Photograph:
Grumman G-164B Turbine Super AgCat VH-OOS (c/n 752B) at Cootamundra, NSW in April 2012 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat agricultural monoplane
Power Plant:
One 560 kw (750 hp) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34G turboprop
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 12.92 m (42 ft 5 in)
- Length: 8.41 m (27 ft 8 in)
- Height: 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
- Wing area: 36.48 m² (392.7 sq ft)
- Max speed: 237 km/h (147 mph)
- Cruising speed: 210 km/h (130 mph)
- Range: 318 km (198 miles)
- Empty weight: 1,430 kg (3,150 lb)
- Loaded weight: 3,180 kg (7,020 lb)
History:
The Grumman G-164 AgCat was designed by Joseph Lippert and Arthur Koch for agricultural work, having been perceived by the Grumman Aircraft Corporation as an aircraft that would meet the growing agricultural market. The prototype (N74054), fitted with a Continental W670-6A-16 radial engine, was first flown on 27 May 1957. Because of the Company’s commitment to military orders, production was performed by the Schweizer Aircraft Corporation and 2,455 were built, Schweizer obtaining rights to the design in 1981.
A number of conversions to a turbine power plant were carried out in the United States, one being known as the Marsh D/SST Turbo Cat which involved replacing the piston engine by a 450 kw (600 hp) Garrett TPE331-1-101 unit. Others included the Turbo AgCat D/T with a 507 kw (680 hp) PT6A turboprop; the Turbo AgCat D/ST with a 559 kw (750 hp) PT6A turboprop; and the AgCat D/SST with a 634 kw (850 hp) PT6A turboprop. A variant of the turbine AgCat was licence-built as the Ethiopian Airlines Eshet from 1986, this model having local modifications to meet the operator’s needs. Examples have also been fitted with the Czech-built Walter 601 turboprop.
Two AgCats were converted to turbine power in New Zealand. One, ZK-SJA (c/n 770B), a G-164B-20T, was fitted with a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turbine but, while carrying out spraying operations near Feilding on 13 July 2001, it attempted to avoid ducks and hit power lines, rolled inverted, struck the ground and was destroyed.
A second aircraft operated by Kairanga Aviation of Palmerston North, a G-164B ZK-WTA (c/n 39B), was converted to Walter M601E-11 power.
At least two examples have been converted in Australia. VH-ZEM, a G-164B Super AgCat B Turbine (c/n 560B – ex N8075K, N993QC, N8075K) was registered on 21 January 2005 fitted with a 410 kw (550 shp) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-20 turboprop, based at Moree, NSW, able to operate from 350 m (1,148 ft) airstrips at 100 per cent capacity and had a 1,350 litre hopper (297 Imp gals).
The other G-164B Super AgCat B aircraft became VH-OOS (c/n 752PB – ex N3629U), based at Cootamundra, NSW, registered on 1 November 1998 and fitted with a Garrett TPE331-1-151A turboprop.