Disney’s “Planes” is coming out this Friday and TPPF’s own Arlene Wohlgemuth, our Executive Director, is looking forward to seeing the animated film with her grandson.
Arlene, a pilot and flight instructor for more than 40 years, has participated in aerobatic competitions, is a member of the Texas Aviation Association and the Ninety Nines, and frequently participates in theAir Race Classic.
Recently, Arlene was at the 2013 EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where she learned of a Texas connection to Disney’s new feature. Dusty, the crop-dusting protagonist of the film, has a real-life counterpart:
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This Dusty, is a made-in-Texas Air Tractor AT-301. Air Tractor, in Olney, Texas, is the world’s leading manufacturer of crop dusting aircraft. Veteran ag pilot Rusty Lindeman owns and operates Dusty, and several other Air Tractors in his aerial application business in D’Hanis, Texas. Rusty’s Dusty was converted to an Air Tractor model AT-400A with a new turbine engine and a new paint job and is currently flying around America to promote the film-a job we’re sure Arlene would jump at a chance to do if given the opportunity.
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