Thread: Who can identify this payload?

You will find the planes are generally dropping retardant in the path of the fire to slow it.

3000l of straight water from a plane onto a fire isn't going to do much, but when mixed with retardant, it covers a reasonable area.

Choppers are used for precision drops, plus, given the fact they have a much quicker turn around than a fixed wing, are very effective in this role.

Thanks Bushie for the CASA link, so financed by St George and owned by Aerotech here in Darwin.

Hard to believe it can carry 3 tonne of water given its apparent size. But obviously a useful amount.

Oh, and my wife is comically impressed by how quickly I come back with information from this site Thanks guys.

NTM is in the CASA database as an AT-802 Air Tractor operated by Aerotech in Darwin. Apparently brand new - a 2014 model registered in June.

(Whoops - didn't see Bushie's reply above)

They were doing the same thing near Shoal Bay Dump/Holmes Jungle last week. It was spectacular flying.

There are few fixed wing fitted with the incendiary machines.
There was a C206 used around Darwin and the NT for dry season burning duties.

Originally Posted by workingonit

Thanks Bushie for the CASA link, so financed by St George and owned by Aerotech here in Darwin.

Hard to believe it can carry 3 tonne of water given its apparent size. But obviously a useful amount.

If you had a close look at one you would be surprised at the size, they weigh 3 tonne empty, carry a tonne of fuel and 3 tonne/3000 litres payload making them just over 7000KG take off weight.

The here numbers are fire agency call signs that they use on the job which alerts other aircraft to their purpose. They use that call sign for all communication during a job. They would be BOMBER xxx. That is for water bombing. Firebird for light rotary fire support, Helitack for medium rotary fire. The first number of the three depends on the state they are in, for NT it should be 8.
Yes I had to look that up to give the right answer