Grumman Ag Cat

infobox Aircraft
name = Grumman Ag Cat
type = Agricultural aircraft
manufacturer = Grumman



caption = An Ag cat set up for wingwalking.
designer =
first flight = 1957Wood, Derek: "Jane's World Aircraft recognition Handbook", page 460. Jane's Publishing, 1983. ISBN 0 7106 0202 2]
introduced = 1957
retired =
status =
primary user =
produced =
number built =
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles =

The Grumman G-164 Ag Cat is a single-engine biplane agricultural aircraft, developed by Grumman in the 1950s.

Development

The Ag Cat design has been in almost continual production since 1957. Initial production was through a contract with the Schweizer Aircraft Corporation,Montgomery, MR & Gerald Foster: "A Field Guide to Airplanes - Second Edition", page 14. Houghton Mifflin Publishing, 1992. ISBN 0 7232 3697 6] who built 2,455 for Grumman between 1957 and 1981.Taylor John WR: "Jane's Pocket Book Light Aircraft - Second Edition", page 215. Jane's Publishing Company, 1982. ISBN 0 7106 0195 6]

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, Texas in 1995. That company entered banktruptcy and no aircraft were produced.Fact|date=August 2008

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. cite web|url = http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library%5CrgMakeModel.nsf/0/F257E75636F09BA586256A070066912C?OpenDocument|title = TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. 1A16 Revision 24|accessdate = 2008-08-20|last = Federal Aviation Administration|authorlink = |year = 2001|month = February]

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.

Variants

;Ag CatThe basic model Ag Cat was certified with four different engines:
* 220-225 hp (164-168 kW) Continental Motors radial engine
* 240 hp (179 kW) Gulf Coast W-670-240 radial engine
* 245 hp (183 kW) Jacobs L-4M or L-4MB radial engine
* 275-300 hp (205-224 kW) Jacobs R-755 radial engine

A total of 400 of this model were produced.

;Super Ag Cat A/450The G-164A became the main model starting with serial number 401. This model featured a 450 hp (335 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engine along with a higher gross weight, increased fuel capacity, larger diameter wheels and improved brakes.

;Super Ag Cat A/600The A/600 incorporated the same improvements embodied in the A/400, but was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine of 600 horsepower (450 kW).

;Super Ag Cat B/450The B/450 improved on the "A" model by increasing the wingspan from 35' 11" (10.95 m) to 42' 3" (12.88 m). The fin and rudder were enlarged and the fuselage was also lengthened.

The upper wing was raised on the "B" model by 8 inches (20 cm) do reduce aerodynamic interference between the wings and improve cockpit visibility.

;Super Ag Cat B/525The B/525 incorporated the design improvements of the B/450, but was powered by a Continental /Page R-975 engine.

;Super Ag Cat C/600The C/600 first flew in 1976. It is similar to the model B/450 but has its fuselage further stretched to incorporate a 500 US gallon (1892 litre) agricultural hopper. The model is powered by a 600 hp (450 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine.

;Turbo Ag Cat D/TThe "D" model is similar to the C/600 but replaced the radial piston engine with a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop powerplant of 680 shp (507 kW).

;Turbo Ag Cat D/STThe D/ST model is identical to the Turbo Ag Cat D/T, but the engine was a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop powerplant of 750 shp (559 kW).

;Turbo Ag Cat D/SSTThe D/SST model is identical to the Turbo Ag Cat D/T, but is powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop powerplant of 850 shp (634 kW).

;Ag Cat B-Plus/600Introduced in 1982 the B-Plus/600 is powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 of 600 hp (450 kW). It has a the larger hopper of the "C" model.

;Ag Cat B-Plus/450Also made available for the first time in 1982 the lowered powered B-Plus/450 is powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985 of 450 hp (335 kW). This model was available only as a custom order.

;Marsh G-164 C-T Turbo CatThis after-market conversation was created by re-engining the Super Ag Cat C/600 with a Garrett TPE331-1-101 turboprop, de-rated to 600 hp (450 kW).

;Mid-Continent King CatThis after-market conversion of the Super Ag Cat C/600 replaced the 600 hp (450 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine with a Wright R-1820-202A radial engine that produces 1200 hp (895 kW).

Operators

Military Operators

*

pecifications (G-164B Super B Turbine)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
include 'armament' field?=no
include 'capacity' field?=yes
switch order of units?=no
crew=one pilot
capacity=400 US gal (1,510 liters) in forward hopper
length main=27 ft 8 in
length alt=8.41 m
span main=42 ft 5 in
span alt=12.92 m
height main=12 ft 1 in
height alt=3.68 m
area main=392.7 ft²
area alt=36.48 m²
empty weight main=3,150 lb
empty weight alt=1,430 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
max takeoff weight main=7,020 lb
max takeoff weight alt=3,180 kg
engine (jet)=
type of jet=
number of jets=
thrust main=
thrust alt=
engine (prop)=Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG
type of prop=turboprop
number of props=1
power main=750 shp
power alt=560 kW
max speed main=128 kt
max speed alt=237 km/h
cruise speed main=113 kt
cruise speed alt=210 km/h
range main=172 nm
range alt=318 km
ceiling main= ft
ceiling alt= m
climb rate main= ft/min
climb rate alt= m/s
loading main= lb/ft²
loading alt= kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= hp/lb
power/mass alt= kW/kg
* Armament: None.

ee also

aircontent
sequence=
related=
similar aircraft=
* Ayres Thrush
* Cessna 188
* PAC Cresco
* PAC Fletcher
* PZL-106 Kruk
* Zlin Z-37 Cmelak
lists=
* List of airliners
* List of civil aircraft
see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=14 Airliners.net: Grumman G-164 Ag Cat]