NASA is partnering with the U.S. Forest Service to examine the mission suitability of Boeing 747 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10 fire retardant delivery aircraft. The aircraft under study belong to 10 Tanker Air Carrier and Evergreen International Aviation. The DC-10 tanker has already been successfully employed by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in past wildfire suppression missions. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center is working with the USFS to help determine the safe flight envelope for these very large air tanker aircraft for both the Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Additionally, NASA Dryden will recommend operational usage regimes, policies and procedures for the aircraft. The Forest Service and the Interior Department approached NASA for help because NASA provides a range and depth of necessary flight test planning skills to develop and conduct the assessment.