Your favourite Ag Aircraft?
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Turning Radius
Ag2A320,
Your coments sound very true to myself, and hopefully to the rest of the girls.
The turning radius of the 802, at times fully loaded with fuel and chemical I am sure a Boeing727 would turn on the inside of you. They would be absolutely a hopeless aircraft to operate in your enviroment, they are at times only just what you say flat land operations aircraft.
Your coments sound very true to myself, and hopefully to the rest of the girls.
The turning radius of the 802, at times fully loaded with fuel and chemical I am sure a Boeing727 would turn on the inside of you. They would be absolutely a hopeless aircraft to operate in your enviroment, they are at times only just what you say flat land operations aircraft.
Join Date: Aug 2003
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And a 1200hp radial 400gal machine would be equally as hopeless spraying broadacre cotton.
The aircraft that can do it all has never and will never be invented.
I've only ever flown Pawnees, Braves (the Tiara was a standout) and the AT range. If I had to pick one out of those it'd be the 802. It's the quietest, fastest, best endurance/range, best load carrying and will turn as fast as the others when the load gets down. I'd rather turn a little slower for the first half of the load than be ferrying back for that second 400 anyhow. AND you can legally land with the full 16,000 lbs if you need to.
The aircraft that can do it all has never and will never be invented.
I've only ever flown Pawnees, Braves (the Tiara was a standout) and the AT range. If I had to pick one out of those it'd be the 802. It's the quietest, fastest, best endurance/range, best load carrying and will turn as fast as the others when the load gets down. I'd rather turn a little slower for the first half of the load than be ferrying back for that second 400 anyhow. AND you can legally land with the full 16,000 lbs if you need to.
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Favourite Ag
In some of the valleys, one would never make it out for the second load with any full 800gal airplane,in the sixties my oldman would never carry more than 300gals in the S-2C,D's when the S-2R model came out the still had areas that would never carry more than 325gals, the problems was they kept running the R-1340@ 500-600Hp all day and the resulting engine failures and accidents took ot toll hence our decisions as stated before.
Having Flown the 802 its everything Leland intended it to be,JUST wont work for me besides the heyday of bananas is over in jamaica. I can afford an 802 but one airplane cant be in three places at the same time, for the same money i can have four 400gal ships that will work faster and be more value for my money
and as for landing at 16,000lbs, as an Operator with both AME/A&P/IA its too hard on the airframe, to do that id need a nice hardsurface with terrain that will allow me a nice stabilized touchdown so as not damage the frame ,ok so it can do it, which airstrip do think you i can stop at that weight in all of my strips are 2-3000ft max, to attempt that i would have go to the international airports
, and they just love to see me turn up and humbug their ops!
Mr. Snow and his agents have always been generous to allow us to test/demo his latest models, but each time we say thanks, it a great aircraft, but we'll stick with the Thrush; give him our comments and then start shooting the breeze about the good old days the 60-80's
Having Flown the 802 its everything Leland intended it to be,JUST wont work for me besides the heyday of bananas is over in jamaica. I can afford an 802 but one airplane cant be in three places at the same time, for the same money i can have four 400gal ships that will work faster and be more value for my money
and as for landing at 16,000lbs, as an Operator with both AME/A&P/IA its too hard on the airframe, to do that id need a nice hardsurface with terrain that will allow me a nice stabilized touchdown so as not damage the frame ,ok so it can do it, which airstrip do think you i can stop at that weight in all of my strips are 2-3000ft max, to attempt that i would have go to the international airports
, and they just love to see me turn up and humbug their ops!Mr. Snow and his agents have always been generous to allow us to test/demo his latest models, but each time we say thanks, it a great aircraft, but we'll stick with the Thrush; give him our comments and then start shooting the breeze about the good old days the 60-80's
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Mr Currawong,
Labour is cheap, have 2 mechs per aircraft, used to get 2-3000 hrs out the bottom end of the Wrights with a good overhaul; however had engines blow up at 3hrs and 50hs TTIS, cheap unreputable firms, best round engine shop in the ag business - Airmotive , Clinton Arkansas, - Roger Pickett, builds great engines. The R-1820 chaffed the side panels, cracked some of the lighter tubing, but no fatigue cracking in the wings as per the ad, performed eddy current inspects every 2yrs, and the fact that most of the work is non corrosive materials, in 25yrs of operation no cracks in the spars noted on any of the 28 aircraft operated over the years, We have one 1200 with minor cracks it has about 7000hrs and had Bill Lavender but it on its nose and incurr some wing damage when he owned it , we knew about those cracks when we bought it in 84 they havent progressed since then 5000hrs later, As for components we're on condition - used to go through tire and brake pads, broken a couple tailwheel springs, but nothing out of the ordinary, switched to turbines all i do now is put gas and oil in, washout the airframe everyday it works and perform the routine inspections in fact now have to look for work to keep my mechanics and myself occupied.
Trev 007,As for the Dromader, tried it HATED IT, the drom only puts out 1000hp vs my modified 1200's putting out closer to 1400hp climbing ability is key , the Drom is an overgrown thrush, handles not so well and has wing cracking problems, spent a while in Cuba with their ops even stole their chief engine and prop mechanics, after twenty years on Droms they preferred working on the thrush, both my self and the cuban pilots that have worked for me prefer the thrush, we also evaulated the AN-2 in cuba - one word flies like you're mixing cement.
Labour is cheap, have 2 mechs per aircraft, used to get 2-3000 hrs out the bottom end of the Wrights with a good overhaul; however had engines blow up at 3hrs and 50hs TTIS, cheap unreputable firms, best round engine shop in the ag business - Airmotive , Clinton Arkansas, - Roger Pickett, builds great engines. The R-1820 chaffed the side panels, cracked some of the lighter tubing, but no fatigue cracking in the wings as per the ad, performed eddy current inspects every 2yrs, and the fact that most of the work is non corrosive materials, in 25yrs of operation no cracks in the spars noted on any of the 28 aircraft operated over the years, We have one 1200 with minor cracks it has about 7000hrs and had Bill Lavender but it on its nose and incurr some wing damage when he owned it , we knew about those cracks when we bought it in 84 they havent progressed since then 5000hrs later, As for components we're on condition - used to go through tire and brake pads, broken a couple tailwheel springs, but nothing out of the ordinary, switched to turbines all i do now is put gas and oil in, washout the airframe everyday it works and perform the routine inspections in fact now have to look for work to keep my mechanics and myself occupied.
Trev 007,As for the Dromader, tried it HATED IT, the drom only puts out 1000hp vs my modified 1200's putting out closer to 1400hp climbing ability is key , the Drom is an overgrown thrush, handles not so well and has wing cracking problems, spent a while in Cuba with their ops even stole their chief engine and prop mechanics, after twenty years on Droms they preferred working on the thrush, both my self and the cuban pilots that have worked for me prefer the thrush, we also evaulated the AN-2 in cuba - one word flies like you're mixing cement.
Join Date: Oct 2005
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what the best?
I think most operators have it nutted to what works best for thier area whether it be a radial powered AT or a tubine thrush for me I love the G10 Thrush it's a very forgiving, can fit all places you can put a ag wagon and you can do a big day in it,coming home and not wanting to top yourself. The place where i started my career was plastered with power lines and small hill's/ small paddocks and small piston powered air craft were very much suited to the area but to use an ag wagon to service fifteen thousand acres of cotton, i think not.
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Originally Posted by fitternturner
Yes LLD, but you have to ferry twice (or more) as far to find a strip large enough for your 8' to work from
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No Not at all LLD, they are a great aircraft for certain jobs in certain places, just saying that each bolt may need a different size spanner, there are other aircraft that can do the same or better job in certain circumstances because they don't have to ferry as far.
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[quote=airag3]Mr M18 bloke may I suggest you apologise to Currawong for your outburst as he has been a valuable contributer to these forums for quite a few years ( 485 posts) Our mutual friend currawong has stated in another thread this week "number of posts does not maketh the man"
This is the first thread I have started. I was not trying to start a Ford Holden thing.
I have enjoyed reading about other points of view. Ag2A320 has made some interesting points. His sort of work sounds like no place for a 150 Pawnee or an 802. LLD also made some valid points.
All jibes aside what is your favourite aircraft currawong?
The AN-2 maybe the machine for you currawong. It looks like it would fit a jacuzzi & dancing girls on board.
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My personal favourite was the F 111 on the helix advert from many years ago damn fine piece of kit although long runs would be required sweep the wings forward for turns... more kero used than chemical, imagine the noise greenies would love it. TFR for operating just sit there hands off although a few have come unstuck at night trying that. I was just a young lad back then so never got a go and never saw one operating only the one on the ad for helix. One can still dream and imagine....
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Saw a 727 do a damn fine ag approach into kalgoorlie one time due fog i thohgt it may have been a goer on ag too I seem to remember a pic of a 727 doing a flyby of a tower in the us about 10 ft off the ground at a great rate of knots....oops dreaming again about my fav acft
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Nothing wrong with the topic M18bloke.
Often thought the AN-2 would would make a damn fine mobile home
Some crews spray with them - or used to.
Features I like in a plane - flat plate of tough glass to see through in front.
In the lighties a manual flap handle that works like the collective in a chopper. Especially useful in confined spaces - the more urgent the requirement the faster the flaps come down
Often thought the AN-2 would would make a damn fine mobile home
Some crews spray with them - or used to.
Features I like in a plane - flat plate of tough glass to see through in front.
In the lighties a manual flap handle that works like the collective in a chopper. Especially useful in confined spaces - the more urgent the requirement the faster the flaps come down
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Best Ag plane by far!
It has to be the fu24,after flying lovely planes like agwagon,fattie,180,185 the fu24 just rocks.A real pilots machine,just so nice to fly.Ever so light on the controls and the rudder works so well! In the turn its truely a eye opener ie sowing downhill then up into a "nice gentle rate 1 turn" just using my finger tips.
Maybe you guys over there should flip in your tw aircraft for for what some people thing is the cream of ag planes! and I not joking
Ps the prat who designed the fu24 should be ....
....
Maybe you guys over there should flip in your tw aircraft for for what some people thing is the cream of ag planes! and I not joking
Ps the prat who designed the fu24 should be ....
....
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After nearly 500 hours on the Feltcher I know what FU stands for, F**** you and the 24 is your IQ required for flying it.
I could only discribe it as similar to operatng a dumb loaded shopping trolly with a dodgy wheel but it can carry heavy loads.
It's no wonder the yanks refused to fly it and gave the design away!!
I could only discribe it as similar to operatng a dumb loaded shopping trolly with a dodgy wheel but it can carry heavy loads.
It's no wonder the yanks refused to fly it and gave the design away!!
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Favourite Ag Plane
Definately got to be the PT6-34 400 gal Thrush with short wings and VG's. For cost effectiveness we are opperating M601 Walter powered Thrushes. Burns a bit more fuel than the PT6 but is bullet proof and cheap to buy. Suffers a bit with hot and high conditions. Not my favourite, but better than a 1340.