Best and worst Ag-plane awards ?
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Best and worst Ag-plane awards ?
There seems to be a lot of ag pilots here so for a bit of fun and education for us non-ag blokes which agplanes you would nominate for the following categories
1. Best pilot's aircraft.
2. Best all round workhorse.
3. Best value for money.
4. Best money maker.
5. Biggest dog ever to sprout wings.
1. Best pilot's aircraft.
2. Best all round workhorse.
3. Best value for money.
4. Best money maker.
5. Biggest dog ever to sprout wings.
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Not an ag pilot, but flew a few ag planes (piston). Every one of them is a heap of fun and no one reports you for low flying. Used to love the visibility out of the things when the tail comes off the ground. Often think back that maybe I should have flown ag as a career. Nothing beats joystick and rudder and a taildragger for the fun of aviation from a pilot's perspective. Everything else pales in comparison, especially IFR on autopilot.
You should qualify the question too. A good workhorse in the flat cotton fields may not be the best for the hilly coastal areas, etc. Horses for courses.
You should qualify the question too. A good workhorse in the flat cotton fields may not be the best for the hilly coastal areas, etc. Horses for courses.
Last edited by Lodown; 13th Feb 2010 at 05:16.
I have heard the 1124 is good for water bombing 
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As Lowdown says, horses for courses, but for the tight strips and big climbs of the NZ high country the Cresco runs rings around anything else on the market. Damned expensive to buy but they chop through the work. Not so much designed for spraying although they do a good job of it all the same. Out on the rice fields of NSW though, something like a Thrush is more the go, and if you are doing the cocaine spraying for the US govt in Columbia, then you cant go past the Thrush with the armour plated cockpit!!
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The Worst
Hey Tini
What the hell is that thing? I'm guessing one of the first "Flying Fowl Roosts" (Transavia). By your responce you must have done your pennance in one before 180/185's
What the hell is that thing? I'm guessing one of the first "Flying Fowl Roosts" (Transavia). By your responce you must have done your pennance in one before 180/185's
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205jack
You are correct in guessing that the original Airtruck is the beginning of the Airtruk as manufactured in Australia. I don't think many hours were ever flown productively on the two "Bennet Airtrucks" (designed by Mr Pellarini) as they crashed in pretty short order.
Perhaps Mr Tinned Fish flew the prototypes and has his opinion firmly grounded in that experience rather than an aversion to what could be called esoteric beauty. The potential was obviously there.
Many of the ag pilots who flew the Transavia developed machines loved them. They really just got outgunned by the FU24.
There has to be a lot worse than that - anyone for a Callair?
You are correct in guessing that the original Airtruck is the beginning of the Airtruk as manufactured in Australia. I don't think many hours were ever flown productively on the two "Bennet Airtrucks" (designed by Mr Pellarini) as they crashed in pretty short order.
Perhaps Mr Tinned Fish flew the prototypes and has his opinion firmly grounded in that experience rather than an aversion to what could be called esoteric beauty. The potential was obviously there.
Many of the ag pilots who flew the Transavia developed machines loved them. They really just got outgunned by the FU24.
There has to be a lot worse than that - anyone for a Callair?
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Ag-Planes
Best.......Airtractor 402.
Worst.....Straight wing Agwagon. Dangerous in the turn.
Avoided so far.....Dromader
Liked..... Pawnee, Aghusky, and Airtruk, except for ground handling on sloping strips, when it wanted to fall over. Also liked the -34 thrush for its turning manners. OA
Worst.....Straight wing Agwagon. Dangerous in the turn.
Avoided so far.....Dromader
Liked..... Pawnee, Aghusky, and Airtruk, except for ground handling on sloping strips, when it wanted to fall over. Also liked the -34 thrush for its turning manners. OA
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Tipsy Airtruk
Happened to me once with about ten hrs on the prop. Boss not happy. Oh by the way, the short tail 301's were great turners too. Lay it over and drag it back.....
Last edited by ozaggie; 14th Feb 2010 at 08:14. Reason: Grammar
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EBCAU
Thanks for that info.Apart from the radial it was sort of a giveaway. Probably showing my age. Yes there are a couple near me and the boys love them. Callairs. Flew with a guy a few years ago who did time in Callairs in his early days. Had some funny stories to tell. Sort of had to laugh otherwise he would have cried type stories. Nice feller
Thanks for that info.Apart from the radial it was sort of a giveaway. Probably showing my age. Yes there are a couple near me and the boys love them. Callairs. Flew with a guy a few years ago who did time in Callairs in his early days. Had some funny stories to tell. Sort of had to laugh otherwise he would have cried type stories. Nice feller
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Looks like 2 birds humping in mid air ... and are those toilet bowls stuck in between the upper and lower wings ?
I reckon the '60s cartoon show "Stop the Pigeon" was a big influence on Polish aircraft designers
Last edited by aseanaero; 15th Feb 2010 at 02:40.