Kenan Noble, a farmer and cattleman from Dalhart, saves a lot of time on his spread by taking to the air when he wants to check crops or run down stray cattle.
What he takes to the air in, though, looks more like a dare-devil stunt plane. The craft, manufactured by Buckeye Industries Inc. of Argos, Ind., is far from that. The metal-framed craft is open to the elements and the engine and backward-facing propeller are behind the seat.
Although it can fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet, it cruises at all of 30 mph because it uses a parachute for its lift. The parachute also acts as a drag and a stabilizer so that the craft cannot suddenly pitch downward or roll. The craft does not require a pilot's license, although federal regulations require one for carrying a passenger in the two-seat model.
"I like to go up to 4,000-5,000 feet, then cut the engine and glide," said Noble. "It's really peaceful."
Noble first read about the parachute planes in an article about a crop insurance adjuster who used one to monitor fields.
He bought one in 1996 and has used it for such diverse tasks as checking the progress of his fields, tracking cattle and working with an elk guide in New Mexico.
The slow-speed craft is highly maneuverable, which allows it to turn on a near-vertical axis, he said. Unlike a small airplane, the parachute plane does not require a lengthy banking maneuver to turn, which makes tracking cattle in pastures a quicker task.
Noble said he did not have any intentions of becoming a dealer for Buckeyes but did so in 1997 because no other suppliers were near the Panhandle, and interest was strong among ranchers and farmers.
Most consider it a recreational craft when they first look at it, he said, but once they saw how maneuverable it was over croplands and pastures, they began seeing it as a working ranch tool.
"It doesn't take but about two minutes up there, and they're convinced," Noble said.
From the air, problems in irrigated fields can be easily detected early in the growth stage, he said, rather than later, which happens with observation from the ground.
Noble said he has sold about 10 to 15 planes in the past two years, which means his dealership, Panhandle Powered Parachutes of Dalhart, is not a full-time business.
Noble raises corn and wheat and runs cattle on both a 4,500-acre spread near Dalhart and on 2,000 acres near Follett.
If cattle get loose in the rugged uplands, a search on land could take several days, he said. By air, the search usually takes a matter of hours.
"I can cover more ground in this than in a week in a vehicle," Noble said.
Besides the parachute, which allows the craft to glide slowly if the engine were to stall, the Buckeye craft also includes an instrument panel that monitors altitude, fuel level, exhaust gas temperatures, engine hours, rate of climb and descent and water temperature, he said.
Buckeye manufactures single-seat and twin-seat models, which range in price from about $9,500 to $15,500, he said.
It climbs at about 300 to 600 feet a minute, and, once in the air, steering is done by a foot bar, Noble said. A hand throttle allows control over speed, which determines climbs and descents, he said, and when the desired altitude is reached, the throttle can be set to cruise, allowing virtually a hands-free operation.
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