A Very Large Air Tanker is a heavy, fixed-wing aircraft capable of delivering 8,000 or more gallons of fire retardant in a single pass. Typically converted wide-body passenger jets, VLATs lay down massive, continuous retardant lines to slow major conflagrations. They require long runways and specialized reload bases.
Heard on the job
The VLAT just painted the entire canyon wall red, giving the hotshots time to tie in the handline.
Insider tip
VLAT drops are so heavy and fast that the falling retardant can snap large trees or injure ground crews caught directly underneath.
Also heard as
- Very Large Air Tanker
Do not mix it up with
- LAT: A VLAT carries more than double the payload of a LAT and requires larger airports for reloading.