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AT-802
Fox-firebase-at802-N398LA-070904-01-24
Air Tractor AT-802 SEAT (Single Engine Air Tanker)
Role Agricultural / Fire-fighting aircraft
Manufacturer Air Tractor
First flight 1990

The Air Tractor AT-802 is an agricultural aircraft that may also be adapted into fire-fighting or armed versions. It first flew in the United States in October 1990 and is manufactured by Air Tractor Inc. 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 III SEAT, or Single Engine Air Tanker.[1]

Development[]

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 aerial firefighting configuration, which utilizes Wipaire 10000 amphibious floats, so that it can land on a traditional runway or on water. The Fire Boss can scoop water from a lake or river for use on a fire. In addition to the 820 US gallons (3,100 L)[2] standard fuselage-mounted retardant tank, the Fire Boss can have optional 70 US gallons (260 L) tanks in the floats.[3] Operations with floats installed have been shown to produce a shorter and narrower retardant drop pattern than wheeled AT-802s.[4]

Armed version[]

AirTractor Paris I

AT-802U prototype at Paris Air Show

In response to the United States Air Force's LAAR program and the growing requirement for light counter-insurgency aircraft,[5] Air Tractor developed an armed model, the AT-802U, in 2008, with engine and cockpit armor, a bulletproof windscreen, self-sealing fuel tanks, and structural reinforcements for the carriage of 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) of payload. A reinforced wing spar was certified for 12,000 hours of flight time,[6] and the AT-802U was displayed in 2009 at the Paris Air Show.[7]

The AT-802 has also been used in counter-drug operations in the USSOUTHCOM AOR by the U.S. Department of State as a delivery vehicle for herbicides and defoliants over narcotics production facilities.

Variants[]

  • AT-802 - two seat (tandem) cockpit
  • AT-802A - single-seat cockpit
  • AT-802U - two seat (tandem) heavily armored military version, modified with sensors and reinforced for weapons carriage[8]
  • AT-802F or AT-802AF - An aerial firefighting model 802 equipped with the Air Tractor Computerized Firegate[9]
  • Fire Boss - A model 802 equipped with Wipaire amphibious floats and Air Tractor Computerized Firegate[9]

Operators[]

Montenegrian air force AT-802A Fire Boss

Montenegrian air force AT-802A Fire Boss

Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - Aerial Firefighting Unit Holds Drill, Year After Carmel Forest Fire

Israeli AT-802F in a firefighting drill

Flag of Argentina Argentina
  • Córdoba Province - Fire-fighting
Flag of Australia Australia
  • Aerotech First Response (South Australia) - 7 AT-802
  • Dunn Aviation (Western Australia) - 9 AT-802[10]
  • Kennedy Aviation (New South Wales) - 4 AT-802[11]
Flag of Brazil Brazil
  • Military Firefighters of Distrito Federal
  • Military Firefighters of Mato Grosso
Flag of Burkina Faso Burkina Faso
Flag of Canada Canada
  • Forest Protection Limited,[13] New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources - 6 AT-802F and 1 AT-802A Fire Boss
  • Conair Group - 13 AT-802A Fire Boss
Flag of Chile Chile
  • Combate de Incendios Forestales, Martinez Ridao Chile Ltda.[14] AT-802A Fire Boss
Flag of Croatia Croatia
Flag of Finland Finland
  • - Fire-fighting
Flag of The Gambia Gambia
Flag of Israel Israel
Flag of Italy Italy
  • Protezione Civile - 10 AT-802A Fire Boss
Flag of Macedonia Macedonia
  • Protection and Rescue Directorate of the Republic of Macedonia - 3 AT-802A Fire Boss
Flag of Montenegro Montenegro
  • 2 AT-802A Fire Boss[17]
Flag of Spain Spain
  • Ministry of Environment (CEGISA) - 3 AT-802A[18]
  • Avialsa T35 - 15 AT-802 + 14 AT-802F [19]
Flag of the United Arab Emirates UAE
United States

Specifications (AT-802)[]

Croatian AirTractors AT-802F FireBoss

Three Croatian AT-802F Fire Bosses

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004[22]

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two
  • Capacity: 820 US Gal (3,104 L) of chemicals
  • Length: 35 ft 11 in (10.95 m)
  • Wingspan: 59 ft 3 in (18.06 m)
  • Height: 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
  • Wing area: 401.0 ft2 (37.25 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 8.8:1
  • Empty weight: 6,505 lb (2,951 kg)
  • Gross weight: 16,000 lb (7,257 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67F turboprop, 1,350 hp (1,007 kW) each

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 221 mph (356 km/h)
  • Range: 800 miles (1,289 km)
  • Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
  • Rate of climb: 850 ft/min (4.3 m/s)

Specifications (AT-802U)[]

Data from[citation needed]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2 (tandem)
  • Length: 35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
  • Wingspan: 59 ft 1 in (18 m)
  • Height: 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m)
  • Wing area: 401 sq ft (37.3 m2)
  • Empty weight: 6,400 lb (2,903 kg)
  • Gross weight: 16,000 lb (7,257 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 16,000 lb (7,257 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67F turboprop, 1,600 shp (1,200 kW)
  • Propellers: 5-bladed Hartzell Propeller HC-B3TN

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 230 mph; 370 km/h (200 kn)
  • Cruising speed: 184 mph; 296 km/h (160 kn)
  • Range: 1,841 mi; 2,963 km (1,600 nmi)
  • Endurance: 10 hours
  • Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)

Armament

  • 8 hardpoints for up to 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) payload, including but not limited to:
    • 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg) or 1,000 pounds (450 kg) smart bombs
    • 8 × AGM-114 Hellfire laser guided missiles
    • 38 × 2.75 inches (70 mm) Hydra 70 folding fin aerial rockets
    • 2 × GAU-19 .50-calibre (12.7×99 mm) gunpods
  • See also[]

    References[]

    Notes
    1. "Interagency Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations 2007, Chapter 17" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20070928013524/http://www.nifc.gov/red_book/2007/Chapter17.pdf. Retrieved 2007-08-31. 
    2. AT-802 Fire Boss Factsheet at http://www.airtractoreurope.com
    3. Wipaire Fire Boss Service Manual
    4. "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
    5. Trimble, Stephen. "PARIS AIR SHOW: Cropduster-turned-gunship makes Le Bourget debut". flightglobal.com. 15 June 2009. retrieved 7 November 2010.
    6. Exciting Product Developments In 2009. airtractor (2010-02-10). Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
    7. PHOTOS: New gunship flies to Paris Air Show debut - The DEW Line. Flightglobal.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
    8. Photos: Air Tractor AT-802U Air Truck Aircraft Pictures. Airliners.net (2009-06-18). Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
    9. 9.0 9.1 www.Airtractor.com AT802A
    10. Dunn Aviation - Firebombing
    11. "Aircraft register search results". Civil Aviation Safety Authority. http://casa-query.funnelback.com/search/search.cgi?collection=casa_aircraft_register&meta_v_sand=&meta_A=-allresults&meta_o_sand=&meta_m_sand=&meta_X_sand=&meta_r_sand=&meta_q_sand=Kennedy+Aviation&meta_xyear_sand=&meta_Y_sand=&num_ranks=10&Search=Search. Retrieved 16 February 2013. 
    12. Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 35.
    13. Welcome to Forest Protection Limited. Forestprotectionlimited.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
    14. [1]. En Chile trabajando para Forestal Mininco y Forestal Celco.
    15. Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 39.
    16. Egozi, Arie (2011-08-06). "Israel's new firefighting squadron". Flightglobal. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/06/08/357524/israels-new-firefighting-squadron.html. Retrieved 2011-09-07. 
    17. Prvi crnogorski avioni za gašenje požara :: Dnevni list Pobjeda. Pobjeda.me (2008-04-30). Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
    18. Keijsper 2008, pp. 43.
    19. "Flota de Aviones". Avialsa. http://www.avialsa.com/flota_aviones/. Retrieved 2011-09-07. 
    20. Trimble, Stephen (2011-01-25). "AirTractor delivers UAE's first AT-802Us". Flightglobal. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/01/25/352282/picture-airtractor-delivers-uaes-first-at-802us.html. Retrieved 2011-09-07. 
    21. www.airtractor.com - first us contract
    22. Jackson 2003, pp. 509–510.
    Bibliography
    • Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, 13–19 December 2011. pp. 26–52.
    • Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.
    • Keijsper, Gerard. "Water-Bombers Required!" Air Forces Monthly, London: Key Publishing, July 2008 Issue.
    • Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. pp. 31–32. 

    External links[]

    All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
    The original article can be found at Air Tractor AT-802 and the edit history here.
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