Air Tractor AT-502B

The Air Tractor AT-502B stands as the most popular and widely flown agricultural aircraft in the history of aerial application. For decades, this legendary plane has served as the backbone for countless successful ag aviation businesses around the globe. Striking the absolute perfect sweet spot between operating costs, payload size, and structural agility, the AT-502B is an exceptionally lucrative investment for operators who demand day-in, day-out dependability to protect their business margins.

Moving up to a 500-gallon capacity platform like the AT-502B transforms your daily field efficiency. It significantly reduces the amount of loading cycles, landings, and non-productive ferry times compared to smaller planes, keeping your pilot over the crops when spray conditions are optimal. Whether you are treating row crops, managing demanding orchard applications, distributing granular fertilizers, or handling precision seeding contracts, the AT-502B streamlines your logistics and maximizes the acreage you can comfortably cover in a single flight window.

Proven Reliability & Precision Cockpit Design

The enduring legacy of the AT-502B relies heavily on its well-balanced, incredibly forgiving handling characteristics and rugged engineering. Powered by the globally trusted Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG turboprop engine, it provides 750 horsepower of smooth, responsive performance that operators can depend on through thousands of demanding flight hours. The airframe features Air Tractor’s signature crash-attaching steel fuselage framework, establishing an incredibly robust, safe, and easily repairable platform with excellent long-term resale value.

Inside the cockpit, excellent visibility and tailored ergonomics keep pilot fatigue to an absolute minimum during grueling, dawn-to-dusk application schedules. The layout is clean and intuitive, placing vital controls within effortless reach. For modern operations that integrate advanced GPS swath guidance, precise electronic flow controllers, and digital application tech, the AT-502B cockpit serves as a highly functional and productive mobile office. If you want a time-tested asset that brings predictable operating costs and unmatched reliability to your fleet, the AT-502B remains the definitive standard.

Why Choose the AT-502B?

  • The Industry Benchmark: With well over 1,000 units manufactured in the 502 series, it is the most field-tested and trusted aircraft design in ag aviation.
  • Profitable Fleet Economics: Provides an optimal 500-gallon capacity that minimizes ground infrastructure requirements while maximizing field output.
  • Unmatched Dependability: Combines a remarkably tough airframe with a low-maintenance Pratt & Whitney turboprop engine for maximum seasonal uptime.

Technical Specifications

  • Engine Type: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG
  • Engine Power: 750 SHP @ 2,200 RPM
  • Propeller: Hartzell 3-Blade Constant Speed Aluminum
  • Hopper Capacity: 500 US Gallons (1,893 L)
  • Useful Load: 5,403 lbs (2,451 kg)
  • Empty Weight: 4,597 lbs (2,085 kg) with spray equipment
  • Maximum Take-off Weight: 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg)
  • Fuel Capacity: 170 US Gallons (644 L)
  • Wingspan: 52.0 ft (15.84 m)
  • Wing Area: 301 sq ft (27.96 m²)

Flight Performance Data

  • Typical Working Speed: 120–145 mph (104–126 kts)
  • Cruising Speed: 153 mph (133 kts) at 8,000 ft
  • Maximum Range: 450 miles (724 km) economy cruise at 8,000 ft
  • Rate of Climb: 700 fpm at 10,000 lbs
  • Take-off Distance: 1,320 ft at maximum landing weight
  • Stall Speed (Flaps Down): 75 mph (65 kts) at 10,000 lbs
  • Stall Speed (As Usually Landed): 54 mph (47 kts)