(Photo from Wikipedia)
AirTractor AT-802
The Air Tractor AT-802 is primarily a dust cropper aircraft with the ability of being converted into a fire fighting aircraft, and an armed aircraft. The AT-802 is manufactured by Air Tractor Inc.In its standard configuration, the aircraft utilizes conventional landing gear (two main wheels and a tail wheel). The AT-802 carries a chemical hopper between the engine firewall and the cockpit and another one under the belly. In the U.S., it is considered a Type III SEAT, or Single Engine Air Tanker. In 2008, AirTractor responded to the United States LAAR program and the growing requirement for light counter-insurgency aircraft. The AT-802U has engine and cockpit armor, a bulletproof windscreen, self-sealing fuel tanks, and structural reinforcements for the carriage of 9,000 pounds of payload. A reinforced wing spar was certified for 12,000 hours of flight time.
The AT-802 has also been used in counter-drug operations in the USSOUTHCOM AOR by the U.S. Department of State as a delivery vehicle for herbicides and defoliants over narcotics production facilities.
Variants of the AT-802
AT-802 - two seat (tandem) cockpit
AT-802A - single-seat cockpit
AT-802U - two seat (tandem) heavily armored military version, modified with sensors and reinforced for weapons carriage
AT-802F/AT-802AF - An aerial firefighting model 802 equipped with the Air Tractor Computerized Firegate[ designed/developed/serviced by Trotter Controls Inc.
AT-802L Longsword - An ISR and light-attack aircraft based on AT-802U, which developed by L3 Platform Integration collaboration with Air Tractor.[20] L3 rebranded it as OA-8 Longsword for Asia-Pacific region.
Specifications
Crew: Two (later models 1)
Capacity: 820 US Gal (3,104 L) of chemicals
Length: 35 ft 11 in
Wingspan: 59 ft 3 in
Height: 12 ft 9 in
Empty weight: 6,505 lb (2,951 kg)
Gross weight: 16,000 lb (7,257 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67AG turboprop, 1,350 hp
Cruise speed: 221 mph (356 km/h)
Range: 800 miles (1,289 km)
Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
Rate of climb: 850 ft/min (4.3 m/s)
My thoughts
#ProTailDragger, I love flying the Super D, it be so fun to see more tail draggers. The AT-802 is a beast of a machine, with some cool operations it be great to see these flying. It opens new doors for pilots to test their low flying skills!
(Approved for new posting by Levet)
