Reflections on Neptune Aviation's BAe-146 Air Tanker

Direct link to video on Youtube

I wrote a reflection piece the other day (April 1st) on the Lockheed P2-V air tanker, where I wrote that Neptune Aviation was the last contractor in the United States to have the P2-V on national contract. It seems appropriate to transition from Neptune Aviation's older fleet of P2-V's to their new fleet of BAe-146 air tankers. Neptune Aviation first flew a BAe-136, T-40, on a wildfire in Texas in November of 2011 and T-40 first went on a national contract here in the United States in 2012, see my January 2012 article, note Minden no longer has a BAe-146 program, (see Bill Gabbert's Bill Gabbert's December 2018 Fire Aviation article article on Fire Aviation).

Over the past eight years, I have seen a few videos and read of the fine work that Neptune's BAe-146 tankers have done flying wildfires. Neptune now was nine BAe-146 tankers. four of whom will be on an exclusive use contract in 2020. Neptune had four BAe-146 tankers on exclusive use contracts and four on a call when needed contract (see December 11, 2019 and March 26th articles on Fire Aviation for more information on the 2019 and 2020 tanker contracts). Neptune's BAe-146 tankers carry 3,000 gallons of retardant. Neptune has a nice photo gallery from the 2018 fire season that may be found here.

Here is a video from the AOPA where you may learn a little more about Neptune's VAe-146 tankers.


Direct link to AOPA video on Youtube