What is the biggest air tanker?

Published by Anaya Cole on

What is the biggest air tanker?

the 747 SuperTanker
The world’s largest air tanker, the 747 SuperTanker, has been assisting the firefighters in Chile since it arrived January 25, dropping 19,200 gallons on each mission.

What is the largest firefighting plane?

Boeing 747 Supertanker
The US-made Boeing 747 Supertanker, which has a capacity of 19,200 gallons of water or 18,000 gallons of fire retardant, goes down in the history books as the world’s largest firefighting plane.

How many 747 super tankers are there?

One plane many aviation enthusiasts may not be familiar with was the Boeing 747 Supertanker. There were only 4 built, and they were not built from scratch by Boeing, but rather, based upon Boeings 747 aircraft that were retrofitted by a company called Evergreen International Aviation to fight fires.

What is a 10 tanker plane?

The DC-10 Air Tanker is a series of American wide-body jet air tankers, which have been in service as an aerial firefighting unit since 2006.

Where is the 747 SuperTanker now?

Since May 2016, Global SuperTanker has been based in Colorado at the Colorado Springs Airport, chosen in part for its convenient location for quick deployment to the western US and necessary infrastructure for the large and heavy aircraft.

Who owns the 747 SuperTanker?

But before that took place, the owner, Alterna Capital, shut down the company and sold the aircraft and the RDS to two companies. The 747 was purchased by National Airlines to be used as a freighter, and Logistic Air bought the RDS. 747 SuperTanker makes demonstration water drop in Colorado Springs, May 14, 2016.

How many planes does 10 tanker have?

4 Aircraft
10 Tanker Air Carrier Fleet Details and History

10 Tanker Air Carrier
Country United States
Fleet Size 4 Aircraft
Average Fleet Age 1 37.9 Years
Official Site 10tanker.com

Why was global SuperTanker shutdown?

The main reasons for shutting down are the financial investments to technologically upgrade for the SuperTanker, as well as the greater need for it during fire season and the fact that the ownership group does not have the resources to continue to fund the SuperTanker.

Why was the 747 SuperTanker retired?

It appears that the agencies that contracted the 747 Supertanker in the US, had some issues with it. Possibly due to its sheer size, the plane’s systems couldn’t always meet certain coverage level specifications. Additionally, sometimes retardant would remain in the aircraft when it shouldn’t.

How many gallons does a DC-10 HOLD?

The 10 Tanker DC-10 specs Each tank can hold 2,700 gallons, 4,000 gallons, and 2,700 gallons respectively. Heading to the fire zone, the DC-10s cruise at around 300 to 350 knots.

Where is the SuperTanker now?

The plane is now in San Antonio, Texas where it is currently being stripped of its drop system and retrofitted as a cargo plane by BT Aerospace. The company, Global Supertanker, has terminated all but a couple of its employees as it continues to dissolve.

Categories: FAQ