Wikipedia

Air Tractor

This article is about the aircraft manufacturer. For the converted aeroplane taken on the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, see Air-tractor sledge. For the device to assist childbirth, see James Young Simpson.

Air Tractor Inc. is a United States aircraft manufacturer based in Olney, Texas. Founded in 1978, the company began manufacturing a new agricultural aircraft derived from the S-2B aircraft (designed by founder Leland Snow's previous company, Snow Aeronautical). Designated Model AT-300 Air Tractor, the new aircraft first flew in 1973.

Air Tractor, Inc.
IndustryAerospace
Founded1978 (1978)
FounderLeland Snow
Headquarters
Olney, Texas
,
United States
Websiteairtractor.com
An AT-502B on the ramp at Belle Glade Airport
A two-seat AT-802 in Missoula, Montana
A firefighting AT-802F Air Boss at Miramichi Airport
A counter-insurgency AT-802U at the Paris Air Show

History

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Leland Snow began designing his first airplane, the S-1, in 1951. The 23-year-old Snow completed test flights with the S-1 in 1953. Snow's S-1 flew dusting and spraying jobs in the Texas Rio Grande Valley and in Nicaragua until 1957. He followed up the S-1 with the models S-2A, S-2B and S-2C (now the Ayres Thrush), which were produced in Olney, Texas fromn 1958.[1][additional citation(s) needed]

In 1965, Leland Snow sold his company to Rockwell-Standard and was appointed a vice president of the Aero Commander division. During this time, the Model S-2R was developed and named the Thrush. The first 100 Thrush aircraft were built at the Olney Division before the plant was closed and Thrush production moved to Georgia in 1970. More than 500 aircraft were produced under Snow Aeronautical Corporation and Rockwell-Standard in Olney.[1]

Snow resigned from Rockwell and devoted the next two years designing the Air Tractor. Construction on the AT-300, which later became the AT-301, began in 1972. Air Tractor's first turbine model, the AT-302, was introduced in 1977.

Sixteen years later (1993), Air Tractor delivered its 1,100th airplane and soon began expanding the Olney plant for increased capacity, and less than five years after that (1998), the 2,000th Snow-designed airplane was built there.[1]

Since then (1998), Air Tractor has produced a line of aircraft that includes 400, 500, 600, and 800 US gal (330, 420, 500, and 670 imp gal; 1,500, 1,900, 2,300, and 3,000 L) capacity planes powered by Pratt & Whitney piston and turbine engines. [2][additional citation(s) needed]

From 2011 through 2018, Air Tractor consistently delivered more turboprop-powered fixed wing aircraft than any other manufacturer; of 601 total worldwide general aviation turboprop deliveries in 2018, 141 (23%) were Air Tractors.[3] Now (2024), even the entry level agricultural plane AT-402B is available only with turbine engine.[4][additional citation(s) needed]

On July 1, 2008 Air Tractor, Inc. became an employee-owned company with the establishment of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan.[1]

On February 20, 2011, at age 80, Leland Snow passed away while jogging near his home in Wichita Falls, Texas. His plans and notes for the next day’s engineering meeting were on his desk at home.

Snow is remembered as a quiet, generous, and kind-natured family man whose focus and determination built one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturing companies.

Yet, for all his many accomplishments and busy schedule, Leland Snow always made time to visit with ag pilots who dropped by his office or National Agricultural Aviation Association meetings. His commitment to pilot safety and drift minimization programs helped improve the public image of our industry.

His wish was to pass the company to the employees who had devoted their skills and passion to Air Tractor.

— Air Tractor - Heritage[1]

Aircraft

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Model name First flight Number built Type
Air Tractor AT-300 1973 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-301 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-302 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-400 1979 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-401 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-402 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-501 1986 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-502 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-503 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-504 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-602 1995 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-802 1990 Single engine agricultural monoplane
Air Tractor AT-1002 2009 Single engine agricultural monoplane

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Our Heritage". Air Tractor. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Air Tractor Aircraft". Air Tractor. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  3. ^ 2018 Annual Report (PDF) (Report). General Aviation Manufacturers Association. pp. 18–19. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  4. ^ "AT-402B : Move Up To A Turboprop". Air Tractor. Retrieved 3 May 2024.

Bibliography

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Air Tractor AT-300

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  • Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. p. 31.
  • Taylor, John W. R., ed. (1988). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.
  • Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 44.

Air Tractor AT-400

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  • Jackson, Paul, ed. (2003). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.
  • Lambert, Mark, ed. (1993). Jane's All The Worlds Aircraft 1993–94. Coudsdon, UK: Janes's Data Division. ISBN 0-7106-1066-1.
  • Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. pp. 31–32.
  • Taylor, John W. R., ed. (1988). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsden, UK: Jane's Defence Data. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.

Air Tractor AT-500 family

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  • Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. pp. 31–32.
  • Taylor, John W. R., ed. (1988). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.
  • Lambert, John, ed. (1992). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1992–93. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division. ISBN 0-7106-0987-6.

Air Tractor AT-602

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* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.

Air Tractor AT-802

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  • Ayton, Mark. "Archangel: Crop Duster to Tank Buster". Air International, Vol. 92, No. 2, February 2017. pp. 24–33. ISSN 0306-5634.
  • Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, 13–19 December 2011. pp. 26–52.
  • Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.
  • Keijsper, Gerard. "Water-Bombers Required!" Air Forces Monthly, London: Key Publishing, July 2008 Issue.
  • Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. pp. 31–32.

Further reading

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  • Gunston, Bill (1993). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. p. 20.
  • Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. p. 31.
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