The Grumman G-164 Ag Cat is a bi-plane aircraft designed for agricultural crop spaying.
The Grumman G-164 Ag Cat was certificated for agricultural work in January 1959, following
development from the prototype that was flown first on 22 May 1957. Production aircraft
were assembled by the Schweizer Aircraft Corporation between 1959 and 1979 under sub-contract
from Grumman. In 1981, Schweizer bought the design and production rights. Until they sold the
manufacturing rights to AgCat Corporation in 1995, the AgCat remained in production with Schweizer.
In December 1968, Dutch Air Sprayers, Siddeburen, was established by the
agricultural pilots Slagman and Post with support of Agragflug, Worms,
Germany. However it was an Eelde based operator most of their aircraft
were hard to see at the airport. One of the first signs of flying activity
was the arrival of Grumman G-164A Ag Cat 5Y-AIZ on 8 February 1969. This Ag Cat
was destined for Farmers Air Work Ltd. in Kenya and was flown by Dutch Air Sprayers.
On 13 February, Ag Cat 5Y-AIZ departed on delivery to its homebase
Nakuru in Kenya. Mid-April 1969, Grumman G.164A Ag Cat's SE-ENW and
SE-ENT arrived by car at Groningen-Eelde. They were brought in
flying condition and registered PH-DAP and PH-DAS.
Dutch Air Sprayers flew all over the world in countries like Sudan, South Africa and Suriname. Next to the PH-DAP &
PH-DAS they operated at least the Ag Cats D-FACU and D-FADA. For crop-spraying a Hughes 300 was leased from Merava, Germany.
As the Benelux dealer for Champion they operated Champion 7GCBC Citabria
N7566F. For sightseeing and instruction flights Cessna F.172H PH-VVV and
Cessna TU206C PH-EEG were operated. During an auction, four ex.RLS Beech
D-18S (PH-UDH, PH-UDS, PH-UDU
and PH-UES) were bought on behalf of Agrarflug GmbH, Worms, Germany /
International Ag-Cat Distributors Inc., Arlington (VA), USA, for a total
of DFL.120.000. The aircraft were parked in front of the German hangar
at Groningen-Eelde awaiting resale. Next to the Beech D-18S, Piper L-18C
Super Cub N8944 was parked and offered for sale. Dutch
Air Sprayers defunct in 1971.
In January 1965, Aviation Services' Grumman G.164A Agcat 6Y-JDP and
6Y-JDR arrived crated at Rochester in the UK. Both aircraft were
operated at Jamaica with Aviation Services Ltd., Oracabessa. On 9 June
1966, the 1964-built Grumman G.164A Agcat c/n 287 (ex 6Y-JDP, N725Y, N11E) was
registered G-ATVY with Aviation Spraying Services Ltd., Rochester. The aircraft was sold in the USA and on 13
October 1968, the Ag Cat went to Germany via Southend for crating. Registration G-ATVY was cancelled on 25 October 1968 as exported to the
USA and registration N8285 was allotted. In July 1970, Grumman G.164A Agcat was registered D-FADA with Agrarflug GmbH, Worms,
Germany, and arrived at Groningen-Eelde on 22 July 1970. The Agcat was
flown by Dutch Air Sprayers, Siddeburen. After the defunct of Dutch Air
Sprayers, Ag Cat D-FADA returned to Agrarflug. In March 1977,
registration D-FADA was cancelled and the aircraft was registered PH-ZLD
with A.M. Prince, Zonnemaire in the Netherlands, on 24 March 1977. The
aircraft was substantial damaged when the aircraft hit on the head
during a crash landing at Aerdenburg on 13 September 1977. Registration
PH-ZLD was cancelled on 5 December 1977. The wrekkage was sold in
Germany.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
