Aviation

The world’s largest Aerial firefighting tanker will shortly land in colorado spring (USA).

COLORADO SPRINGS: Global SuperTanker Services, LLC announced the agreement Wednesday 12th august 2015 at the Colorado Springs Airport. Colorado Springs will serve as the new operating base for the Boeing 747-400 aircraft to be the fastest, longest-range and most effective aerial firefighting platform in the world.

The President of Global SuperTanker Service LLC, Jim Wheeler says the new SuperTanker is bigger and better than before. “What we have done is taken the old systems and we’re renovating and modernizing some of it,” he says. “Putting it in a 747-400 to provide a 19,600 gallon aerial firefighting tanker.”

One of those improvements is the ability to carry more than one firefighting agent at once. “We can put gel on a structure to prevent fire from catching that structure then come back and paint a retardant line,” Wheeler said. “Or we can do a water drop to tamp down a fire while we come back and put a retardant line on it.”

It has the capability to fight fires any where in the world, but it will live in our backyard. “These folks are going to be a big player in fighting that nemesis,” said Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers.

The plane is expected to be completed later this year, and operational next year.

The Global SuperTanker company says they chose the Colorado Springs airport because of its infrastructure and central location. It’s business that the airport hopes will translate into other aspects of operations.

Source : the denver channel , koaa

History of super tanker

The Evergreen Supertanker was a Boeing 747-100 widebody aircraft that was modified into an aerial firefighting aircraft by Evergreen International Aviation. The aircraft was originally manufactured by Boeing in 1971 for Delta Air Lines. With a capacity of 20,500 US gallons (77,600 liters), it was the largest aerial firefighting aircraft in the world. It served for 4 years (2009 – 2013) and presently Evergreen Supertanker Stored at Marana Pinal Airpark. USA.

The Evergreen Supertanker is equipped with a pressurized liquid drop system, which can disperse retardant under high pressure or drop retardant at the speed of falling rain. This system allows the aircraft to operate within its design criteria.Using the pressurized system, the aircraft can deliver retardant to the scene of a fire while flying at a height of 400 to 800 feet (120–240 m), at approximately 140 kn (260 km/h, 160 mph), configured as if it were on approach for landing. it can fly at speeds of around 600 mph (970 km/h; 520 kn) during cruise.

Source : Wikipedia

liked it ..! ?

Share with your friends and families

Related Topics:Boeing 747-100 Evergreen Supertanker

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

British Airways Unveils Its Brand-New First Class Cabin for the Airbus A380

This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

Etihad Airways Unveils 10 Exciting New Routes for 2025

In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.