Up close with AT-802 with the help of Queen Bee: introduction

When I first began writing about aerial wildland fire fighting almost one year ago, I was interested in the aviation resources used by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service -- single engine airtankers (SEATs) and UH-1H Huey helicopters. So, after writing about Huey helicopters, I wrote about the different types of SEATS used in aerial wildland firefighting: AgCat aka FireCat, Dromader M-18, Ayers Thrush, and the Air Tractor AT-802, and the Air Tractor models 402, 502, and 602. Air Tractor is also in the process of developing a larger fire fighting SEAT, the AT-1002.

What I did not fully appreciate at the time I wrote those articles is that the smaller Air Tractor models, in particular the AT-502 and 602 play a role in agricultural applications as well as fire fighting. In addition, at the time I wrote those early articles, I may not have mentioned that SEATs fall into one of two tanker classifications dependent on the size of their retardant tanks. SEATs with tanks holding 799 gallons of retardant or less are called type IV tankers. SEATs with tanks holding 800 gallons fall into the type III classification.

As time went on my appreciation for the role of SEATs in aerial wildland firefighting grew. While I don't know specific details of states other than NJ, I do know that other states have SEATs on state contracts during fire fighting season. I hope to write more about the role of SEATs in fighting fires in my own state later this year.

It didn't take much time for me to learn that SEATs play a very important role in initial attack as well as being able to maneuver in spaces where larger tankers can not. Another advantage is shorter runway requirements and the ability to work from mobile "temporary" bases set up near a fire with mobile retardant mixing and loading trailers.

For sometime know, I have been wanting to go back and write more about SEATs. I am going to write about the type III SEATs. I hope to spend some time with the type IV SEATs later this year. With the single engine AT-1002 still under development, I believe that only type III SEAT is the AT-802 with an 800 gallon retardant tank. So, I begin with that AT-802.

When I wrote about the AT-802 last February I was looking for some more information about how these airplanes were used in firefighting. One of my air tanker pilot friends referred me to the Queen Bee Air Specialties website because Queen Bee is an Air Tractor dealer and they are active in aerial wildland firefighting. Queen Bee is one of several SEAT aviation companies holding national SEAT contracts.

Since I was already familiar with Queen Bee through their website, when I decided that I wanted to write more about the AT-802 contacting Queen Bee seemed like a good place to start. I was aided in this by a friend who put me in touch with the folk at Queen Bee.

I want to say here that I have the highest respect for all operators of aerial wildland firefighting aircraft, including but not limited to SEAT operators. As time goes on, I hope to have the opportunity to correspond with other SEAT operators in the future.

My focus in this series of articles, still being developed, is twofold. First, I hope to get up close and personal with the AT-802 with the help of the folk at Queen Bee. In the course of doing so, I will be writing about Queen Bee.