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G164 Ag-Cat |
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Photo: Robert Deering
1974 South Texas |
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The
Grumman G-164 Ag Cat is a single-engine
biplane agricultural aircraft, developed by Grumman in
the 1950s.DevelopmentThe Ag Cat was the first aircraft specifically designed by a major aircraft company for agricultural aviation. In 1955, Grumman preliminary design engineers Joe Lippert and Arthur Koch proposed the design for a "purpose built" crop dusting airplane as a means of fulfilling a pressing need in the agricultural community as well as the perceived need for Grumman to diversify its product lines. The first G-164, which was built by Grumman, accomplished its maiden flight on May 27, 1957 with Grumman test pilot Hank Kurt at the controls. At this time, the Grumman G-164 did not have a name. Leroy Grumman suggested "The Grasshopper." However, Dick Reade suggested "Ag-Cat," following Grumman's naming tradition using the suffix "-Cat" in aircraft names (e.g., F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat). Mr. Grumman agreed and the Grumman G-164 became the "Ag-Cat." Large military orders prevented the production of the Ag-Cat at Grumman's Bethpage facility. Grumman's Board of Directors chose to subcontract the entire program to the Schweizer Aircraft Company of Elmira, New York. Initial production was through a contract between Schweizer Aircraft Corporation, and Grumman. The first Schweizer-built Ag-Cat, bearing registration number N10200 flew on October 17, 1958 under the control of Schweizer test pilot Clyde Cook. Full production began in January 1959 with Schweizer delivering 12 FAA certified airplanes to Grumman by March 1959. The FAA granted type certification on January 20, 1959. The ownership of the Ag-Cat design has changed hands several times. Grumman transferred ownership to its commercial aircraft subsidiary, Grumman American, in 1973. The Grumman American subsidiary, which also owned the Grumman Gulfstream design series, was sold to American Jet Industries in 1978. From initial production through 1981, Schweizer built 2,455 aircraft under contract. In 1981 Schweizer bought the rights to the design and continued production under the name Schweizer Ag-Cat. Schweizer sold the design to Ag-Cat Corp. of Malden, Missouri in 1995. That company entered banktruptcy and no aircraft were produced. In February 2001 the design was sold to Allied Ag-Cat Productions Inc. of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. Allied Ag-Cat are not producing new aircraft although a related company operates a large fleet of Ag-Cats. The basic airframe incorporates many safety innovations, including a pressurized cockpit to keep pesticides out, air conditioning and a fuselage structure that is designed to progressively collapse in the event of a collision. Floats were approved for the aircraft in the early 1990s in Australia. |
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Variants
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