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The Air Tractor AT-802 is an all-metal cantilever low-wing monoplane designed especially for agricultural or fire fighting
operations. It has a hopper of no less than 800 U.S. Gallons and is powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop engine which
is highly suited for this type of flying. The standard engine for the fire-fighting versions is the 1350 hp PT6A-67AG. A popular
engine is the 1295 hp PT6A-65AG. Other PT6A engines are optional, including the 1424 hp PT6A-67F. The propeller is a Hartzell
five-blade constant speed prop with reversing capabilities.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Air Tractor AT-802A is AT8T
In 1953, Leland Snow constructed his first crop-duster Model S-1 before graduation from Texas A&M University.
The Texas A&M College Aircraft Research Center is known from the AG-1 Agricultural plane that was designed by
Fred Weick in 1950. The AG-1 might be considered as the mother of all modern crop-sprayers in the world. The prototype
Model S-1 (N5385N c/n 1001) was extensively tested in South America before the improved Model S-2 reached production.
The pre-production prototype Model S-2, was first flown in 1956. Production of the S-2B by Snow Aeronautical Company
started in 1958. North American Rockwell acquired the design and production-rights of the S-2 series in November 1965.
The S-2R was marketed by the growing Aero Commander Division of Rockwell. In 1970, Snow resigned from Rockwell and he
subsequently initiated design of a brand new low-wing crop spraying aircraft and formed Air Tractor Inc. to develop it.
In 1972, construction began on the first Air Tractor, Model AT-300, a modern ag plane that bore a close resemblance to
the Snow S-2D with its closed cockpit and fixed tailwheel undercarriage. The prototype Air Tractor AT-300 (N44200 c/n 300-001)
first flew in September 1973. The production version, the AT-301, had a 600 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine and a
crossweight of 6,900 lb. Air Tractor’s first turbine model, the AT-302, was introduced in 1977. Specifically for aerial
firefighting, Air Tractor designed the AT-802. The airframe was based on the 500 U.S. gallons AT-503A with a dual cockpit in
tandem configuration. Not long after the completion of the AT-802F, Snow made the decision to adapt the aircraft for
agricultural use. At that time, the standard for the ag industry were 300 and 400- U.S. gallons planes, and the AT-502
was only a few years in production. Snow swapped the tandem cockpit for a single-seat cockpit, added spray plumbing and booms,
and designated the 800 U.S. gallons ag plane: model AT-802A. In December 1992, the AT-802A receive its FAA Type Certificate.
In 1993, production of AT-802 series aircraft began with two models: the AT-802F, 2-seat single engine air tanker for aerial
firefighting, and the AT-802A, a single-seat airplane with a payload of 4.195 kg and an 800 U.S. gallons hopper for high
production agricultural spraying. On 1 July 2008, Air Tractor, Inc. became an employee-owned company. Today, Air Tractor produces
the most extensive line of ag aircraft with 400, 500, 600, 800 and 1,000- U.S. gallons capacities; powered by Pratt & Whitney
piston or turbine engines. On 6 May 2019, the 800th aircraft in the AT-802 series was delivered to a customer. |
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The 2021 built Air Tractor AT-802A s/n 802-0901 was registered N4024F in the USA. On 16 June 2021, Air Tractor AT-802A N4024F arrived
at the "Titan Firefighting" facilities at Valencia, Spain, after a delivery flight via Wichita Falls (KIP) - Bangor (BGR) - St. John's (YYT) -
Vigo (VGO) and finally Valencia (VLC). At Valencia, Air Tractor AT-802A was prepared for her task as a firefighting aircraft. In August 2021,
Air Tractor AT-802A was registered EC-NRD in Spain with "Firecut", a small company based in Barcelona, as operator. Today, the Air Tractor
AT-802A EC-NRD is owned by Air Tractor Europe, S.L. The aircraft is powered by a 1350 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67AF turboprop engine.
Due
to climate change, the risk of forest fires is increasing in Germany. That's why in the summer of 2024, the Katastrophenschutz Niedersachsen at Braunschweig
has a Chilean and a Spanish firefighting aircraft at its disposal for firefighting purposes in the summer: Air Tractor AT-802F CC-DER and Air Tractor AT-802A
EC-NRD are stationed at Braunschweig Airport for this task. Both Air Tractor AT-802 CC-DER and EC-NRD are operated this period by Titan Aerial firefighting of
Viver, Castellon, Spain. On 27 July 2024, exercises were held with both Air Tractor AT-802 CC-DER '6' and EC-NRD at Flugplatz Leer-Papenburg (EDWF) to train
local fire brigades on how to fill the water tanks of these aircraft. |
