Inside the shell of a disused turboprop aircraft, engineer Jonathan Beck demonstrates how his company, Positive Aviation, plans to challenge ageing Canadair water-bombers in combatting wildfires across the continent. Designs for new or converted water-bombers have gained momentum after nearly 500,000 hectares burned across Europe this year. Beck, a former Airbus engineer and head of design at Positive Aviation, said: "We will have eight tons of water inside this aircraft,” pointing to Y-shaped pipes that would draw water from new floats designed to skim over lakes or sea. Even so, Europe's aspiring water-bombers see a window of support as politicians debate firefighting capacity. "What worries me is that in four weeks' time, nobody will talk about it, either media or politicians," Schmitt said.