agcatman
New Member
Howdy all. Long time no post. But I lurk.
I'm probably going to regret this, but......
Since I started my business a little over nine years ago, I've either bought out or taken over seven other businesses. About five years ago I bought out a business about twenty miles west of me. The business had some rather lucrative contracts but to acquire them I had to buy the operator's airplane also. It was a 1969 A model Grumman Ag-Cat which was mechanically sound but wasn't much to look at (putting it rather kindly!) and since he was using the contracts as the carrot to sell the plane I paid way too much for it. The airplane was powered by a 450 horse Pratt & Whitney radial engine and really was of no use to me. It simply did not have the capacity or the speed that I need in my business. So, I took it to Mid-Continent Aircraft Corp. in Hayti, MO to sell. It languished there for about a year and a half with its most productive work being as a home for bird nests.
I got kinda sick every time I went to Mid-Continent and saw my plane rotting away on the ramp. Because of the aesthetics of the plane the few interested buyers were completely turned off and I knew I had to do something. So I bit the bullet and talked to some guys I know with an ag airplane shop in Malden, MO about rebuilding it. We agreed upon a price and timeline and I had a pilot ferry the aircraft there to begin work.
Fast forward two years (over a year past the completion deadline and over twenty grand outta my pocket over the written estimate none the less!) and I FINALLY took possession of my "new" plane (last Wednesday as a matter of fact). I'm not nearly as mad at them as I was because, even though they took forever and got WAY deep into my pocket, they did a beautiful job.
But the best part is what I had them do in addition to the rebuild. Lots of people see crop dusters working but few people have ever had the opportunity to experience it for themselves. So I had the shop fabricate a quick attach seat which is mounted in the hopper and complimented by a Lexan windscreen. I figured that the best position for the plane in my company would be as a flying advertisement.
The seat is great. It's quite comfortable and accompanied by a four-point harness so no, no one is going to fall out. I've already given a few rides and those people loved it. And I'm making the same offer to my customers to aerially scout their crops.
But here's the deal. It's a Restricted category aircraft and I can't take passengers.....unless, of course, it's a training flight. So any of you guys who have AT LEAST a Private and would like to experience crop dusting are invited to, work and mechanics allowing, come take an "Introduction to Crop Dusting" flight with me. Bring your log so I can sign it as such too. Granted, my turbine Thrush has over five hundred more ponies and flies about sixty MPH faster than the Cat. But the Cat can still get down and dirty and can come about as fast as any airplane ever built ('specially when I'm flying it).
So come on and take a ride with me. Cost? We'll talk about it. But I can pretty much assure you that any of you can afford it.
Unless, of course, you're scared.
So give me a call. I'm in Charleston, MO. Austin Ag Aviation. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Here are some before and after pics:
(Yeah, that's me.)
Fly safe!
Stephen Austin
Austin Ag Aviation
Charleston, Missouri
I'm probably going to regret this, but......
Since I started my business a little over nine years ago, I've either bought out or taken over seven other businesses. About five years ago I bought out a business about twenty miles west of me. The business had some rather lucrative contracts but to acquire them I had to buy the operator's airplane also. It was a 1969 A model Grumman Ag-Cat which was mechanically sound but wasn't much to look at (putting it rather kindly!) and since he was using the contracts as the carrot to sell the plane I paid way too much for it. The airplane was powered by a 450 horse Pratt & Whitney radial engine and really was of no use to me. It simply did not have the capacity or the speed that I need in my business. So, I took it to Mid-Continent Aircraft Corp. in Hayti, MO to sell. It languished there for about a year and a half with its most productive work being as a home for bird nests.
I got kinda sick every time I went to Mid-Continent and saw my plane rotting away on the ramp. Because of the aesthetics of the plane the few interested buyers were completely turned off and I knew I had to do something. So I bit the bullet and talked to some guys I know with an ag airplane shop in Malden, MO about rebuilding it. We agreed upon a price and timeline and I had a pilot ferry the aircraft there to begin work.
Fast forward two years (over a year past the completion deadline and over twenty grand outta my pocket over the written estimate none the less!) and I FINALLY took possession of my "new" plane (last Wednesday as a matter of fact). I'm not nearly as mad at them as I was because, even though they took forever and got WAY deep into my pocket, they did a beautiful job.
But the best part is what I had them do in addition to the rebuild. Lots of people see crop dusters working but few people have ever had the opportunity to experience it for themselves. So I had the shop fabricate a quick attach seat which is mounted in the hopper and complimented by a Lexan windscreen. I figured that the best position for the plane in my company would be as a flying advertisement.
The seat is great. It's quite comfortable and accompanied by a four-point harness so no, no one is going to fall out. I've already given a few rides and those people loved it. And I'm making the same offer to my customers to aerially scout their crops.
But here's the deal. It's a Restricted category aircraft and I can't take passengers.....unless, of course, it's a training flight. So any of you guys who have AT LEAST a Private and would like to experience crop dusting are invited to, work and mechanics allowing, come take an "Introduction to Crop Dusting" flight with me. Bring your log so I can sign it as such too. Granted, my turbine Thrush has over five hundred more ponies and flies about sixty MPH faster than the Cat. But the Cat can still get down and dirty and can come about as fast as any airplane ever built ('specially when I'm flying it).
So come on and take a ride with me. Cost? We'll talk about it. But I can pretty much assure you that any of you can afford it.
Unless, of course, you're scared.
So give me a call. I'm in Charleston, MO. Austin Ag Aviation. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Here are some before and after pics:
(Yeah, that's me.)
Fly safe!
Stephen Austin
Austin Ag Aviation
Charleston, Missouri
