Leland Snow

{{Short description|Snow Aeronautical and Air Tractor founder}}

Leland Snow was an American aeronautical engineer known for designing and developing agricultural aircraft.{{cite book |last1=Snow |first=Leland |title=Putting dreams to flight |date=2008 |publisher=Midwestern State University Press |isbn=9780915323173 |edition= 1st}}{{cite news |title=Leland Snow, Air Tractor Founder, Dies at 80 |url=https://www.flyingmag.com/news/leland-snow-air-tractor-founder-dies-80 |accessdate=June 18, 2018 |work=Flying |date=February 24, 2011 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Great Planes |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/great-planes/ |accessdate=June 18, 2018 |work=Texas Monthly |date=November 12, 2015}} He was the founder and president of both Snow Aeronautical (in 1956), and Air Tractor (1972).{{cite news |title=Gone West: Air Tractor Founder Leland Snow {{!}} Aero-News Network |url=http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=eb01c528-9cd7-4ba7-9839-2dd7bca36655 |accessdate=June 18, 2018 |work=www.aero-news.net |date=February 22, 2011}}

File:N3695F Snow S2A crop duster.jpg

File:Braunschweig Airport Helicópteros del Pacífico Air Tractor AT-802 CC-DER (DSC00386).jpg

Snow began designing the Snow S-1 crop duster aircraft in 1951 when he was 21 years old. By 1953 the aircraft was completed and test flown, and Snow began dusting and spraying both in Texas and elsewhere. After four years of field trials, Snow founded the Snow Aeronautical Company and started production of the Snow S-2 at Olney, Texas. Snow sold the company to Rockwell-Standard in 1965, and as part of the deal became vice president of its Aero Commander division, manufacturers of a whole range of general aviation aircraft.{{cite web |title=Our Heritage / Leland Snow |url=https://airtractor.com/about/our-heritage |website=Air Tractor (.com)|accessdate=29 September 2024}}

Rockwell continued production at Olney for a while, initially marketing the aircraft as the S-2D Ag Commander, and with further improvements and production moved to Georgia, it became the Rockwell S-2R Thrush Commander. In 1977 the design was sold on the Ayres Corporation who produced it as the Ayres S-2R Thrush, and in 2003 after yet another transfer and further modifications, an aircraft based on the original Snow design saw it manufactured and sold as the Thrush Corporation 510{{efn|each subsequent change of manufacturer saw more derivatives, different engine options, and increased tank capacities, and eventually a name that omits the '"S-2" element, but all can be traced back to the Snow S-2}} where it was still in production in 2024, over 60 years after its first flight.

Meanwhile, back in 1970, with Rockwell's S-2R production moved to Georgia, Leland Snow resigned as Vice-President, allowing him to found Air Tractor Inc in 1972, back once again at Olney, Texas. His design for their first aircraft was obviously influenced by his experience with the S-2, but the AT-300 required a new type certificate, awarded in 1973. Snow continued to expand the company and the range of aircraft produced, right up until his death on February 20, 2011, in Wichita Falls, Texas.{{cite news |title=Air Tractor founder dies |url=https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2011/february/22/air-tractor-founder-dies |accessdate=June 18, 2018 |work=www.aopa.org |date=February 22, 2011}}