Amphibious AT-802F Scooping Single Engine Air Tanker

The Most Economical Solution

A Fire Boss carries nearly half the payload of a twin turbine engine amphibious air tanker for about 1/10th of the capital and 1/5th of the operating expense. For a cost of just 64 cents per gallon, the Fire Boss can deliver 20 loads and 14,000 gallons of water on a fire each hour.

Beyond its capabilities as a firefighter, the Fire Boss can be
re-fitted with conventional landing gear and a gate box after the fire season ends to perform other types of forestry protection duties, including aerial insecticide application, timber fertilization and post-fire forest rehabilitation, e.g. aerial re-seeding and erosion
controlling hydromulch applications.

Cost Comparison

ClassScooper
Max Tank Capacity820
Availability$4,500
Hourly$4,500
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour14,000
Cost Per Gallon $0.64
ClassScooper
Max Tank Capacity1,600
Availability$42,000
Hourly$13,500
Fills Per Hour17
Gallons Per Hour27,200
Cost Per Gallon $2.04
ClassVLAT (Very Large Air Tanker)
Max Tank Capacity10,800
Availability$55,000
Hourly$8,200
Fills Per Hour1
Gallons Per Hour10,800
Cost Per Gallon $5.85
ClassVLAT 
Max Tank Capacity3,000
Availability$29,000
Hourly$8,000
Fills Per Hour1
Gallons Per Hour3,000
Cost Per Gallon $12.33
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity1,000
Availability$15,800
Hourly$3,933
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour20,000
Cost Per Gallon $0.99
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity635
Availability$13,000
Hourly$2,000
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour12,700
Cost Per Gallon $1.18
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity335
Availability$7,500
Hourly$2,500
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour6,700
Cost Per Gallon $1.49
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity360
Availability$7,000
Hourly$2,350
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour7,200
Cost Per Gallon $1.30
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity240
Availability$6,500
Hourly$2,250
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour4,800
Cost Per Gallon $1.82
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity245
Availability$5,500
Hourly$2,000
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour4,900
Cost Per Gallon $1.53
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity120
Availability$5,000
Hourly$1,600
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour2,400
Cost Per Gallon $2.75
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity240
Availability$4,000
Hourly$1,250
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour4,800
Cost Per Gallon $1.09
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity300
Availability$4,500
Hourly$1,350
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour6,000
Cost Per Gallon $0.98
ClassHelicopter
Max Tank Capacity120
Availability$4,500
Hourly$1,450
Fills Per Hour20
Gallons Per Hour2,400
Cost Per Gallon $2.48
Class Aircraft Max Tank Capacity Availability Hourly Fills Per Hour Gallons Per Hour Cost Per Gallon
Scooper Fire Boss 820 $4,500 $4,500 20 14,000 $0.64
CL-415 1,600 $42,000 $13,500 17 27,200 $2.04
VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker)
DC-10 10,800 $55,000 $8,200 1 10,800 $5.85
BAe-146 3,000 $29,000 $8,000 1 3,000 $12.33
Helicopter Fire Hawk 1,000 $15,800 $3,933 20 20,000 $0.99
Kaman 1200 – Kmax 635 $13,000 $2,000 20 12,700 $1.18
Bell UH-1h/205 335 $7,500 $2,500 20 6,700 $1.49
Bell 412 360 $7,000 $2,350 20 7,200 $1.30
Bell 212 240 $6,500 $2,250 20 4,800 $1.82
Bell 407 245 $5,500 $2,000 20 4,900 $1.53
Bell 206L 120 $5,000 $1,600 20 2,400 $2.75
Eurocopter AS350B 240 $4,000 $1,250 20 4,800 $1.09
Agusta A119 300 $4,500 $1,350 20 6,000 $0.98
Eurocopter EC135 120 $4,500 $1,450 20 2,400 $2.48
All prices in US Dollars. All data is approximate and for comparison purposes only. Fire Boss LLC does not lease or operate aircraft. To get in touch with an operator please contact Stephen Johnson for a referral +1 (651) 209-7191 or sjohnson@firebossllc.com

One Hour Mission Comparison

These comparisons illustrate how the Fire Boss delivers more water for the same budget as other aerial fire fighting solutions. 

One Bell 412 vs one Fire Boss

1 Bell 412 1 Fire Boss
gallons delivered 7,200 14,000
mission cost $9,350 $9,000
94% More Water Delivered

One Firehawk vs Two Fire Bosses

 1 Firehawk2 Fire Bosses
gallons delivered20,00028,000
mission cost$19,733$18,000
40% More Water Delivered

One CL-415 vs Six Fire Bosses

1 CL-415 6 Fire Bosses
gallons delivered 27,200 84,000
mission cost $55,500 $54,000
209% More Water Delivered

One DC-10 vs Seven Fire Bosses

1 DC-10 7 Fire Bosses
gallons delivered 10,800 98,000
mission cost $63,200 $63,000
807% More Water Delivered

Case Study

Lockhyttan Fire in Sweden

In 2018 Sweden faced the hottest July in  250 years. As a result more than fifty large wildfires raged throughout much of Sweden, covering in total 250 km2 (100 square miles)

Due to the immensity of the fires, a call for assistance went out via the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism. Portugal’s National Authority for Civil Protection (ANPC) loaned two of the Tondela, Portugal based Agro-Montiar Fire Bosses it had on contract.