Several companies flew air tankers from PHX
during the wildfire season in Arizona. The U.S.
Forest Service maintained a base at the Cutter
ramp, on the South side of the airport, where
the aircraft could be seen from Old Tower Road.
During the fire season, one tanker was usually
based
at PHX, and others used the airport in response
to nearby wildfires. The Forest Service
calls in
the tankers to fight fires in difficult to reach areas
of the State, usually during the
warmer months. Luckily, in some years these aircraft have
seen limited
use.
Yet, when they were here, they made an interesting
addition to Sky Harbor's aircraft traffic.
In 2001 the Fire Tanker Base
at PHX was moved to Globe, AZ (P13).
Click on a photo below
to view a larger image of the aircraft...
Aero Union's Tanker Aircraft at PHX
Official website: Aero Union Corp.
Tanker 00
(N900AU)
Tanker
14 (N62297)
Tanker
22 (N922AU)
Tanker
23 (N923AU)
Tanker 25
(N925AU)
Tanker 27
(N927AU)
ARDCO's Tanker Aircraft at PHX
AFIA website: ARDCO, Inc.
Tanker
119 (N406WA)
Tanker 151
(N460WA)
Tanker
152 (N9015Q)
Butler
Aircraft Co.'s
Tanker Aircraft at PHX
Official website: Butler
Aircraft
(subsidary
of TBM Inc.)
Tanker
62 (N401US)
Tanker 66
(N6353C)
T.B.M. Inc.'s Tanker Aircraft at PHX
AFIA website: TBM Aircraft
Tanker 60
(N838D)
Tanker 63
(N473TM)
Tanker 65
(N8502R)
Tanker 68
(N90739)
A Douglas C-54 tanker departs on another mission...