Conair is converting two BAe Avro RJ85 passenger jets into air tankers for Aero Flite. Recall that Aero Flite has a Next Generation contract with the US Forest Service for two RJ85's. The RJ85 is a later model in the BAe-146 series of mid-sized jet airliners with improved engines. BAe Systems has an article summarizing North American companies that are using the BAe-146 jets as air tankers.
Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation reported in an article he wrote last summer that Conair is flight testing one RJ85 tanker designated as T-160. A friend of mine sent me a link to the short video that I embedded here showing T-160 making a test drop because he thought that you might be interested in seeing her make a test drop.
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