin Huerter walks into United Center wearing a jersey for former player Derrick Rose before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
Former Chicago Bulls player Derrick Rose, left, fist bumps fans before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Chicago. Rose's jersey will be retired after the game today. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
