Grumman Ag Cat Entire Load Start to Finish

This is a 500 gallon "FatCat" with a Garrett TPE331-6 turbine engine. This is one of my favorite airplanes to work but, as you can hear in the video, there is an uncomfortable resonance that this airplane produces. Active noise reduction and ear plugs are a must.

[@RogerAcosta-iq9nd]

Muy bueno el vídeo para los que somos amante de la aviación agricola

[@jamesgreer4238]

That's awesome. Kind of wish you could show the stick and rudder movement to.

[@tgh223]

that fellow is working that cat great flying

[@eddyfernandezsolobueno3623]

very good for all greetings from Costa Rica

[@skilletthandle]

Excellent!

[@alanpeterson2160]

Glad I found your channel. This is great footage, and you would be fun to watch from the ground too. What are your busy times of year ? Here in Iowa they fly dry nitrogen in June and fungicide/insecticide in July. Sometimes inter-seed cover crops in the corn in September.

[@meanwdean7433]

Great video man. I was under the impression that most AG work had moved to turbines. I don't know much about it though. Are there still some niche sectors where piston has an advantage? Fun video. Thank you for sharing.

[@pcohen85]

MeanW Dean Yes most of the ag planes have turbines on them now. I dont really know any benifits to running a piston engine other than cost. They are substantially cheaper than a turbine but are less reliable in most cases.

[@mikestamper2437]

I really enjoyed the post. It looks wilder than any roller coaster. What is your flying speed to and from the field and working speed?

[@pcohen85]

Mike Stamper At 83% power that plane will fly 125 mph with a load (around 3700 lbs) and will be flying 145 mph when it is empty. If you watch in HD you can see the yellow section of the airspeed indicator and that starts at 120 and ends at 148. It has enough power to fly faster than that but 83% is where I set it adter takeoff and I usually leave it there the whole flight.

[@Blime2913]

Im curious! Flying close to land level one could expect to encounter a great deal of bird strikes throughout any given mission! What are the procedures if any, should the pilots encounter a bird strike, Do they usually press on with the mission or return (asap) to base for inspection!. I've seen quite graphic footage of a birdstrike/ Most likely a (Crow) That a crop pilot an his crop duster encountered, the bird minced through the propeller disc an particalized all over the cockpit wind shields.. The thing that was disturbing other than a bird being minced is that the pilot didn't seem to mind the situation an possible outcome, he just sprayed an wiped away untill all the splater gunk was cleared then continued to press though the mission withou returning asap to base for inspection! Well for all he knew concidering such a situation, the props on his aircraft could have been second away from desintergration!!. Just curious!!!. 😊😄⛅✈💨💨➖.

[@Bodhi594]

*BLACK CAT* My Dad hit ducks a few times. Went through the window all over his lap. Disgusting. One guy I remember hit a cow on take off with his wing.

[@pcohen85]

I would only return to base if I thought that the bird might have caused damaged that would endanger my life. We hit birds a lot, like almost everyday. This year I flew through a flock and when I landed I counted 14 bird strikes on the plane.

[@sawman00]

Good video. Makes me wish I would've got into an Ag seat at a young age. Was that a 170 parked by the loader trucks?

[@pcohen85]

Yes that is a 170 parked at the strip. It belonged to the other pilot.

[@paper____]

I flew a A model with dash 6 . 330 John Hear hopper & 110 gallons of fuel. 157 mph vne spraying. I sold it to Frank Kelly American Agviation

[@triplanelover]

it must be much louder sitting in it than watching the vid; sounds loud but is most of it from the Garrett or is there a vibration of some sort in the airframe with the turboprop? have you experienced the same thing with a 985 or 1340?

[@pcohen85]

You can hear the resonance I mentioned if you listen to it on a sound system with a subwoofer. The Garrett is actually really quiet in the air compared to a PT-6 or either of the round engines. Most of the loudness comes from the airplane itself. The "FatCat" stc makes it a little less aerodynamic and when you are bulldogging through the air at 140 it gets noisy.

[@lukewarmwater6412]

I always hated fueling turbine powered ag cats. the exhaust would make your eyes burn. I'd rather stuff rice on a 'bug beater'. but turbines do drag more weight up.... just dont sound the same.

[@aiden20yearsago51]

what did you spray on the windscreen in the beginning?

[@pcohen85]

That is my windshield washer! We use that to clean chemical or bugs off the windshield. Very important piece of equipment!

[@aiden20yearsago51]

so cool! didnt know planes had that. What a cool job. Good way to build up those hours for young pilots too!