Air Tractor AT-500 family explained

The Air Tractor AT-500 is a family of agricultural aircraft that first flew in the United States on 25 April 1986, manufactured by Air Tractor Inc. Of monoplane low-wing, taildragger configuration, they carry a chemical hopper between the engine firewall and the cockpit. Compared with their predecessor, the AT-500 family featured a wingspan increase of 50 ft (15.2 m), and an additional fuselage stretch of 22 in (56 cm), allowing for a larger chemical hopper. Almost all variants offer a widened "buddy" seat or a tandem seat for a passenger, observer, or loader; trainer aircraft with full dual controls have also been offered.

From 2011 through 2018, the AT-502B was the world's top-selling agricultural aircraft with 388 deliveries, while the combined AT-500 line (AT-502A, -502B, and -504) was among the world's most popular fixed wing general aviation single-turboprop aircraft families, with 470 delivered—a total exceeded only by the Pilatus PC-12 and the Cessna 208 Caravan family during that time.^[1]

Variants

AT-500:Prototype

Piston-powered version with 600shp Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine, one seat, gross weight of 6500lb^[2]

Upgraded AT-501 with 680shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-15AG or 750shp PT6A-34AG engine, one or two seats, gross weight of 6500lb or 8000lb depending on production date and wing spar type^[3]

AT-502A:Hot and high version of AT-502 with 1100shp PT6A-65AG or 1050shp PT6A-60AG engine, one or two seats in tandem or side-by-side arrangement, gross weight of 8000lb^{[4] [5]}

AT-502B:Main production version, development of AT-502 with 750shp PT6A-34AG engine, one or two seats in tandem or side-by-side arrangement, gross weight of 8000lb^{[6] [7]}

AT-502XP:Updated AT-502A with 867shp PT6A-140AG engine^{[8] [9]}

Production version with 1100shp PT6A-45R engine, tandem seats, gross weight of 8000lb^[10]

AT-503A:AT-503 with 750shp PT6A-34AG engine, tandem seats^[11] dual controls, AT-501 wings

AT-503T:Dual-control trainer version of AT-503 with shorter AT-401 wings, tandem seats

Dual-control trainer version of AT-502B with side-by-side seating, replaced tandem-seat AT-503 trainers, introduced 2009^{[12] [13]}

References

• 21 March 2016 . Type Certificate Data Sheet A17SW, Revision 14 . Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.. 26 February 2019.
• November 2015 . Air Tractor Pilot Training Course . Air Tractor . 26 February 2019.

Bibliography

• Book: Simpson, R. W. . Airlife's General Aviation . 1995 . Airlife Publishing . Shrewsbury . 31–32 .
• Book: Taylor . John W. R. . John W. R. Taylor . Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. 1988 . Jane's Defence Data . Coulsdon, UK . 0-7106-0867-5 .
• Book: Lambert . John . Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1992–93 . 1992 . Jane's Data Division . Coulsdon, UK . 0-7106-0987-6 .

External links

• http://www.airtractor.com/

Notes and References

1. 2018 Annual Report . General Aviation Manufacturers Association . 18–20 . 26 February 2019 .
2. Type Certificate Data Sheet A17SW 2016, p. 5.
3. Type Certificate Data Sheet A17SW 2016, pp. 6-8.
4. Type Certificate Data Sheet A17SW 2016, pp. 17-20.
5. Air Tractor Pilot Training Course 2015, p. 17.
6. Type Certificate Data Sheet A17SW 2016, pp. 21-23.
7. Air Tractor Pilot Training Course 2015, p. 17.
8. . Air Tractor Introduces a New Airplane . Olney, Texas . Air Tractor . 2019-02-26.
9. Air Tractor Pilot Training Course 2015, p. 17.
10. Type Certificate Data Sheet A17SW 2016, pp. 1-2.
11. Type Certificate Data Sheet A17SW 2016, pp. 14-16.
12. . 10 April 2009 . Air Tractor Offers Working Trainer . Flying . 26 February 2019 .
13. . AT-504 Field Report: An Ag Plane For The Next Generation . Olney, Texas . Air Tractor . 26 February 2019 .