Wipaire, a global leader in aircraft float systems and modifications, proudly marked the delivery of its 200th Fire Boss aerial firefighting platform with a celebration at its South Saint Paul headquarters on Tuesday, September 23. The event honored the employees and operators whose commitment and expertise helped reach this milestone.
“Congratulations to Wipaire on the completion of its 200th Fire Boss,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This is an important milestone for the company and highlights the innovation and advanced manufacturing happening right here in South Saint Paul.”
“We’re incredibly proud to reach this significant milestone,” said Chuck Wiplinger, President and CEO of Wipaire, the parent company of Fire Boss, “The 200th Fire Boss represents more than just a number. It is a testament to the dedication of our employees, the innovation and skill of our engineering and manufacturing teams, the constructive collaboration with our regulators, and the trust our customers place in us. This achievement shows that when passion, hard work, and local talent come together, extraordinary things happen.”
The Fire Boss is a specialized amphibious scooping system installed on the Air Tractor AT-802, transforming the aircraft into a powerful tool for aerial wildfire suppression. With the ability to scoop up to 820 gallons of water at a time from nearby sources, it can deliver tens of thousands of gallons during its three hours on station time, providing incident command teams with a rapid initial response in challenging environments. The Fire Boss is a trusted asset for firefighting agencies across North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia.
History of Fire Boss
2003 – Certification in USA
2005 – Certification in Europe
2009 – Certification in Australia
2015 – Certification in China
2019 – 100th Fire Boss
2023 – Record order of 31 Fire Boss placed by Air Tractor Europe
2023 – AgSur Distribution Partnership for Latin America
2025 – Significant Engineering Upgrades Approved by FAA
2025 – 200th Fire Boss
About Fire Boss
Fire Boss, part of the Wipaire family of brands, is an amphibious scooping system engineered exclusively for the AT-802. Family-owned for three generations and headquartered in South Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. Wipaire combines proven aircraft expertise with purpose-built firefighting capability.
For more information, go to: wipaire.com
