Calavar Corporation

The Calavar Corporation was an American aerial platform manufacturer. Founded in Santa Fe Springs, California the company offered a series of articulating boom aerial platforms for firefighting. In the late 80s the company ceased production of its firefighting equipment and relocated to Waco, Texas. Calavar would continue to build aerial platforms for the industrial and construction market until going out of business in the 1990s.

History
In 1969 Calavar introduced a 125 foot articulating boom aerial platform under the Firebird name. Although it was not the tallest aerial device available, at that time it was the tallest articulating boom. The Firebird utilized articulating booms with telescoping sections. This allowed for a more compact unit than would otherwise be possible. By 1972 Calavar was offering four models of Firebird in lengths of 75, 90, 100, 125 and 150 feet. These were appropriately named by their height, Firebird 75 through Firebird 150. While these units offered some unique advantages, they were very expensive compared to other types and as it turned out there were few chassis available to mount them on. All but two would be mounted on an extended wheelbase Hendrickson chassis.

The Firebird 125 proved to be the most popular size, followed by the Firebird 90 and 150. In the case of the Firebird 75 and 100, only one of each would be sold.

Less than 3 dozen had been sold by the mid 1980s when the company decided to shift their focus to other markets.