The aviation community mourns the loss of one of its modern pioneers today. Leland Snow passed away yesterday morning while out for his daily jog. He was 80. Leland was the founder of Snow Aeronautical and later, Air Tractor, the world’s largest manufacturer of agricultural airplanes and single-engine fire-fighting aircraft. Leland’s designs created the modern Ag Plane, bringing the state of the art from Piper Cubs and surplus Stearmans to purpose built modern aircraft, complete with turbine engines, GPS, and superior pilot safety and productivity enhancements.
Even into his 80’s, Leland Snow was a visionary, an aviator, and a gifted businessman – a combination historically uncommon in the aviation industry. Typically attired in jeans and flannel shirt, Leland was never disconnected from his roots in the ag aviation business. And he was never too busy to talk to anyone about it. Yet, within five minutes of meeting him, one became keenly aware of his grasp of his marketplace and his dedication to his customers and his Air Tractor family Leland will be missed by his family, by his employees at Air Tractor and by the aviation industry as a whole.
A press release from Air Tractor gives further details.
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