The Cost of Firefighting Aircraft

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This is a few of the common aerial firefighting aircraft used by agencies and departments around the US such as CAL FIRE, US Forest Service, Los Angeles County Fire Department, National Guard, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), etc. Fire retardant also known as Phos-Chek is approximately $3.29 per gallon. Many agencies use a combination of contract firefighting aircraft (through private companies) as well as operate their own aircraft which is the reason for the large range of hourly costs. Further reading and data is provided in the sources below.

00:00 C-130 Hercules
00:14 DC-10
00:31 Boeing 737
00:43 Boeing 747
01:12 BAe-146
01:22 Dash 8-400AT
01:33 Grumman S-2T
01:44 CL-415 Super Scooper
01:52 Chinook CH-47 (Water)
02:01 Chinook CH-47 (Fire Retardant)
02:15 Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane
02:26 Sikorsky S-70/ UH-60 Blackhawk (Water)
02:35 Sikorsky S-70/ UH-60 Blackhawk (Fire Retardant)
02:47 UH-1H Super Huey

Video Credits

Alaska Incident Management Team - 747 Air Tanker Clip
Woodland Hills Fire Department - Skycrane Clip

Sources

Forest Service Aviation Report
https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2024-02/2022-Aviation-Report.pdf
Forest Serivce Helicopter Services
https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/Feb%202021%20Contracts%20Awarded%202013-2017.pdf
US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Fire Retardant Contract
https://ftp.wildfire.gov/public/incident_specific_data/n_rockies/IncidentAviationManagers/Contracting/FireChemicals/12024B18C9025%20Ntl%20Retardant%20Contract%2006-29-2018.pdf
Forest Service Airtanker Standards
https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/FS-Standards-for-Airtanker-Ops.pdf
CL-415 Cost
https://fireaviation.com/2016/03/30/u-s-forest-service-awards-contract-for-two-water-scoopers/
Further Reading / Information
https://fireaviation.com/
Dash 8 Q-400AT Info
https://conair.ca/conair-wp/wp-content/uploads/Aerial-Fire-Conairs-Dash-8-Q400AT.pdf
CAL Fire DC-10 Contract
https://web.archive.org/web/20070624143145/http://www.fire.ca.gov/newsreleases_content/downloads/2006archive/Tanker910factsheet.pdf