Air Tractor AT-802
| AT-802 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Air Tractor AT-802 | |
| Role | Agricultural / Fire-fighting aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| 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 35 US gallons (130 L) foam 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
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.
Ten AT-802U were converted by Iomax into an armed configuration with Roketsan Cirit 2.75" rockets and guided bombs [8] for the UAE Air Force. The UAE operated them until November 2015[8] when they were replaced by the first three of 24 Archangels on order from Iomax.[9] The Archangel is based on a similar cropduster airframe, that of the Thrush Model 660,[10] however to create the Archangel the basic Model 660 undergoes a much more extensive rebuild in the course of its militarization. Six of the UAE AT-802Us were transferred to the Jordanian Air Force.[11] with a further three being transferred to the Yemeni Government Forces where they have been used in the 2015 Yemeni Civil War.[8]
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[12]
- AT-802F or AT-802AF - An aerial firefighting model 802 equipped with the Air Tractor Computerized Firegate[13] designed, developed and serviced by Trotter Controls Inc.[14]
- Fire Boss - A model 802 equipped with Wipaire amphibious floats and Air Tractor's Computerized Firegate system designed, developed and serviced by Trotter Controls Inc.[14]
Operators
Civil
The aircraft is popular with aerial application operators.
Military and government
- Córdoba Province - Fire-fighting
- Military Firefighters of Distrito Federal
- Military Firefighters of Mato Grosso
- Military of Burkina Faso 1 AT-802[15]
- Air Spray
- Conair Group
- Government of Northwest Territories[16]
- National Forestry Corporation - 3 AT-802F [17]
- Croatian Air Force - 5 AT-802A Fire Boss + 1 AT-802F as of November 2014[18][19]
- Israeli Air Force - 14 AT-802F (of which 2 are Fire Boss)[21] [22]
- Protezione Civile - 10 AT-802A Fire Boss
- Protection and Rescue Directorate of the Republic of Macedonia - 3 AT-802A Fire Boss
- PT Pertamina[26]
Former operators
- United Arab Emirates Air Force - 10 AT-802U[27]
Specifications (AT-802)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004[28]
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-67AG 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)
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Related lists
References
- Notes
- ↑ "Interagency Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations 2007, Chapter 17" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
- ↑ AT-802 Fire Boss Factsheet at http://www.airtractoreurope.com
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Trimble, Stephen. "PARIS AIR SHOW: Cropduster-turned-gunship makes Le Bourget debut". flightglobal.com. 15 June 2009. retrieved 7 November 2010.
- ↑ Exciting Product Developments In 2009. airtractor (2010-02-10). Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
- ↑ PHOTOS: New gunship flies to Paris Air Show debut - The DEW Line. Flightglobal.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
- 1 2 3 "Yemen Air Force Flying ex-UAE AT 802 U BPAs". AirForces Monthly. Key Publishing. December 2015.
- ↑ "Third UAE Archangel delivered". AirForces Monthly. Key Publishing. December 2015.
- ↑ "Iomax Archangel". Iomax.
- ↑ Archangel makes show debut - Flightglobal.com, 7 November 2015
- ↑ Photos: Air Tractor AT-802U Air Truck Aircraft Pictures. Airliners.net (2009-06-18). Retrieved on 2010-11-04.
- ↑ www.Airtractor.com AT802A
- 1 2
- ↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 35.
- ↑ "N.W.T. gov't spends $26M on 8 new Fireboss water bombers". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
- ↑ "Chilean Government acquires modern planes to fight forest fires".
- ↑ "3 million euro worth Air Tractor arrived at Zemunik". www.zadarskilist.hr. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
- ↑ "AT 802 Fire Boss training commences in Zemunik". Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ↑ Hoyle Flight International 13–19 December 2011, p. 39.
- ↑ Egozi, Arie (2011-08-06). "Israel's new firefighting squadron". Flightglobal. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
- ↑ "Israel Firefighting Squadron Acquires More Air Tractor AT-802F Firebombers". Air Tractor News. 2015-08-06. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
- ↑ Keijsper 2008, pp. 43.
- ↑ "Flota de Aviones". Avialsa. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
- ↑ http://www.janes.com/article/55635/yemeni-pilots-carry-out-airstrikes-with-at-802-turboprops
- ↑ http://nasional.kompas.com/read/2016/10/18/12381251/naik.ke.sayap.pesawat.pengangkut.bbm.jokowi.hampir.jatuh
- ↑ Trimble, Stephen (2011-01-25). "AirTractor delivers UAE's first AT-802Us". Flightglobal. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
- ↑ 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
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air Tractor AT802. |
- http://www.airtractor.com/
- http://www.airtractoreurope.com/
- airliners.net
- http://802u.com/
- http://trottercontrols.com