As ag-pilots prepare for another season north of the equator and those south of it look forward to a much needed rest, AgAir Update readers will find the April issue a refreshing read. The cover story is about the AT-504 and the success it is enjoying; not only as a fantastic training tool, but as a comparable workhorse to its sister ship, the AT-502. Spanning from Canada to Arizona to Brazil, the AT-504 is realizing acceptance worldwide with models being delivered as far as into China and Australia.
Thrush Aircraft continues to bring our industry new and innovative products. In this month’s issue, you will read about Thrush Aircraft’s announcement of its Switchback 510G Thrush. This aircraft has the Transland fire gate installed with quick removal features. Thrush is teasing us with limited information as of today, however, AgAir Update has been invited to make an evaluation flight that I am sure you will be reading about very soon. Thrush also recently obtained Canadian certification for its single and dual cockpit 510G aircraft (GE H80 powered). You can read about it also in this edition of AgAir Update.
During the last days of January, I traveled to South Africa and was hosted by Ret Orsmond for a whirlwind, week-long excursion. South Africa is a beautiful and interesting country with only about 25 ag operators and 100 ag-planes; Orsmond Aviation owns 30 of those! I visited several operators, enjoyed great meals, hospitality and seeing the sights. I am in the midst of writing about that trip, dividing it into several parts as an AgAir Update Excursion in South Africa. The first installation of this series of articles can be read in this issue.
It never hurts to remind ag-pilots of their responsibility to fly safe, while at the same time be profitable. That’s a very fine line to toe and the true professional ag-pilot can do it. From my experiences, I have found a few traits that define that ability: the first turn of the day is very much like the last one, knowing when to take a break from flying, get plenty of rest and eat a proper diet, recognize the infamous “chain of events” leading to an incident, put enough fuel in the aircraft and the list goes on. Those in the northern hemisphere have an opportunity to make this the safest season yet, hopefully with zero fatalities and a minimum of incidents.
I am going to pose a question that should make you stop and think. At the beginning of the year, AgAir Update writes a summary of accidents from the previous year based on NTSB reports. For the last couple of years, maybe more, Mississippi has led the U.S. with the lowest number of reported accidents. Why is Mississippi a safe state? In 2013, there were none as report on the NTSB web site in January of this year (A recent check on the NTSB web site reveal in fact there was one accident in October in Mississippi). This is understandable for a state like Wyoming where there are not as many ag aircraft. However, Mississippi ag-pilots log a significant number of hours. I believe praise should be given where due and Mississippi ag-pilots deserve the recognition. I challenge all states to match Mississippi ag-pilots’ safety record - this year is as good a year as any!
Until next month, Blue Sky and Tailwinds….
Keep Turning….
