19 March 2026
It might sound, at first, like something dreamt up for a niche gaming convention — a simulator for putting out fires from the air. But this is no novelty.
The latest device delivered by Spanish manufacturer entrol is a highly sophisticated training platform designed to prepare pilots for one of aviation’s most demanding and dangerous roles: aerial firefighting.
entrol has installed a bespoke Air Tractor AT-802 “Fire Boss” simulator for Luxembourg-based Aquarius Aerial Firefighting (Aquarius AFF), a subsidiary of cargo giant Cargolux, with the aim of significantly enhancing pilot training and operational readiness.
The simulator is configured specifically for the amphibious AT-802 Fire Boss — an aircraft capable of scooping water from lakes or the sea before dropping it on wildfires — and forms a central part of Aquarius AFF’s pilot training programme.
This isn’t your typical synthetic trainer. entrol has gone to considerable lengths to blur the line between simulator and aircraft, integrating genuine components from the real machine. These include the actual pilot seat, flight and engine controls and Garmin G600 TXi avionics. This is to ensure that what pilots see and touch in training matches what they’ll encounter in the cockpit.
The real Air Tractor in a practice drill
Where the simulator becomes particularly interesting is in its focus on the unique challenges of firefighting operations.
Flying low over rugged terrain, often in poor visibility and dense smoke, demands exceptional situational awareness. To replicate this, the simulator includes a thermal imaging system paired with a Head-Up Display (HUD), enabling pilots to “see” through smoke using infrared imagery.
Flight data — airspeed, altitude and heading — is projected directly into the pilot’s line of sight, while thermal imaging highlights hotspots and terrain features otherwise obscured. It’s a level of capability that mirrors cutting-edge operational equipment and allows crews to train for scenarios that would be too risky to practise live.
Aerial firefighting is not just about navigation and observation — it’s about handling an aircraft at the limits of its performance.
The simulator’s flight model has been engineered to replicate the Fire Boss’s complex aerodynamics, particularly during water scooping runs and drops. entrol has even incorporated a vibration system to mimic the structural loads and shifting centre of gravity as water is taken on and released.
Another notable feature is a second station in the sim that allows crews to practise two-aircraft (“two-ship”) missions, a common tactic in coordinated firefighting operations.
Coupled with a geo-specific database and a 3D debriefing system that allows instructors to analyse drop accuracy and flight paths, the simulator is designed not just to train pilots, but to refine tactics and improve overall mission effectiveness.
Aquarius Aerial Firefighting, founded in 2023, is building a fleet of AT-802 Fire Boss aircraft to support wildfire response across Europe and beyond — a role that is becoming increasingly critical as fire seasons grow longer and more intense.
