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From Car Designer To Firefighter?

By Ben Sclair · August 11, 2026 · Leave a Comment

Coulson Aviation invited car designer Chip Foose to their manufacturing facility, for some reason, to show him what it takes to convert a Boeing 737 from airliner to firefighter.

My father-in-law was part of a build team that built one of Chip’s earlier car designs, the Grandmaster, in 2002. That design went on to win the 2002 Ridler Memorial Award at the Detroit Autorama.

A designer is gonna designer. It is fun to see Chip take it all in and ask questions while walking around the aircraft.

About Ben Sclair

Ben Sclair is the Publisher of General Aviation News, a pilot, husband to Deb and dad to Zenith, Brenna, and Jack. Oh, and a staunch supporter of general aviation.

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