Wipaire Celebrates 200th Fire Boss Delivery

Minnesota-based company marks a significant milestone in aerial firefighting innovation.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, September 26, 2025 at 03:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The employees of Wipaire celebrate the delivery of Fire Boss No. 200. [Courtesy: Wipaire]

Key Takeaways:

Wipaire, a Minnesota-based company, celebrated the delivery of its 200th Fire Boss aerial firefighting aircraft on September 23.
The Fire Boss is an Air Tractor AT-802 modified by Wipaire with an amphibious water scooping system, capable of carrying 820 gallons of water.
Developed by the multi-generational family-owned Wipaire, these aircraft are deployed globally for wildland firefighting and are certified across multiple continents.

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Wipaire, the Minnesota-based company famous for float systems and modifications, is celebrating the 200th delivery of a Fire Boss aerial firefighting aircraft. The milestone occurred on September 23 at Wipaire headquarters in South Saint Paul.

Wipaire, the parent company of Fire Boss, was created after World War II by Ben Wiplinger, a Minnesota native and aviation mechanic and engineer. During World War II while serving in the Army Air Corps in New Mexico, he developed a pre-oiling system for bombers. After the war Wiplinger returned to the Land of 10,000 Lakes and started an aviation company and FBO that converted military aircraft for civilian use.