Air Tractor

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.

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.
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

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 and S-2B, which were built when Snow moved to production facilities in Olney, Texas in 1958.[1]

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.[1]

Sixteen years later, Air Tractor delivered its 1,100th airplane and soon began expanding the Olney plant for increased capacity. Today, Air Tractor produces a line of aircraft that includes 400 and 500 and 600 and 800 US gallons (330 and 420 and 500 and 670 imp gal; 1,500 and 1,900 and 2,300 and 3,000 L) capacity planes powered by Pratt & Whitney piston or turbine engines.

Aircraft
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

References
  1. "Our Heritage". Air Tractor. Retrieved 16 November 2020.

Further reading
  • 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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