News

When Fire Attacks, DC-10 Tankers Storm to the Rescue

Meg Godlewski

Friday, October 08, 2021 at 06:08 PM ET

Verified

A 10 Tanker aircraft drops some Phos-Chek, a fire retardant. Courtesy: 10 Tanker

Key Takeaways:

10 Tanker specializes in aerial firefighting, utilizing specially modified McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft to deploy large quantities of fire retardant, marking a technological advancement from older military planes.
These DC-10s are highly efficient, capable of carrying up to 9,400 gallons of retardant with advanced, precise drop systems (gang, sequenced, split drops) for effective fire suppression.
Operating globally year-round, 10 Tanker's missions require strict coordination among ground firefighters, air tactical supervisors, and lead planes to ensure safe and accurate retardant delivery.
The demanding role involves highly trained pilots from diverse aviation backgrounds, undergoing annual rigorous training, and supported by specialized ground crews to maintain continuous operation.

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“Here they come.”

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.