AgAir Update to Equador, Day 2

Today is Wednesday, around noontime, in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Yesterday, I met with Aerovic, whom AgAir Update featured on its cover earlier this year (Thrushes in Equador, AgAir Update May 2011). Captain Jose Cabrera, Aerovic’s Operations Manager, greeted me. It was good to meet the man the article featured, along with the company. Aerovic is one of the larger aerial application companies with a long history in Ecuador. It operates 10 turbine Thrush and treats about 900,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) a year of bananas, along with some rice and sugar cane work. Typical application rates on bananas, at 1.5 to 2.0 gallons per acre are $9 to $12 USD. 

After leaving Captain Cabrera, I was able to meet with Tita, our “contact” lady. She introduced us to her boss, Xavier Pérez-MacCollum, that owns and operates ARICA, a general aviation maintenance and avionics shop, as well as a Robinson Helicopter dealer. Xavier welcomed me, although I had no specific business with him, he was kind enough to allow me to work with Tita. 

That wrapped up the day. Enjoyed an excellent dinner at El Caracol Azul (The Blue Shell), supposedly (according to TripAdvisor) the number two restaurant in Guayaquil. I believe it. Very affordable and excellent food and service. I had the covina (sea bass). Unbelievable. Good sea bass comes from the deep waters of the southern Pacific along the coast line of South America. 

This morning, I visited with LAN Ecuador. This company, also a very large operation, has one AT-402, two turbo Thrush and five turbo Ag-Cats (Mills Conversions from Mid-Continent Aircraft Sales & Service). It treats about 75,000 hectares a month (185,000 acres) during the five busy months of the season and about 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) a month the other seven months of the year, that comes to about 600,000 hectares (1.5 million acres) a year, plus rice and sugar cane. The bananas spraying makes up about 90% of their applications. 

My hosts were Captain Xavier Moya, Chief of Ag-Operations and Johny Ricardo, Chief of Maintenance. They were very kind to stop their morning’s work and explain to me how the company operated. 

Founded in 1954 by Luis Adolfo Noboa, LAN Ecuador is not affiliated with LAN Chile airlines, or LAN ECU airline, a division of LAN Chile airlines. Oddly enough, when the airline moved into Ecuador, it had to pay LAN Ecuador for using its similar name! 

There’s a really good sushi bar across the street, Noe, where I plan to have a light lunch. With Guayaquil so close to the Pacific Ocean, the seafood found here is excellent. 


So, time to close out this blog. Tomorrow, I return to the United States, take a day of rest and then will be at the Duster Doin’s being held Saturday at Mark Gary’s airstrip in Inverness, Mississippi. I hope to see ya there!