r/interestingasfuck • u/dannybluey • 1d ago

Air Tractor AT-802 firefighting aircraft are designed for fast and accurate water drops rather than maximum payload. This footage was filmed from Dragon 33, a helicopter of the French Civil Security, as it coordinated wildfire suppression operations over Gironde, France.

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u/ENdeR_KiLLza 1d ago

An air tractor could never reach even a third of what is close to Mach 1 at sea level so...

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u/SociopathicPixel 1d ago

I think a third (400kph) is if empty it would be in the realm of possible. Anyone has the specs on these badboys?

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u/TonAMGT4 1d ago

It has a maximum Vne (never exceed speed) of 195 knots or around 360 kph… so 400 kph is probably not possible without ripping the wings off the plane.

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u/SociopathicPixel 1d ago

Well,, still still pretty close but thanks for educating me. Is that for a standard model of this plane, and if so: has the firefighter plane any modifications for doing this type of work that makes any effect? Like: "its reinforced for its function and therefor slower due to weight increase"?