Random Ramblings: Aerial Wildland Firefighting

I have blogged about aerial wildland firefighting since 2009. I am not a firefighter and am not a pilot, just an interested bystander who wants to learn more and share what I learn here. Join me here as I blog on the aircraft and the pilots who fight wildland fires from the air in support of crews on the ground. I also blog on concerns affecting fire crews on the ground as well as other aviation and meteorology issues. Learn what it takes to do jobs that are staffed by the best of the best.

Friday, February 05, 2010

Up close with the AT-802 with the help of Queen Bee: Hatfield Constant Flow Gate System

Queen Bee has two AT-802's with the Hatfield Constant Flow Gate System. This is a more recent entry into the arena of SEAT gate systems. Like both generations of the FRDS, this Hatfield Gate is a constant flow retardant delivery system. According to the 2009 edition of the Interagency SEAT Operations Guide (p.39) the Hatfield Gate achieved interim approval of the Interagency Airtanker Board in 2009. I don't know more specific information about the operation of this Hatfield gate, when I do, I will post something here. In the meantime, Go here for some generalized information on how constant flow retardant delivery systems work.

Note: The Bureau of Land Management maintains a nice webpage on Single Engine Airtankers where I found the link for the 2009 edition of the Interagency SEAT Operations Guide (ISOG). They also have links to wealth of other information on SEAT operations. I mention this because I am thinking that the ISOG may be revised this year for 2010 in which case the link for the 2009 edition of the ISOG will expire. The BLM SEAT Operations webpage may be found here.

Thanks to my friends at Queen Bee for the photos!