H.R. No. 787
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, For nearly 60 years, Leland Snow of Olney has been a
state and national leader in the aviation industry; and
WHEREAS, Known as the father of modern crop-dusting aircraft,
Mr. Snow designed his first agricultural airplane, the S-1, in 1951
and completed test flights on the aircraft two years later; he used
this pioneering plane to fly dusting and spraying flights in the Rio
Grande Valley and in Nicaragua until 1957; and
WHEREAS, In 1958, Mr. Snow opened his own aircraft production
facility in Olney, where he began to manufacture the S-2A and S-2B
aircraft; he sold his company in 1965 and became vice president of
the Aero Commander division of Rockwell-Standard, the firm that
acquired his facility; in that capacity, he helped develop the
Thrush aircraft; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Snow left Rockwell in 1972 to design a new
airplane, the Air Tractor, and by 1975, after two years of test
flights, the Air Tractor Company had opened a new factory in Olney
and delivered 20 airplanes; and
WHEREAS, Today, Mr. Snow's company has manufactured more than
2,000 Air Tractors and delivered them to such far-flung locations
as South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and
South Korea; the company's planes are used for crop dusting,
eradicating narcotic crops, fighting fires, hauling fuel, and
cleaning up oil spills in coastal waters; and
WHEREAS, Leland Snow has been at the forefront of the
aviation industry for more than half a century; the aircraft he has
designed have been a major asset for agriculture-related businesses
and other users, and his company has contributed greatly to the
economic prosperity of his community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor Leland Snow for his pioneering career in
agricultural aviation and extend to him sincere best wishes for
continued success and happiness; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Snow as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.
Hardcastle
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 787 was adopted by the House on March
26, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House