Air Tractor AT-802
The Air Tractor AT-802 is a fire-fighting aircraft that first flew in the United States in October 1990. The AT-802 carries a chemical hopper between the engine firewall and the cockpit and another one under the belly. In the U.S., it is considered a Type 4 SEAT, or Single Engine Air Tanker.[1] As of 2007, it is the largest agricultural-type aircraft to enter production.
In its standard configuration, the aircraft utilizes conventional landing gear (two main wheels and a tail wheel), however, a number of aircraft have been converted to the Fire Boss configuration, which utilizes Wipaire 10000 amphibious floats, so that it can land on a traditional runway or on water. In addition, the Fire Boss can scoop water from a lake or river for use on a fire. In addition to the standard fuselage-mounted retardant tank, the Fire Boss has tanks in the floats.[2] Operations with floats installed have been shown to produce a shorter and narrower retardant drop pattern than wheeled AT-802s.[3]
Variants
- AT-802 - two seat cockpit
- AT-802A - single-seat cockpit
A firefighting model 802 equipped with the Air Tractor Computerized Firegate is known as an AT-802F or an AT-802AF[4]
A model 802 equipped with Wipaire amphibious floats is known as a Fire Boss[4]
Operators
- Croatian Air Force - 3 AT-802A Fire Boss and 1 AT-802F[5]; 2 additional AT-802A's ordered[6]
- Aerospray, Inc. [9]
- Dunn Aviation (Western Australia) - 3 x AT-802s [10]
- Forest Protection Limited[11], New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources - 6 AT-802F<ref name='p44'> and 1 AT-802A Fire Boss
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: one pilot
- Capacity: 810 US Gal (3,070 L) chemicals
Performance
References
- ^ "Interagency Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations 2007, Chapter 17" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
- ^ Wipaire Fire Boss Service Manual
- ^ "Evaluation of Long Term Retardant Drop Patterns from Air Tractor 802 Amphibious Float and Wheel Equipped Aircraft", Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada, February 2006
- ^ a b www.Airtractor.com AT802A
- ^ Keijsper 2008, pp. 44.
- ^ Croatia buys two more Air Tractors
- ^ Keijsper 2008, pp. 43.
- ^ www.Avialsa.com
- ^ www.airtractor.com - first us contract
- ^ Dunn Aviation - Firebombing
- ^ [1]
Bibliography
- Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. pp. 31–32.
- Keijsper, Gerard. "Water-Bombers Required!" Air Forces Monthly, London: Key Publishing, July 2008 Issue.
See also