The Badass Little Plane Fighting Wyoming’s Fires

Much of the fire fighting in Wyoming has been done by air, due to how hard it can be to reach some of the areas on fire.

Both the planes and the pilots are as badass as badass can be.

Let's have a look at the tiny, mighty "Air Tractor." A plane that was originally designed for crop dusting but has been adapted for firefighting.

This plane has been around for many decades and is as rugged as it comes.

The U.S. Air Force has recently ordered these planes for low attack and surveillance.

The Air Tractor can drop up to 800 gallons of water on spots that have just erupted, as the fire tries to grow. It can quickly return to a lake to fill up and then swing back to the fire.

Also known as the Fire Boss 802 aerial firefighting platform.

Watch the video, below, to see how this amazing machine works.

When refilling the water tanks on a lake they can do it in about 15 seconds.

That's a quick turnaround to get back to the fire.

The pilot can set a computer controller to decide how much to drop at one time.

He can drop a little bit at a time or drop it all at once.

If he wants to drop it all at once he can do it in about 1.5 seconds.

Airplane geeks can visit the Fire Boss website to read the specs of this plane.

Not all of these planes are configured to pick up water from a lake. Some, like the ones stationed at Casper, Wyoming, must return to reload. But they are also picking up fire retardants, not just water.

While we are at it, let's not forget how incredible those pilots must be to operate this machine in all conditions.

As I mentioned, the U.S. Air Force is now using this plane as for close support, attack, and surveillance.

The Air Tractor L3Harris OA-1K Sky Warden (company designation AT-802U) is an American fixed-wing, single-engine light attack/armed reconnaissance aircraft built by Air Tractor and L3Harris for the Armed Overwatch program of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM). It was developed from the Air Tractor AT-802, an American aircraft often used for agricultural purposes. (WIKIPEDIA).

A lot can be done with this proven airframe. From fighting bugs over a cornfield to fighting fires, and fighting wars.

Keep checking back with us as we explore other badass firefighting machines being used in Wyoming.

The Casper/Natrona County International Airport is enjoying its upgraded firefighting planes.

Nobody likes a summer fire, but it does keep the airport busy with interesting water bombers coming and going.

The airport has been posting photos and videos of these fantastic planes on its Facebook page.

For several years the two firefighting planes would arrive for fire season and park in a temporary area on the east corner of the airport.

They would run a long hose from a fire hydrant to a holding tank to refill the planes for another fire run.

Yes, the big boys have found a new home in central Wyoming.

While stationed in Casper, these serious firefighting machines have a long range and can fight across several states.

Before the new facilities she built at the fire season's end, they would pack up and go home.

Now, for some of these planes, Casper is home.

They have a permanent base at the airport, and they no longer need to run a long hose to a fire hydrant.

After six years of planning, designing, and construction, the Airport grounds are now the home base for a new BLM Single Engine Air Tankers (SEAT) and Large Air Tankers (LAT) Base.

HOLD ON- what is a SEAT and LAT base?

It's a base that loads firefighting aircraft with anything they need, from water to chemicals, to fight fires. That's the most simple, nontechnical explanation there is.

Below is the new cover photo for the Casper/Natrona County Airport.

The facility was constructed in Collaboration with BLM, Wyoming State Forestry Division, and U.S. Forest Service.

It is the only base in the country jointly built by the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service.

Below is an exciting video of a firefighting plane from Casper in action.

Casper is also the exclusive home to two SEAT planes, contracted by the Wyoming State Forestry Division.

The modernized base now has the ability to load two planes (SEAT and/or LAT) at the same time with a maximum daily output of 80,000–90,000 gallons of mixed retardant compared to the previous 15,000-gallon output.

Future plans include the construction of a new heli-base adjacent to the SEAT/LAT base for the State Forestry Division.