After months of discussion with Covington Aircraft representatives, Air Tractor President Jim Hirsch and Covington Aircraft Engines Executive Vice President Aaron Abbott met recently at Chester Roberts Supply in Collinsville, Texas to "ink the deal" finalizing the purchase from Air Tractor, Inc. of the manufacturing rights for producing Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine bearings. The sale completes Air Tractor's divestiture of R-1340 engine parts manufacturing. According to the sale agreement, Chester Roberts Supply will remain the distributor for the bearings.
"Many, many years ago Leland Snow acquired the rights to produce replacement bearings and a crankshaft for the R-1340, since the AT-300 and AT-400 series aircraft were built with surplus R-1340 engines," says Jim Hirsch. "And in those days many of these engines were rebuilt and repaired by Covington in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. So when Air Tractor made the shift to outfitting its aircraft with the Pratt & Whitney PT6 turbine engines, the 1340 crankshaft manufacturing rights were sold to Covington. Since then Air Tractor has continued to have a great business relationship with Covington. And because they are one of the world's premier Pratt & Whitney turbine and radial engine maintenance and repair companies, it just made sense to talk to them about purchasing the R-1340 bearings."
The manufacturing rights purchased by Covington Aircraft Engines covers a total of five bearing sets used throughout the R-1340, including master rod bearings, blower bearings and thrust bearings. According to Rob Seeman, Operations Manager for the Radial Division at Covington, the company overhauls an average of 170 radial engines each year. "We're the world's largest R-985 and R-1340 overhaul facility and see engines come in from all points on the globe. Bringing in the bearing manufacturing to Covington not only gives us a ready inventory of bearings, but also allows us the manufacturing flexibility to adjust output for one bearing type or another – which helps us complete engine overhauls in a timely manner."
"This transaction reflects our continuing commitment to the R-1340," says Aaron Abbott, "and supporting agricultural aircraft operators with state-of-the-art products and service. Even with the many reciprocating and turbine engines available today, the R-1340 remains an economical, efficient and dependable engine." Abbott reports that he expects bearing manufacturing to begin at Covington sometime in 2012, following FAA certification. "It's always a pleasure doing business with Air Tractor," says Abbott, "My father and Leland Snow go back to 1972, and both companies have benefitted from a shared commitment to the Pratt & Whitney engine family. We believe our customers have done well by them, too."
ABOUT AIR TRACTOR AND COVINGTON AIRCRAFT ENGINES
At its Olney Texas manufacturing facilities, Air Tractor produces a line of eight aircraft that includes 400, 500, 600 and 800-gallon capacity planes powered by Pratt & Whitney piston and turbine engines. They are used for agricultural purposes, fire fighting, narcotic crop eradication, fuel-hauling, fighting locust plagues, military strike/reconnaissance, and cleaning up oil spills in coastal waters. Air Tractor aircraft are found working not only across the United States, but around the globe, in Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, North and South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and China.
Founded in 1972, Covington Aircraft is among the world's top leading aircraft engine maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities, specializing in the PT6A turbine engine and R-985 and R-1340 radial engines. The company is a Pratt & Whitney Canada certified Distributor and Designated Overhaul Facility (DDOF), and provides world-class corporate and agricultural aircraft service.
