Texas A&M College Ag-1
Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas · United States · first flew 1950 · light aircraft
The Texas A&M College Ag-1 was a prototype single-seat, single-engine aircraft, one of the first designed specifically for agricultural spraying, dusting and fertiliser spreading.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Cockpit set high behind the hopper with the forward fuselage sloping down at 15 degrees |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat agricultural aircraft with the hopper in front of the cockpit
- Cockpit set high behind the hopper with the forward fuselage sloping down at 15 degrees
- Wide rectangular tailplane and an angular fin and rudder reaching to the bottom of the fuselage
The hopper holds 27 cubic feet and is placed at the aerodynamic centre, about 25% of the chord. The open cockpit has two strong curved frames to deflect cables, and the seat was designed to withstand 40 g.
Specifications
- The Texas A&M College Ag-1 has a length of 9.05 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.89 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 185 km/h (115 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Fred Weick designed it under a research programme set up by the National Flying Farmers Association and carried out by the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. A CAA contract was awarded on 7 December 1949, and the Ag-1 first flew on 1 December 1950.
Variants
One was built. It was powered by a 225 hp air-cooled Continental E225.
Where you'll see it
It was the first of a series of designs that led about eight years later to the Piper PA-25 Pawnee, also designed by Weick.
Related aircraft
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