OLNEY, TX - Aerial application aircraft manufacturer Air Tractor, Inc. announced the appointment of an additional dealer for the state of California. Valley Air Crafts in Tulare, California has joined the Air Tractor dealer network as a full-service airplane and parts dealer. Mike Schoenau, Valley Air Crafts owner and President, will oversee the new dealership operations. The fixed base operator (FBO) has been a factory-authorized Air Tractor service center in California for the past 10 years. Valley Air Crafts will sell and support the complete line of Air Tractor agricultural and firefighting aircraft, ranging from the 400-gallon capacity Air Tractor AT-401 to the wildfire-fighting, 800-gallon AT-802F single engine air tanker.
“It seems like it’s been a natural evolution for [Valley Air Crafts] to go from an Air Tractor service center to a factory authorized aircraft distributor,” says Schoenau. “During my conversations with Air Tractor, they expressed how it was really important that Air Tractor have a full service dealer in California to provide the whole spectrum of sales and support services for Air Tractor operators in this state,” adds Schoenau.
Air Tractor Vice President of Sales Kristin Edwards said that the dealership should come as no surprise to California aerial applicator-operators. “Mike is a familiar face at the Air Tractor factory, having been a maintenance and service provider for our customers for many years; he’s just as well known to Central Valley aerial applicators. His long-standing relationships with California operators and his history with Air Tractor serves everyone very well.”
In addition to Schoenau, Valley Air Crafts employs five maintenance technicians and two replacement parts specialists at their facilities located at Mefford Field in Tulare. “We are centrally located for our customers -- just an hour’s drive south of Fresno and an hour north of Bakersfield,” notes Schoenau. “We’re even more convenient if customers want to fly in for parts or service, because we are located right at Mefford Field (TLR), three miles southeast of Tulare.”
“We’re all very excited about this new chapter for Valley Air Crafts. Air Tractor is widely recognized as a leader in this industry and I’m real proud that they would consider doing this with me,” Schoenau said.
For more information about Valley Air Crafts, contact Mike Schoenau at valleyaircraft@clearwire.net, or call (559) 686-7401.
In business since 1974, Air Tractor, Inc. manufactures more aircraft for the agricultural aviation industry than any other company in the world at its production facilities in Olney, Texas. For more information about Air Tractor aircraft, contact Air Tractor, Inc. at 940-564-5616. Additional information can also be found at the Air Tractor website: www.airtractor.com.