N474NA

This airframe, registered as N474NA, is a British Aerospace BAe 146-200A built in 1988 with manufacturer's serial number E2084. The airframe is owned by NEPTUNE AVIATION SERVICES INC, a corporate operator based in Missoula, MT, US, which also serves as the operator and home base for its firefighting activities. The aircraft was modified from passenger configuration to a tanker role, with passenger seating removed and a retardant tank installation fitted, and has been operated in that capacity under U.S. registration. Registry actions and formal market valuation records for this specific airframe are not published in the supplied data.

The cabin of N474NA has been configured specifically for aerial firefighting; passenger seating has been removed to accommodate a retardant tank installation, and the interior is arranged to support tanker systems rather than civilian passenger service. Typical mission profiles for this airframe are short-to-medium range tactical firefighting sorties operating from the owner/operator base in Missoula, flying to and from wildfire sites and reloading points within its 1,800 nm range and operating at practical cruise speeds near 414 kts when transit is required. Avionics fit and detailed maintenance logs are not published in the supplied data, but the four-engine Lycoming ALF-502 powerplant arrangement and tanker conversions imply specific maintenance regimes related to older regional-jet systems and modifications for retardant carriage. The tanker role reduces passenger-carrying utility but increases mission-specific structural and systems inspection frequency.

The BAe 146-200A occupies a niche as a short-haul regional jet platform frequently adapted for special missions such as aerial firefighting due to its high-wing/low-speed handling and robust airframe. Competing options in the aerial tanker and special-mission market include converted regional jets and turboprops, with demand driven by government and utility contracting rather than conventional charter sales. Maintenance and resale considerations for this specific aircraft reflect its 1988 build year and conversion: buyers or operators must account for component aging, four-engine maintenance complexity, and the specialized nature of the retardant tank installation when evaluating operational or secondary-market value.