The prototype had problems with rough field landings.
Air Tractor is out of Texas correct? I don’t see any contract going to TX with our dear leader. Besides, like the A10 is the ugly step-child that nobody wants yet when they got it, it did an incredible job. So why make that mistake twice, go for the tri-cycle geared bird that looks more civil, not something that looks like an Experimental super STOL Cub Clone that can get the job done, its too icky...
Yeah, as usual politics trumps mission requirements. Air Tractor had an armed variant ready in 2008/09. Here it is 2012 and we still don’t have anything in-country. How typical.
The prototype had problems with rough field landings.