Firefighting polymer gel preparation onboard aircraft

A method for fighting fire with an aircraft, the method including the steps of:

• loading a polymer gel containing composition into a container onboard the aircraft;
• flying the aircraft to a body of water;
• filling a reservoir on the aircraft at least partially with water from the body of water, the reservoir being enclosed and rigidly fixed at least indirectly to a body of the aircraft;
• combining at least a portion of the polymer gel containing composition from the container with at least a portion of the water from the reservoir;
• flying the aircraft to a drop location;
• dropping combined water and polymer gel containing composition at the drop location;
• wherein said combining step includes pumping the polymer gel containing composition from the container into the reservoir with a dosing pump;
• wherein said dosing pump is located outside of the reservoir;
• pumping contents of the reservoir with a water pump that has access to contents of the reservoir;
• said pumping step routing contents of the reservoir both from the reservoir and back to the reservoir for recirculation of contents of the reservoir;
• and
• wherein said filling a reservoir step includes the reservoir on the aircraft having a lower portion which includes a closed configuration and an open configuration, and with the lower portion of the reservoir being selectively closable and openable for dumping of contents from the reservoir.