Amphibious or Land-Based Air Tankers

The AT-802F Fire Boss provides rapid, continuous drops for direct initial attack.


When equipped with Wipaire amphibious floats, the 802F Fire Boss becomes a water scooper, able to land on and scoop water from nearby lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. The 802F Fire Boss can deliver up to 14,000 gallons per hour for extended attack or ground support. When near a water source, the Fire Boss can perform continuous scoops and drops on a fire for multiple hours – without having to return to a base. An unimproved runway or water-side ramp and fuel are all it needs to be a highly cost-effective forward attack air tanker.

As a land-based tanker, the AT-802F needs as little as 1,000 yards of runway, so it’s easy to stage from temporary bases close to the fire line. The aircraft’s high-volume, 3-inch loading system reduces turnaround times. In as few as five minutes an AT-802F can take on a full 820-gallon load, return to the air and back to the fight.

The AT-802F’s maneuvering agility, speedy climb rates, and compact size make it ideal for mountainous terrain, narrow flight corridors, and wildland-urban interface areas. They can make “surgical” drops on a fire and work closer and more safely with ground crews. This maneuverability also makes the AT-802F well suited for supporting large, higher-flying air tankers, closing retardant gaps, and making drops along ridgelines and into areas where larger aircraft can’t go.

Compared to LATs and VLATs, an Air Tractor AT-802F is much less expensive to contract and operate, so fire agencies can increase tank capacity and tactical flexibility while saving money. They can afford to deploy more aircraft and base them across a wide area in fire-prone areas. This can dramatically improve the speed, effectiveness and reliability of initial response and extended operations throughout the region. Low operating cost, fuel efficiency, and extended operating range also make the AT-802F an ideal air asset for patrol duty – and immediate response – on days when wildfire risk is high.

Versatile and highly effective. There is simply no smarter investment in a firefighting arsenal.