Conair RJ85 Air Tanker N839AC/Tanker 160 lands after the first flight (Conair)
Conair‘s first RJ85 air tanker conversion, N839AC (msn E2270), made her first flight on 21 August. Unlike Tronos’ air tankers, Conair’s conversion uses an external tank. The 3,000 US gallon tank is attached to the bottom and the sides of the fuselage, a configuration that Conair had already used on its Bombardier Q400 air tanker conversions, and can hold either water or retardant. N839AC was converted by Conair at its facility at Abbotsford. Following her first flight, she commenced a series of test flights with the support of BAE Systems. She will eventually be operated by Aero-Flite, in whose colors she is already painted, as Tanker 160. In May, Aero-Flite received a ‘next generation’ contract to operate two RJ85 air tankers from the US Forest Service.
Recent news items on Conair:
- Third CityJet Avro RJ85 sold to Conair (2019-05-24)
- CityJet sells another Avro RJ85 to Conair (2019-04-25)
- CityJet sells Avro RJ85 to Conair (2019-02-19)
- Conair Avro RJ85AT returns home (2019-01-12)
- RJ85 air tanker switches states and number (2018-12-09)
Recent news items on Aero-Flite:
- US Forest Service cuts air tanker contracts (2018-02-18)
- Avro RJ85 Air Tanker enters service with Aero-Flite (2014-08-15)
- Conair Avro RJ85 air tanker begins drop tests (2013-12-20)
- US Forest Service awards ‘Next Generation’ air tanker contracts (2013-05-08)
- Avro RJ85 air tanker begins flight testing (2012-09-30)