A
fter a near decade-long search
for a next-generation airtanker,
the BAe 146 and Avro RJ85
are proving more than capable
of succeeding ageing aircraft such as
Lockheed P2V Neptunes and P-3 Orions
ghting res in the US.
Following crashes in 2002 involving
a Lockheed C-130A Hercules and a
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer, older tankers
were banned from US Forest Service (USFS)
contracts and phased out two years later. As
a result the federal eet decreased from 44aircraft to a mere 20. All that was left were P-3
Orions from Aero Union and P2V Neptunes of
Neptune Aviation and Minden Air.
The need for a new generation of airtanker
was obvious but contenders were scarce.
Airtankers used in the US have always been
converted airliners, cargo or patrol aircraft
because this business cannot sustain the
costs of acquiring and converting new aircraft.While aircraft from the 1950s are sturdy
and reliable, with thick wings perfect for low-
level ights, modern aircraft are optimised for
high-level cruise, and therefore less suitable.
Amphibious aircraft, such as the Bombardier
415, were not considered because the use
of retardant is the main way to ght res in
the US.
This is because there are plenty of places
where it’s easier to nd a runway where you
can re ll an aircraft with retardant from a
mobile reloading station than it is to scoop
water.26 Aviation News incorporating Classic Aircraft February 2016BAe 146
& RJ85
Airtankers
In the North America
and Australia, converted
BAe 146 and RJ85 airliners
are being given a new lease
of life working as airtankers,
as Frédéric Marsaly explains.
Above: BAe 146 and Avro RJ85 airliners, such
as this Aero-Flite example, have been given a
new lease of life as airtankers, used to ght
res in North America and Australia. Conair26-30_airtankerDC.mfDC.mfDC.mfDC.mf.indd 26 08/01/2016 11:22