Conair Firecat
{{Short description|Fire-fighting aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name = Firecat, Turbo Firecat
| image = File:Tracker2.jpg
| caption = A French Turbo Firecat over Sausset-Les-Pins
| type = Fire-fighting aircraft
| national_origin = Canada
| manufacturer = Conair
| designer =
| first_flight =
| introduction = 1978 (Firecat)
1988 (Turbo Firecat)
| retired = Retired in Canada 2012, Retired in France in 2020
| primary_user = Conair
| more_users = Sécurité Civile
| produced =
| number_built = 35
| developed_from = Grumman S-2 Tracker
| variants =
}}
The Conair Firecat is a fire-fighting aircraft developed in Canada in the 1970s by modifying military surplus Grumman S-2 Trackers. The modifications were developed by the maintenance arm of the Conair Group, which became a separate company called Cascade Aerospace.[http://www.cascadeaerospace.com/aboutus/History/index.htm Cascade Aerospace history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111174544/http://www.cascadeaerospace.com/aboutus/History/index.htm |date=11 January 2008 }} retrieved 2008-01-15.
Development
The Firecats are retrofitted Grumman S-2 Trackers. Conair bought a large number of Trackers formerly operated by the Canadian Navy and a small number of ex-United States Navy aircraft as well. The Trackers are modified for aerial firefighting as Firecats by raising the cabin floor by 20 cm (8 in) and fitting a 3,296-litre (870 U.S. gal) retardant tank where the torpedo bay is normally located. All superfluous military equipment is removed and the empty weight is almost 1,500 kg lower than a Tracker's. The first aircraft was modified in 1978. Some examples have been re-engined with turboprop engines and are known as Turbo Firecats, these feature a larger tank and extra underwing fuel tanks; the Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) is increased by 680 kg (1,500 lb) to 12,480 kg (27,500 lb), while the lighter turbine engines also reduce the empty weight. The first Turbo Firecat was produced in 1988.[http://www.aircraftworlddirectory.com/civil/c/conairfirecat.htm Aircraft World Directory Firecat page] retrieved 2008-01-18. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002190617/http://www.aircraftworlddirectory.com/civil/c/conairfirecat.htm |date=2 October 2011 }}
Operational history
Conair commenced Firecat operations in 1978.Lavender, Bill. [http://www.agairupdate.com/aau/articles/2003/July2003.html "Conair working fires in Canada", AgAir Update magazine, Perry, GA, July 2003 (online version)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121012409/http://www.agairupdate.com/aau/articles/2003/July2003.html |date=21 November 2008 }}. Retrieved 2008-01-18. Firecats and Turbo Firecats were previously in service with Conair and the Government of Saskatchewan in Canada[http://www.s2ftracker.com/canadatrackers.htm Tracker survivors in Canada] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310035349/http://www.s2ftracker.com/canadatrackers.htm |date=10 March 2008 }} retrieved 2008-01-18.{{Cite web
|url = http://environment.gov.sk.ca/aviation
|title = Aviation Operations – Environment – Government of Saskatchewan
|website = environment.gov.sk.ca
|access-date = 2016-02-28
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305045701/http://environment.gov.sk.ca/aviation
|archivedate = 5 March 2016}} and were also used by the Government of Ontario.[http://www.bushplane.com/data/displaydetail.lasso?-KeyValue=display11 Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre Tracker page]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} retrieved 2008-01-18. The Sécurité Civile organisation in France took delivery of 14 Firecats over a period of five years commencing in May 1982. It has had its examples further converted and is now standardized on the Turbo Firecat.[http://www.s2ftracker.com/francetrackers.htm Tracker survivors in France] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310035358/http://www.s2ftracker.com/francetrackers.htm |date=10 March 2008 }} retrieved 2008-01-18. A total of 35 Firecat and Turbo Firecat conversions have been performed;[http://www.uswarplanes.net/tracker.html USA Warplanes Tracker page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526125505/http://www.uswarplanes.net/tracker.html |date=26 May 2019 }} retrieved 2008-01-18. four Firecats and three Turbo Firecats have crashed in France.[http://www.pilotesdufeu.com/tracker/FIRECAT/Walk_around_P/Caracteristiques_P/Historique_P/body_historique_p.html History of Sécurité Civile Firecat operations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718044633/http://www.pilotesdufeu.com/tracker/FIRECAT/Walk_around_P/Caracteristiques_P/Historique_P/body_historique_p.html |date=18 July 2019 }} (in French). Retrieved: 18 August 2008.[http://www.pilotesdufeu.com/tracker/TURBO/Walk_around_T/Caracteristiques_T/Historique_T/body_historique_t.html History of Sécurité Civile Turbo Firecat operations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170508010953/http://www.pilotesdufeu.com/tracker/TURBO/Walk_around_T/Caracteristiques_T/Historique_T/body_historique_t.html |date=8 May 2017 }} (in French). Retrieved: 18 August 2008.[http://www.s2ftracker.com/transition.htm List of Tracker crashes since 2000] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310035439/http://www.s2ftracker.com/transition.htm |date=10 March 2008 }} retrieved 2008-01-18. In 2020 Turbo Firecats were retired for Sécurité Civile in France.{{Cite web |last=Marsaly |first=Frédéric |date=2020-02-13 |title=Retraite immédiate pour les Tracker de la Sécurité Civile |url=https://www.aerobuzz.fr/aviation-generale/retraite-immediate-pour-les-tracker-de-la-securite-civile/ |access-date=2022-09-17 |website=Aerobuzz |language=fr-FR}}
Similar conversions are performed by another company Marsh Aviation in the United States. These are known as Marsh Turbo Trackers and feature Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 turboprop engines.[http://rgl.faa.gov/regulatory_and_guidance_Library%5CrgMakeModel.nsf/0/9BE12A55DCC29FEA86256B7B0059297F/$FILE/A51NM.pdf Turbo Tracker Type Certificate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604113816/https://rgl.faa.gov/regulatory_and_guidance_Library%5CrgMakeModel.nsf/0/9BE12A55DCC29FEA86256B7B0059297F/$FILE/A51NM.pdf |date=4 June 2020 }} retrieved 2008-01-18.
Variants
;Firecat: Original version, fitted with Wright R-1820 radial piston engines as fitted to standard Grumman Trackers
;Turbo Firecat: Version fitted with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67AF turboprop engines
File:Entrée cockpit Tracker 07 Conair S-2FT F-ZBEY.jpg|Turbo Firecat cockpit.
File:PT6 turbine side S-2FT Tracker 07.jpg|PT6 on Turbo Firecat.
File:Montage coquille pale sur PT6 - S-2FT Tracker 07.jpg|Propeller assembly.
Aircraft on display
Specifications (Turbo Firecat)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units? = met
|crew= 1
|capacity= 3,395 L (897 U.S. gal) of water, plus 173 L (46 U.S. gal) of foam concentrate
|length m= 13.26
|length ft= 43
|length in= 6
|span m= 22.12
|span ft= 72
|span in= 7
|height m= 5.05
|height ft= 16
|height in= 7
|empty weight kg=6,803
|empty weight lb=15,000
|gross weight kg=12,473
|gross weight lb=27,500
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67AF
|eng1 kw=761
|eng1 hp=1,220
|max speed kmh=407
|max speed mph=253
|endurance=5 hours 6 minutes
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
- {{cite magazine|last=Stitt|first=Robert M|title=Turbo Firecat...fighting flames with turbines|magazine=Air International|date=June 1991|pages=289–294|issn=0306-5634}}
- {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |page=922 }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071227024558/http://cascadeaerospace.com/products/Turbo%20Firecat/ Manufacturer's website]
External links
{{Commons category|S-2 Tracker waterbomber}}
- [http://www.pilotesdufeu.com/tracker/ Tracker, Firecat and Turbo Firecat History and Photos (in French)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175124/http://www.pilotesdufeu.com/tracker/ |date=3 March 2016 }}
Category:1970s Canadian special-purpose aircraft
Category:Aerial firefighting aircraft
Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft
Category:Twin-turboprop tractor aircraft