FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * VISINTAINER PATRICK M   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AIRGAS INC [ARG] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Senior Vice President - Sales (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O AIRGAS, INC., 259 N. RADNOR-CHESTER ROAD, STE. 100 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/22/2006 (Street) RADNOR, PA 19087 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/22/2006   M   1,000 A $ 22 4,958 (1) D   Common Stock 02/22/2006   M   2,000 A $ 13.5 6,958 (1) D   Common Stock 02/22/2006   S   3,000 D $ 38 3,958 (1) D   Common Stock               100 (2) I By Immediate Family Common Stock               559 (3) I By 401(k) Plan

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 22

02/22/2006

M

1,000

(4)

05/24/2006

Common Stock

1,000

(6)

0

D

Stock Option (Right to Buy)

$ 13.5

02/22/2006

M

2,000

(5)

12/10/2007

Common Stock

2,000

(6)

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
VISINTAINER PATRICK M C/O AIRGAS, INC. 259 N. RADNOR-CHESTER ROAD, STE. 100 RADNOR, PA 19087			Senior Vice President - Sales

Signatures

Dean A. Bertolino, Attorney-in-Fact for Patrick M. Visintainer		02/24/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Includes 3,958 shares of Airgas, Inc. common stock acquired pursuant to the Airgas, Inc. 1998 Employee Stock Purchase Plan ("ESPP") as of 2/22/06, the date of the latest available statement of the reporting person's ESPP account. Since 6/22/2005, the date of the statement relied upon for the amount reported on the reporting person's 6/23/2005 Form 4, a total of 134 shares have been acquired in transactions exempt from Section 16(b) pursuant to Rule 16b-3(c).
(2)	These shares are owned by a parent of the reporting person who does not live in the same household as the reporting person. The reporting person disclaims beneficial onwership of the securities, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.
(3)	The information presented is as of 06/22/06, the date of the latest available statement of the reporting person's holding of Airgas, Inc. common stock in his 401(k) plan.
(4)	Options were exercisable in 25% annual increments on each of 5/24/1997, 5/24/1998, and 5/24/1999, 5/24/2000.
(5)	Options were exercisable in 25% annual increments on each of 12/10/1998, 12/10/1999, 12/10/2000, and 12/10/2001.
(6)	Not applicable.

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