Boeing image.ST Engineering today announced that its will convert Boeing 757 aircraft into air tankers for Galactic Holdings. The company will draw on its structural modification capabilities that have been used in converting passenger aircraft into freighters to develop this first-in-the-world Boeing 757 air tanker. The prototype is to be converted at one of their airframe maintenance and modification facilities in the U.S.
ST Engineering will undertake the full scope of the program, from design and engineering to certification and conversion.
The model name for the air tanker will be Boeing 757P2T, and is estimated to be completed in 2024. It will have a capacity of up to 7,000 gallons of fire retardant, making it one of the largest aerial firefighting platforms available on the market. The only U.S. air tanker currently in service with a higher capacity is the DC-10 which can carry 9,400 gallons. The 747, currently out of service, was last certified to hold 17,500 gallons, and Russia’s Ilyushin IL-76 can carry up to 11,574 gallons. All other large air tankers in the United States carry no more than 4,000 gallons — most of them less than 3,000.
Aviation week reports that the modifications will include installation of two 3,500-gal. tanks on the main deck and lower deck with interlinking channels and installation of forward and aft release doors. ST Engineering began passenger-to-freighter conversion programs for Boeing 757s in the early 2000s, most notably signing a contract with FedEx for the conversion of 87 757-200s.
ST Engineering said that compared to the current generation of air tankers that are in service, the Boeing 757P2T will be more fuel efficient.
Boeing manufactured the 757 from 1982 until 2003.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Jerome, Gerald, and Dan.
26 Comments
Who is Galactic Holdings?
Are they currently involved in the air tanker industry?
I have no idea who “Galactic Holdings” is but this will surely be a good airtanker if they get it right! 757’s are hot rods!!!!!
Hopefully this isn’t another hedge fund like Global Supertanker trying to edge into the air tanker business.
It shall be called the GALACTA Tanker.
Richard Branson is getting into the air tanker business now. Virgin galactic holdings.
I dont believe it is Virgin Galactic.
OBOY…
Did you make that up?
Not the same.
Darrin Henry, the managing member of Galactic has been running wheeled SEATs for years out of Arkansas…its a long ride from an idea to getting past the cup test…ask AirSpray about their BAE 146!!! Hope the investors are ready to pile in a few more $$$ than expected!
“Darrin Henry, Managing Member of Galactic Holdings, said, “We chose to partner with ST Engineering in this firefighting programme as we are confident in its ability to deliver a green and highly-innovative firefighting solution that will help drive value for our investors. ” -ST Engineering
So it’s an investment firm looking to “drive value for investors”. Sounds like a questionable motive for firefighting.
I worked with Darrin in both a aviation management capacity as well as atgs.
He was highly professional and provided outstanding service. At the time, he was quite new to the fire scene,but got up speed quickly. I have only heard positives in regards to his operations in the fire industry, so I think questioning his motive in this new endeavor is not warranted, or at least premature.
Good feedback. Well, he seems to have the resources to get this aircraft plugged into the effort and that is always a good thing. I hope they get the tanking system correct and don’t end up thwarted by the highly sophisticated beer-pong-cup-on-a-stick test.
I wish him good luck.
You can bet there will be the Cup Test.
More aerial capability on the fire ground is great and welcome – but not at the expense of killing other aircraft crews that are working the same fire….. this aircraft’s certification on the fire ground is highly questionable…..
Take a look at wake vortex incidents with the B 757 as a type – separation rules will have to be rewritten and clearly understood by ATSG’s – almost by default most SEAT’s and rotary traffic would be entering their lines lower than the proceeding 757 – and that is the danger area…….. don’t get me wrong the aircraft is wonderful to fly but I’d be really very concerned with this aircraft type on the fire ground……
Do you mean ATGS’s??
I did indeed…. I read it back 3 times and still didn’t see it…… sorry if you are an ATGS..
No worries Nick.
I am an ATGS and we do have protocols for wake turbulence. I am very aware that a B757 is a particularly egregious offender in this dept. The Bravos and Leads are also very, very savvy when it comes to wake turbulence as they are in the drop profile with the tankers. I have 100% confidence that, if this aircraft makes it’s debut over a fire, wake turbulence will be the least of our worries. It would likely cause more issues at the smaller regional airports (and their associated airspace) where many tanker bases are located. This AC has the potential to bring a lot to the aerial firefighting table assuming it’s crewed and tanked properly.
As long as every ATGS has the same understanding as you, that is fine…. all I would say is that if the a/c does indeed make it onto the fireground, then by default because of its range / payload and attractiveness in the international sphere of wildfires / when it gets deployed to Australia and or other places around the world without the training and sophistication of complex large fire command and control / ICS – this is where the lessons will be learnt the hard way…. I pray I will never read about it……. but probably will!
Most likely will be operated the same as the DC-10 and the LAT’s
Maybe Doug can explain it for all of us.
Will, Phil, I am type rated in the airplane, so maybe.
The issue of wake turbulence is a non-starter. The 757 was found to have wake turbulence equivalent to heavy, wide body aircraft (maximum gross takeoff weight 300,000+), and air traffic control provides the same separation standards. In the case of fire operations, the DC-10 is already operating…so putting a 757 in the mix is not exactly a unique change to separation, field size, etc.
The 757 has decent performance out of the same airports that the DC-10 will use.
The holding company is chaired by an experienced aerial firefighter who has been in the business a long time.
Given that both the 747 and DC-10 have successfully integrated in the fire traffic area, with numerous other aircraft types, there is no reason to suppose that the 757 would be any different. It’s a bit premature to whine about it at present, given that the 757 as a tanker is only a paper design.
The sky is not falling.
LOL……the sky is not falling……good answer
I’m neither a fire fighter, nor a pilot. Nor am I the same “Doug” who wrote the previous post.
I’ve read that the addition of winglets to 757s greatly reduces their wake turbulence. Most have probably been fitted with winglets, for the fuel savings if nothing else. Don’t know for sure, but I’d be willing to place at least a small bet that the 757(s) being converted will have winglets.
Of course you are. That’s why I said what I said, Doug.
lol…
Why not just add more DC-10s that are already proven? More retardant and a good use of the ac.
757 should be cheaper to operate than the 10 for one thing.
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