747 Supertanker Has Red Hot Firefighting Debut

Aviation history was made today as a Boeing 747 Supertanker made its debut drop on a live wildfire.

Tanker 979 is a specially modified Evergreen 747 configured to carry 20,500 gallons of retardant, enabling it to lay down a fire line as much as three miles long from an altitude of 300 to 600 feet. (There's a handy FAQ, here.) After years of development, testing, certification, and bureaucratic wrangling, Tanker 979 went into battle for the first time today to help fight the Station Fire that's currently burning in the mountains near Los Angeles.

The Wikipedia explains how the system works:

Unique technology is used on the Evergreen Supertanker in order to allow an aircraft as large as a 747 to carry out aerial fire fighting.

Current fire fighting aircraft use a gravity drop system. Doors in the underside of the aircraft open, allowing the contents of the tanks to discharge. This type of system requires an aircraft to fly very low, typically 200ft above ground level.

The Evergreen Supertanker has a pressurized system. This can disperse retardant under high pressure, for an overwhelming response, or drop retardant equivalent to the speed of falling rain. This system allows the aircraft to operate within its design criteria.

Using the pressurized system, the aircraft can deliver retardant to the scene of a fire whilst flying at a height of 400 to 800ft, at approximately 140kts(160mph) (260kph), configured as if it were on approach for landing. 

The local Fox affiliate in LA captured some vivid video footage of Tanker 979 in action today, so enjoy the view as a very unique 747 gets its first true trial by fire. It looks like CGI animation, but it's very real:

PHOTO:
Top, by photojournalist Jonathan Alcorn, Below, Wikipedia.

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Comments

[Rob Cockerham]

Awesome! Glad to see it in action, sorry there have to be fires to get to see it in action. Good luck Evergreen.

[retouching services]

Great photo! Hope they can deploy that to the LA wildfire!

[Tom]

That's some amazing footage. There must be an exciting lift as the load is jettisoned.

PS Congrats on getting linked by James Fallows:

http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/09/last_aviation_post_of_the_day.php

[Austin]

Actually, this is not the plane's first firefighting effort. It was sent up here to Interior Alaska this summer during a rather active fire season (around three million acres burned). I meant to send this along earlier but forgot all about it.

http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/jul/30/worlds-largest-firefighting-aircraft-comes-fairban/

http://www.examiner.com/x-11680-Wildfire-Examiner~y2009m8d1-747-Supertanker-drops-on-Alaska-fire

[TV-overvågning]

that is so cool!

[microgaming]

I am sorry to wait for a fire to see that plane in action, but so that it has to be like that there is nothing wrong in enjoying the plane I guess... such an impressive plane doing that kind of job is really amazing. The photo is really good, like it a lot, thanks for sharing the news and the picture, will stay tuned to the blog for more articles like this one.

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Interesting! I have noticed that similar types of air crafts are being developed in the last couple of years! I wonder what this trend is all about.

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I am sorry to wait for a fire to see that plane in action, but so that it has to be like that there is nothing wrong in enjoying the plane I guess...

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That must be an expensive piece of equipment for rescue workers.