Air Attack Officers with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and British Columbia Forest Protection Branch that had worked with the AT-802 on amphibious floats observed that the drop patterns of long-term fire retardant were different from those of the AT-802 on wheels. ASRD asked FPInnovations wildfire researchers to conduct preliminary tests to determine whether the amphibious AT-802 on floats did provide a different pattern and whether the patterns resulted in improved retardant coverage on the ground.