Overview of the Air Tractor AT-802

Air Tractor | October 27, 2010

The AT 802 is a fire fighting and an agricultural aircraft, which started operations from the US in late 90s of the last decade. Designed in the spring of ‘89, the prototype was named N802LS. Fuelled by the uniform approval, a second model ascended a year later with an engine configured as PT6A—45R. The Air Tractor AT 802 holds 2 hoppers and a Transland gatebox. The first hopper is located between the cockpit and the engine firewall and the other under the belly of the aircraft. According to the statistics of 2007, the AT 802 is the biggest agricultural aircraft to enter the market.

This series of Air Tractor aircrafts make use of a tail-wheel and two main wheels (which is the conventional design for most aircrafts) as landing gears. There have been improvisations, for certain. There’s a device called the amphibious airbladder. As the name suggest, this specification of the aircraft assists both landing on water and land. An added utility feature is the ability of Air Tractor to take up water to fight fires. This mechanism is named the “Fire Boss”, and on most floats there is an optional accommodation of 265 liters of water.

The enclosed cabin comes with a sealed seat. This allows deflection or avoidance of chemical entry into the cabin when dealing with noxious herbicides.

Commissioning for the United States Airforce, Air Tractor manufactured a fortified model, equipped with weapons, called the AT 802 U. The additional features are fuel-tanks, cockpit armor, a resistant wind-shield and supports built into the frame that can carry 4100 kilograms of freight. The armed aircraft was exhibited in 2008 at an Air Show in Paris. This particular model has benefited the Air Force in a great way. It has been used to oppose drug-trafficking in Colombia and also as an errand vehicle to carry defoliants or herbicides in narcotic facilities.

The different species of aircrafts under the Air Tractor logo is:

  1. AT 802, which has a bi-seater cockpit
  2. AT 802 A, which is driven by a single-seater cockpit.
  3. AT 802 U, an armored military model, sensor-modified and able to carry weapons.
  4. AT-802F or AT-802 AF, a firefighter.
  5. The Fire Boss, with amphibious drifts.

Generally, the AT-802 is one-crewed airliner with a carrying capacity of 3070 lt. It weighs around 7200 kg (including the empty weight of 2900 kg). This aircraft model can fly at a speed of 370 km/hr.

The Air Tractor has been registered by citizens of different countries. There are registrations from: European countries (estimated at 28 aircrafts), Australia (20), Saudi Arabia (2, for avoiding oil-discharges) and Canada (a total of 8 aircraft according to the surveys of 2003). As many as 157 aircrafts have been noted to be in use currently.

The other Air Tractor creations ruling the air are: the Air Tractor At-502 and the Air Tractor At402. Like the At802, these two series also have several models launched for different purposes.

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