A Fire Boss carries nearly half the payload of a twin turbine engine amphibious air tanker for about 1/10th of the capital and 1/5th of the operating expense. For a cost of just 64 cents per gallon, the Fire Boss can deliver 20 loads and 14,000 gallons of water on a fire each hour.
Beyond its capabilities as a firefighter, the Fire Boss can be
re-fitted with conventional landing gear and a gate box after the fire season ends to perform other types of forestry protection duties, including aerial insecticide application, timber fertilization and post-fire forest rehabilitation, e.g. aerial re-seeding and erosion
controlling hydromulch applications.
Cost Comparison
| Class | Scooper |
| Max Tank Capacity | 820 |
| Availability | $4,500 |
| Hourly | $4,500 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 14,000 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $0.64 |
| Class | Scooper |
| Max Tank Capacity | 1,600 |
| Availability | $42,000 |
| Hourly | $13,500 |
| Fills Per Hour | 17 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 27,200 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $2.04 |
| Class | VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker) |
| Max Tank Capacity | 10,800 |
| Availability | $55,000 |
| Hourly | $8,200 |
| Fills Per Hour | 1 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 10,800 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $5.85 |
| Class | VLAT |
| Max Tank Capacity | 3,000 |
| Availability | $29,000 |
| Hourly | $8,000 |
| Fills Per Hour | 1 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 3,000 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $12.33 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 1,000 |
| Availability | $15,800 |
| Hourly | $3,933 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 20,000 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $0.99 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 635 |
| Availability | $13,000 |
| Hourly | $2,000 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 12,700 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $1.18 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 335 |
| Availability | $7,500 |
| Hourly | $2,500 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 6,700 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $1.49 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 360 |
| Availability | $7,000 |
| Hourly | $2,350 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 7,200 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $1.30 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 240 |
| Availability | $6,500 |
| Hourly | $2,250 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 4,800 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $1.82 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 245 |
| Availability | $5,500 |
| Hourly | $2,000 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 4,900 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $1.53 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 120 |
| Availability | $5,000 |
| Hourly | $1,600 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 2,400 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $2.75 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 240 |
| Availability | $4,000 |
| Hourly | $1,250 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 4,800 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $1.09 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 300 |
| Availability | $4,500 |
| Hourly | $1,350 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 6,000 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $0.98 |
| Class | Helicopter |
| Max Tank Capacity | 120 |
| Availability | $4,500 |
| Hourly | $1,450 |
| Fills Per Hour | 20 |
| Gallons Per Hour | 2,400 |
| Cost Per Gallon | $2.48 |
| Class | Aircraft | Max Tank Capacity | Availability | Hourly | Fills Per Hour | Gallons Per Hour | Cost Per Gallon |
| Scooper | Fire Boss | 820 | $4,500 | $4,500 | 20 | 14,000 | $0.64 |
| CL-415 | 1,600 | $42,000 | $13,500 | 17 | 27,200 | $2.04 | |
| VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker) | |||||||
| DC-10 | 10,800 | $55,000 | $8,200 | 1 | 10,800 | $5.85 | |
| BAe-146 | 3,000 | $29,000 | $8,000 | 1 | 3,000 | $12.33 | |
| Helicopter | Fire Hawk | 1,000 | $15,800 | $3,933 | 20 | 20,000 | $0.99 |
| Kaman 1200 – Kmax | 635 | $13,000 | $2,000 | 20 | 12,700 | $1.18 | |
| Bell UH-1h/205 | 335 | $7,500 | $2,500 | 20 | 6,700 | $1.49 | |
| Bell 412 | 360 | $7,000 | $2,350 | 20 | 7,200 | $1.30 | |
| Bell 212 | 240 | $6,500 | $2,250 | 20 | 4,800 | $1.82 | |
| Bell 407 | 245 | $5,500 | $2,000 | 20 | 4,900 | $1.53 | |
| Bell 206L | 120 | $5,000 | $1,600 | 20 | 2,400 | $2.75 | |
| Eurocopter AS350B | 240 | $4,000 | $1,250 | 20 | 4,800 | $1.09 | |
| Agusta A119 | 300 | $4,500 | $1,350 | 20 | 6,000 | $0.98 | |
| Eurocopter EC135 | 120 | $4,500 | $1,450 | 20 | 2,400 | $2.48 |
One Hour Mission Comparison
These comparisons illustrate how the Fire Boss delivers more water for the same budget as other aerial fire fighting solutions.
One Bell 412 vs one Fire Boss
| 1 Bell 412 | 1 Fire Boss | |
| gallons delivered | 7,200 | 14,000 |
| mission cost | $9,350 | $9,000 |
94% More Water Delivered
One Firehawk vs Two Fire Bosses
| 1 Firehawk | 2 Fire Bosses | |
| gallons delivered | 20,000 | 28,000 |
| mission cost | $19,733 | $18,000 |
40% More Water Delivered
One CL-415 vs Six Fire Bosses
| 1 CL-415 | 6 Fire Bosses | |
| gallons delivered | 27,200 | 84,000 |
| mission cost | $55,500 | $54,000 |
209% More Water Delivered
One DC-10 vs Seven Fire Bosses
| 1 DC-10 | 7 Fire Bosses | |
| gallons delivered | 10,800 | 98,000 |
| mission cost | $63,200 | $63,000 |
807% More Water Delivered
Case Study
Lockhyttan Fire in Sweden
In 2018 Sweden faced the hottest July in 250 years. As a result more than fifty large wildfires raged throughout much of Sweden, covering in total 250 km2 (100 square miles)
Due to the immensity of the fires, a call for assistance went out via the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism. Portugal’s National Authority for Civil Protection (ANPC) loaned two of the Tondela, Portugal based Agro-Montiar Fire Bosses it had on contract.
