Air Tractor Fire Boss N10122 205-FIRE
This is a follow-up to my previous post about this amazing water scooper used for fires. Donnie Mac, WA-DNR pilot of the N10122, gave me a tour of this lovely plane while at rest on standby at the airport in Dallesport, WA. Thanks Donnie!
I wish I could remember all the details of the amazing information he gave me, and I should’ve written it down or tape recorded it. There are very few of these retrofitted scooper airplanes available, and just this summer their numbering system is changing to the 200 series on the tail. This will match up with the same type of plane in Canada who also uses the 200 series. In my original post we saw 802 on the tail, that has been changed to 205.
I got to climb up on the wing and check out the cockpit and water storage area. The pilot can scoop water up from a lake or river through an intake pipe which drops down at the bottom of the floats. He can also fill via hose into these upper containers.
This is where the water is released, the Bomb bay door so to speak. Instruments can control the rate of water drop, how much is dropped in a certain area.
did you know that this plane was originally designed as a crop duster?
I found that very fascinating.
Here is a website link from Air Tractor, and I quote:
“When equipped with amphibious floats installed by Wipaire, the AT-802F becomes the Fire Boss scooper air tanker, able to land on and scoop water from nearby lakes, rivers and reservoirs. From a nearby water source, the 802F Fire Boss can deliver up to 14,000 gallons per hour for extended attack or ground support. An unimproved runway or water-side ramp and fuel are all it needs to be a highly cost-effective forward attack air tanker.”
https://airtractor.com/aircraft/at-802f-fire-boss/
All in all a lovely plane, and very nice pilot!
Also behind the N10122 there was another similar plane owned by a different company. 
See the previous post for in-flight photos from June 2019
Thanks! I would love to hear from you.
Starlisa Black Photography 