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

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Related Topics:Boeing 747-100 Evergreen Supertanker

Aviation

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly