Wednesday, August 16, 2006
- Air Tractor
OLNEY , TX – A pair of new Air Tractor® AT-802F Fire Boss single engine air tankers (SEAT) are fighting wildfires on the Italian island of Sardinia, according to a spokesperson for the contractor, Avialsa T-35 (www.avialsa.com) of Valencia, Spain. The amphibious float planes are working on an aerial firefighting contract for the Regione Autonoma de la Sardegna; they are based at the Fenosu aerodrome in Oristano, on Sardinia’s west coast. The Oristano operations base was selected for its strategic central location that allows quick response to wildfires occurring on the southern half of the Mediterranean island.
Hugo Arceo, spokesperson for Avialsa, says the turboprop airplanes are being used for fire patrol and initial attack on wildfires that spring up across the dry, mountainous, forested areas and high plains. Active patrolling during high fire danger days reduces the initial attack time to the fire, Arceo reports. On larger fires, the airplanes can be applied in a support role to heavy airtankers.
Avialsa’s Fire Boss pilots typically begin their patrol sorties with a load of Fire-Trol® retardant, or water and concentrated FireFoam®. The aircraft can mix and drop in variable coverage levels, depending upon the fuels burning. When a fire is observed or reported, the pilots can immediately attack the fire while it is still in its initial stage. After their 820-gallon (3 100 L) payload is exhausted, the planes can scoop water from island sea coves, lakes or reservoirs and return to the fire. The Air Tractor AT-802F has a ferry speed of almost 200 m.p.h. (322 kph), so cycle times to and from the fire are minimized.
Sardinia, as with other parts of Europe, is experiencing an unusually hot summer this year. The fire season started in June, says Arceo, and the Air Tractor Fire Boss 802s have been busy. “The aircraft have flown on one or two fires every day between July 1 and July 28 – about 35 different grass and forest fires in all. The vegetation is very dry during this time of year. In most of these fires, the 802s put out the fires within the first two hours, without requiring additional fire suppression resources,” says Arceo. Should the fire grow into a major incident, The Regione Autonoma de la Sardegna has larger firefighting airtankers on call for large fires, including a Canadair CL 415, Bell 412 helicopters and a big Erickson Air-Crane S-64 helitanker.
During high fire danger days, the two Fire Boss 802s fly individual 2-hour patrol routes over the island, which has an area of 9,298 square miles (24,090 km2). It takes about 35 minutes flying time to travel from their base to the farthest point on the island, according to Arceo. When a fire is spotted, the planes can join up and work together to suppress, contain and extinguish the fire. Both aircraft are equipped with the Air Tractor fire gate and computerized Fire Retardant Control System. Says Arceo, “The aircraft are performing initial attack and massive attacks with really good results. We are performing up to 10-12 drops per hour.” Arceo also remarked that the Air Tractor AT-802F is very easy to support, operate and maintain.
“This is a trial program for the Regione Autonoma de la Sardegna,” notes Arceo. “In past years, aerial firefighting resources on Sardinia have only been deployed once a fire grew very large. This new approach, using the AT-802F on patrol and initial attack, is modeled after Avialsa’s operations in Spain and Portugal which have been very successful and economically cost-effective.”
Sardinia suffers from widespread aridity in the summer, especially in the south. Fewer than three percent of the rainy days in the year occur in July and August, and only about 20 percent from May to September. This fire season promises to be a good trial for the Fire Boss 802s. “We anticipate a very hot, dry and windy August and that the fire season will finish very late,” says Arceo.
The Sardinia Italy project has been supported by Air Tractor Europe, exclusive dealer of Air
Tractor Inc. for Europe and the North of Africa. Air Tractor Europe also promotes Air Tractor
aircraft in other countries. For additional information or demonstration flights, visit
www.airtractoreurope.com or contact h.arceo@airtractoreurope.com