A four-engine jet-powered former passenger plane is now part of the firefighting force at the Brainerd Tanker Base.
The British Aerospace BAe-146 was converted from a regional passenger jet service into an aerial firefighter. The BAe-146 first took to the skies 37 years ago from the British Aerospace airfield at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, BAE Systems Regional Aircraft reported, noting 394 of the aircraft were built. Now one of those jets, known for its quiet engines, is part of the aerial tools to fight wildfires in Minnesota, operating out of Brainerd. The aircraft has found a variety of service duties since its passenger service heyday, including freight service, charter service and firefighting.