NAAA has record breaking convention

The National Agricultural Aviation Association wrapped up its 49th convention and exhibition  in Savannah last month. Like years before when the convention was held in Savannah, attendance records were broken and everyone I spoke with had a fabulous time. I know we stayed busy at the AgAir Update booth. 

Friday night, prior to the convention, AgAir Update held its third Open House and Hangar Party in Perry, Georgia. This event, too, has grown each time. We served 225 plates of barbecue and some did not get to eat! We may have been short on food, but the beverages were plentiful. Additionally, Eddie Byrd’s band was fantastic, playing music from the ‘60s and ‘70s. 

People from all over attended. We had guests from Canada, South Africa and Brazil, as well as from nearly every ag-aviation state. It was humbling to see the crowd. 

I would like to thank Air Tractor, Souther Field Aviation and Thrush Aircraft for placing their aircraft on display during the hangar party. Air Tractor had its 502XP, AT-802 and AT-504 on hand. Souther Field Aviation had its Turbine Brave conversion for all to see and Thrush Aircraft had its 510G Switchback, 510G Summer Tour aircraft and 510P Dual Cockpit aircraft on display. 

Having seven ag aircraft on display added much to the party. Many people arrived early in the afternoon and had the opportunity to view the aircraft, as well as talk with the pilots. The event allowed for a relaxed comrade where business was not the main topic of conversations. 

NAAA will hold its 51st annual convention in Savannah in 2017. AgAir Update plans to have again its Open House and Hangar Party the Friday prior to the convention. I feel sure all that were at the last one will return and hope that those who did not make it, will start planning to attend the next one. 

Graham and I will be attending multiple state trade shows throughout the U.S. in the coming months, as well as those in Latin America. I hope to see as many of you as possible, so please stop by AgAir Update’s booth. After more than 20 years traveling in Latin America for AgAir Update, it has finally become time for Graham to experience this culture. Beginning in 2016, he will be attending with me the various conventions and excursions into Latin America. Even though Latin American ag-pilots speak a different language than English, there are very little differences when it comes to ag-aviation. 

As we enter into another year, I am wishing for everyone to have a safe, foremost, and profitable year in 2016. Until next month, 

Keep Turning…

Keep turning

Not long ago, AgAir Update adopted the slogan, “Keep turning…”. I am not sure how I came up with this slogan. More recently, I was flying on Delta Airlines when I read their slogan, “Keep climbing”. I doubt Delta took theirs from AgAir Update’s, so maybe subconsciously I picked up the idea “Keep turning…” from an earlier Delta flight. 

In any case, “Keep turning…” has special meaning to ag-pilots, worldwide. The first time the slogan was sent to one of our Brazilian translators, I was told it wouldn’t translate. I explained it was not meant to be translated, but used in its English form, such as terms like “ground school” are used in Brazil, instead of “escola á terra”. Now, the English version of the slogan is accepted throughout Latin America. 

A more specific meaning of “Keep turning…” is to never give up, keep a steady pace. Of all the realms of flight, for the ag-plane, turning is probably one of the most performed. You will read in the Air Tractor cover story of this edition of AgAir Update where the author made reference to the turn technique of Eddie Shores and myself in the 502XP. Evidently, turning is a reflection of an ag-pilot’s personality; could that be? 

While Eddie’s turns were described as “aggressive”, mine were termed “smooth”. Maybe that was the author’s way of saying my turns were too cautious?

After more than 40 years of flying ag-aircraft, I have found that for me, the best turn is one that starts out in the morning and ends the same way in the afternoon. Once I initiate the turn, the first control input of raising the nose of the aircraft to clear the end of the field, I try to keep the attitude change in the aircraft a constant, fluid motion; up comes the nose, lifting the wing, easing in whatever rudder is needed. I like to keep all three axises of the aircraft in motion as the aircraft executes a 270° turn; 45° out, then reverse roll for 225°. During this procedure-style turn, the ailerons hardly stop their movement, the nose is coming up, leveling, then descending, using the rudder for “balanced and coordinated flight”, as often touted by AgAir Update columnist Robert McCurdy. 

Of course, this method simply does not work in a loaded aircraft. In that case, there are degrees of the turn where the aircraft flies near level to maintain, or even build airspeed. However, once the aircraft and I are able to manage the load, the “smooth” turning starts. 

In the article I wrote about flying the 502XP, I stated that race tracking with wing overs was my favorite way to turn an ag-plane. For me, it is less work and I still try to have the continuous, fluid motion of the control inputs. Ideally, rarely stopping the movement when the load is right. 

Every pilot has his favorite way of turning. Often his method is dictated by the aircraft. The Air Tractor and the Ag-Cat tend to favor a high climbing turn with the Air Tractor pilot using flaps. The Thrush is more of a flat turn aircraft with somewhat of a climb during the turns, again, depending on the pilot. These descriptions are for a medium load. While loaded or near empty, techniques can change considerably. 

Why am I writing about this? Because I believe an ag-pilot should adopt his favorite way to turn his ag-plane. Once he has determined which way works best, he should seek perfection in the most common maneuver for an ag-plane. 

Until next month, 

Keep turning… 

Hypocrisy and the misinformed

I always marvel at the hypocrisy of some people; while others are simply misinformed, otherwise reasonably intelligent people. Recently, I was on a TAM (Brazilian airlines) flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Argentina. As soon as the door was closed for departure, the Brazilian flight steward made an announcement that according to and approved by Argentine authorities, passengers must be decontaminated. 

This decontamination entailed another flight steward immediately starting at the front of the aircraft with an aerosol can spraying into the ventilation system above the carry on baggage compartment; walking from the front to the back spraying one side and from the back to the front spraying the other side. Not a single soul on the aircraft could avoid the spray, especially the flight attendant sprayer. Oddly, the attendant had a latex glove on his spraying hand. Why? I have no idea, as he was walking in the “drift” the entire time.  

To my knowledge, at least not to me, no one was advised before boarding the aircraft that they would be directly sprayed with a pesticide. No one had a choice in the matter. The lady in front of me tried to bury her head in her clothing, to no avail. Otherwise, everyone took the event in stride. Although, I must admit, the chemical left a taste in my mouth that lasted throughout the flight. 

Not that the spraying bothered me. I am sure the Argentinean government thinks it is necessary. But, this is the same country that is trying to ban Roundup. Where is the logic? I can only imagine the reaction to an aircraft at the Boulder, Colorado airport about to depart and this spraying took place. I believe there would be chaos. I am not picking on Boulder, except it is somewhat a “free thinking” group of citizens. The same reaction would most likely occur at any American airport. 

I am sure someone will read this opinion of mine about hypocrisy and the misinformed with an explanation. What has my attention is a direct application of a pesticide without the ability to opt-out, baffles me beyond any conception to why there is no outcry. 

I have full faith and confidence the pesticide was harmless to humans. Actually, I do not know what they were spraying for, maybe lice? Using a Google search, the only place I found specific information was on Air Canada. This airline uses PSA Aircraft Insecticide, which is, either 2% Permethrin or 2% d-Phenothrin with the remainder of the spray HFA 134A as a propellant. The application is approved by the World Health Organization. 

Any ag-pilot knows the family of permethrins is relatively harmless with the greatest cause of concern being an allergic reaction. I seriously doubt the average airline passenger has any idea of the content of the spray. Simply said, I cannot get over the acceptance of this direct spraying with no notification as compared to the complaints our industry receives. An aircraft can fly over a group of field workers with only water in the aircraft and I guarantee you someone would claim to be sick. I did not see any such claims on that flight to Buenos Aires. I guess everyone had an appointment for tango lessons that they simply could not miss because of being sprayed with a pesticide!  

keep turning

How fast is 200 feet a second?

I hope you enjoy reading in this month’s edition about Thrush Aircraft’s efforts to promote and demo the 510G. I first flew this aircraft in December 2010 and have flown it at least twice since then. The aircraft has come a long way from my first flight when its GE H80 engine had a PT6A-34 style three-blade propeller on it. 

Having flown the Thrush more than all other ag-aircraft combined, I find myself very comfortable flying it. Maybe I should say familiar, instead. In any case, I know every single one of those pilots that were given the opportunity to fly the 510G during the first part of the 2015 Thrush Summer Tour had an eye opening blast. It is well balanced and has plenty of power. Heck, I wouldn’t mind flying it again, just for kicks. 

Have you ever given any thought to the technique of turning on the spray valve? It approaches that of being an art in itself. Your ability can easily be proven with today’s GPS mapping. Some pilots open the valve with the manual spray handle, others with an electric toggle switch that operates the spray pump brake, while others may even depend on their GPS unit. In any case, most aircraft these days are traveling over 200 feet per second. Some estimates are while driving a car it takes two seconds to respond to an input that requires taking your foot off the gas pedal and applying the brakes. In an ag plane, that would be over 400 feet of travel, longer than an American football field including the end zones.

Anyone that can execute the on-off sequence in that short of a time span during one of the most critical phases of flight, entering and exiting the field, is a pretty well-coordinated individual. Actually, it is remarkable by any standard. However, professional ag pilots do it every day and within a couple of feet of the intended on-off line. Interesting…

When you read AgAir Update, undoubtedly you start to realize Brazil could be one of the fastest growing ag-aviation regions in the world. Just to give you some insight; as of December 31, 2014 there were 2007 registered ag-aircraft in Brazil according to the Brazilian Aeronautical Registry and ANAC (the Brazilian FAA). Most of the fleet is based in the state of Mato Grosso with 467 ag-aircraft. This is the central western region of Brazil with huge hectares of cotton and soybeans. Last May, I was there visiting an operation, Serrana, that had 14 ag-aircraft of which 11 were Air Tractors. The second largest state is Rio Grande do Sul with 420 ag-aircraft. This is a major rice growing region. The following states have: Såo Paulo with 287, Goiás with 239, Maharashtra with 141, Bahia with 102, Mato Grosso do Sul with 100 and the remaining ag-aircraft based in various states throughout the country.   

August also brings the first of some exciting upgrades to AgAir Update’s presence on the Internet. The debut of our new, fully interactive online classifieds gives the ag aviation marketplace a well deserved facelift, both in looks and function. The newly debuted classifieds have a wealth of features, from the ability to upload many, many photos, logbooks, spec sheets and video to selling your aircraft or ag aviation item in an auction-style format. Create alerts and compare listings, calculate a loan payment or map the item’s location. Access the new ag-av classifieds at classifieds.agairupdate.com or visit agairupdate.com and click on Classifieds. 

One last note, something for those who are in the midst of the spray season; fire is a terrible thing. Your hands are your best survival tool in an accident. They are not much good if the fingers are burnt off. I’ve seen ag-pilots’ hands in just this condition, lucky to still be alive. If you are not going to wear a Nomex flight suit, at least wear the Nomex gloves. 

There is another benefit to wearing gloves; the sun and its skin damaging ultraviolet rays. When you are young, you think nothing of this. But sun exposure is cumulative and when you are older the effect can be a killer, literally. Like so many, I did not realize this in my younger days. However, today after two blue light treatments to my face and the “barnacles of time” showing up on my hands, I am all too aware of the sun. I don’t leave the house without sunscreen being applied. My advice to you is wear the sunscreen and the gloves, each can go a long way to saving your skin in your old age and your life today. 

Until next month, Keep Turning…

What is the future for ag-aviation?

Although I cannot tell the future for ag-av any better than the next person, I would like to give you some insights that I believe will shape things to come for our industry. 

We live in a world with an expanding population, something like seven billion people. Even more important than the number of people is the fact that with smart phones and satellite TV, people realize they want to eat better than they did 10 or more years ago. Fortunately, agriculture has been able to meet that demand and relatively in an economically affordable way. 

What this means for ag-av is our services will always be in demand. Even more so as the pressure for high yields continue. The tree-hugger environmentalist actually work in our favor when they protect forests and wetlands from cultivation. It means we have to produce more food on less land. The best way to do that is incorporating ag aircraft in the plan for higher yields. 

Already, ag-aviation is ahead of most technologies. Our industry can easily meet the need of more applications. The difference in the future will be the accuracy and accountability of those applications. And, we can do that even before the future arrives. 

Our industry is fortunate to have sophisticated GPS systems. However, the units of today will not be good enough for the future. They will need to be able to handle more data, such as real time weather and different aircraft positions and record and relay that data to various sources. One of these sources could be a drone. 

Drones are feared to one day cause an accident. This, regrettably, will probably eventually happen. However, drones are not going away, they are here to stay. Our job as aerial applicators is to design a way to incorporate them into our business. 

Why can’t we, as ag-operators, supply drone services to our customers? Who better to manage their position and keep them away from ag-planes than those who fly the ag-planes? Maybe the drone can scout weather for us. Have you ever wondered if it was raining on a field 20-30 kilometers away, or which way the wind is blowing on that field? A drone scout could tell you this information before you loaded your aircraft for the application. 

Already, there are agricultural companies being formed to give farmers information about their crops before and after planting using drones. As aerial applicators, we have often called our customer to give him information about a problem in his field that we saw from our cockpit. That information has always been welcomed by the farmer. Now, we have the ability to provide that information in a more timely manner and record it by using a drone. 

Drones and GPS. What else is on the horizon? You never have enough horsepower when flying an ag-plane. Sure, it will fly with the certified horsepower rating, but hasn’t everyone wished for more horsepower on a hot day, flying a loaded aircraft from a short strip? Engine manufacturers are working to produce higher horsepower engines. Not only more horsepower, but the ability to operate on more affordable and available fuels, like ethanol and diesel. 

But, one problem with ag-planes in the past has been to add horsepower and not think about aerodynamics. I have witnessed firsthand with the GE H80 Thrush the effect of improving aerodynamics. Yes, the H80 has more horsepower than the PT6A-34, but that is not the only reason the aircraft flies as well as it does. Balance. Less weight. Propeller; all part of the aerodynamics of the aircraft that greatly improves its performance, even more so than horsepower. 

There are two STCs available today that extend the engine mount and reduce the ballast weight of the Thrush for the PT6A engine. As of today, I have not flown these two STCs, but I will later in the year in the U.S. during very hot weather. All reports so far are the aircraft fly as though they had more horsepower, when really it is aerodynamics. 

In the future, you are going to see aerodynamics play a greater part in our aircraft designs. Look at the new Ipanema 203. It has the same horsepower, but with a larger wing, different propeller and redesigned winglets; it should perform better.   

The last few years have been exciting times in ag-aviation. I began flying ag over 40 years ago. I have seen more changes in the last decade than all those years combined. I expect these changes to continue, making our lives as ag-pilots much safer, more profitable and even more exciting and fun to be an ag-pilot. 

In the future, we as aerial applicators will continue to evolve. We will be able to treat more hectares in less time. We will be able to do this more accurately, more cost effectively and also be able to prove our accuracy. We will use social media more to not only promote our businesses, but to better run them. Those ag-pilots who “hide in the jungle” will be left behind and not survive the future. Those ag-pilots that embrace change and use it to their advantage will be very successful. 

Remember, the people of the world have to eat and they only want to eat more with every passing day. The best way to meet that demand is with high-yield agriculture and ag aircraft are a powerful tool to accomplish that mission. The future is here, welcome it. 

Thank you

A busy summer during winter

Spring is in full swing here in the U.S., while operators south of the equator are taking a rest from their season. My understanding is things are not good in Argentina. Plagued by a combination of a shaky economy most likely caused by the government and drought areas, there is hope for things to improve next year after the October elections. Brazil is having its challenges, too, with the ever changing real, now taking more of them to buy U.S. dollar-driven items. 

Something I learned a long time ago, Latin Americans are accustomed to challenges and adversities. I find them more capable of dealing with such than North Americans. In the past, the bad times have always been replaced with the good times and unfortunately the opposite, too. Agriculture is one thing the world cannot do without. Oil is vital, but it is not as important as food, which is the industry’s ace card. Sooner or later, the weather, the economy and the value of food will change, sometime for the better and sometime worse. 

I have bought my airline ticket to attend the Brazilian Sindicato Nacional dos Aeronautas (SNA) meeting in Cachoeira do Sul. Afterwards, my Brazilian representative, Gina Hickmann, and I plan to travel at this time to parts-unknown in Brazil to visit with operators and pilots. I always look forward to these trips, as I meet old friends and make new ones. Maybe I will see you! 

Another Brazilian conference will be held June 24-26 in Luis Eduardo Magalhaes, Bahia hosted by SINDAG, the national association of ag-aviation businesses for Brazil. I always attend this conference, however, this year I will not be able. I am expecting my fourth grandchild on June 25. I cannot miss his birth. I know all of my AgAir Update readers will understand. 

FeArCA of Argentina will be hosting this year’s Congreso Mercosur y Latinoamericano de Aviacion Agricola in Salta, Argentina August 19-21. As more details come to AgAir Update about this multi-country congress, we will relay them to you immediately. I will be attending this event, as well. I am planning on attending the second SNA meeting in Mato Grosso, Brazil  August 14 while I am in South America. The days between the events I will spend traveling and visiting AgAir Update readers. If you have any suggestions for where I should go and who I should visit, please advise me. 

Until next time, Keep Turning… 

Wire cutters and UAVs

“Back in the day,” as one says to refer to many years past, I operated both a Hutcherson Pawnee with spring steel gear and an Ag-Cat with the same type of gear (pre-1980). Both of these aircraft had “wire cutters” on the leading edge of the gear legs. I thought it was a super good idea, cost effective insurance in my mind. I remember cutting a wire with them, once, coming down over a tree line with a hidden wire stretching across a small soybean field. The wire snapped back and set the grass on fire along the road. The aircraft was unharmed. 

Anyway you cut it, no pun intended, wire cutters are a good thing. The idea is to not cut a wire in the first place. And, in most cases the prop would get the wire, which is definitely not a good thing, especially for a turbine powered aircraft. Although there is only a small area where a wire cutter is effective, it is a critical area where the effect of the wire is the greatest with increased leverage on the gear legs. For the relatively small amount of money they cost, I am sure I would be flying an ag plane with wire cutters. 

Drones, aka UAVs, keep popping up their ugly heads. The way things are going, there is not going to be a happy outcome with these devices. I read where Amazon.com was delivering 2000 UAVs a day. That is unfathomable. Surely that information is incorrect. Even so, a 1,000 or even 500 a day demonstrates how infiltrated the air is with them. Undoubtedly, there will be responsible operators who will take whatever steps are necessary to safely share the airspace with low flying aircraft like the ag-plane. However, I really don’t see how that is going to work. Based on recent FAA regulations, the UAV must stay within line of sight, as I understand it. That will surely be a limiting factor. If used in agriculture, there are fields where line of sight would be lost. 

UAVs are not just a problem in North America. Earlier this week, my Argentine representative had an encounter with a UAV operator who told him to warn all ag-pilots in the area he would be flying a drone. My contact told him that was not possible that ag-planes operated in uncontrolled airspace. There were words of anger passed on both sides of the phone. 

An AgAir Update reader from Wisconsin, Jim Kazmierczak, submitted a very graphic pamphlet of the potential danger of UAVs. Of course, every ag pilot is aware of the danger, but obviously some UAV operators are not or don’t believe. Be sure to check this AgAir Update edition’s Letters to the Editor for a sample of Kaz’s flyer. Readers can also go to agairupdate.com and download this flyer to use in their businesses. I hope it helps. 

I would be remiss not to mention that the NAAA is very much involved with the UAV issue, working with the FAA and the appropriate associations affected by UAVs. This is the kind of back door workings that will generate progress with the safe use of UAVs. I am pretty sure they are not going away, so we as ag-operators are going to have to figure out a way to live with them; not unlike METs. 

Spring is here in the U.S. and quickly moving into Canada. Most of you potentially have a long season ahead. Now is as good a time as any to start prepping for it. The more things you can accomplish with that preparation while not under the stress a backlog of acres to be treated, the better and safer your life will be. Don’t miss the opportunity. Fly safe. 

Until next month, Keep Turning… 

The dilemma of fuel prices

With the price of aviation fuels dropping, Jet-A to under $2.00 per gallon and 100LL nearly that low, I find myself contemplating how operators will address fuel surcharges. I was always a proponent for charging a fuel surcharge when fuel prices were volatile, usually in the increase mode - I still believe that to be true. At the time, the bulk fuel price was considerably more than it is today.

Undoubtedly at today’s fuel prices, it would be very difficult to explain adding a fuel surcharge to any invoice, whether it be for the UPS or FedEx delivery or an ag-plane’s application. What does an operator do? Reduce his base per acre or hourly rate charge? I don’t expect to see anyone’s base prices coming down because of a savings on fuel, regardless whether the charge is aviation related or not. I believe most consumers, including the farmer, believe the same thing.

Lower fuel costs are an opportunity to catch up on pent-up demand for new equipment or pay down a haunting bank note. At least buying the new equipment would come in part before the fuel savings is taxed. However, paying extra on the principal of a bank note, to my knowledge, would have to be with after-tax dollars; something to think about.

I overheard at a state convention one operator say he anticipates saving over $400,000 in 2015 if he burns the same amount of fuel as in 2014 and  the price stays $2 a gallon less than he paid last year. By his calculation, it would appear the operator purchased about 200,000 gallons of Jet-A. Depending on the aircraft, you could say that was four ag-planes logging about 1,000 hours each. Or, it could be eight ag-planes logging 500 hours each; assuming 50 GPH average fuel burn. Any way you make the calculation, a $400,000 windfall is huge, even for this large operator.

If that operator had been charging a fuel surcharge and does not in 2015, then he shouldn’t expect to profit $400,000. I guess that would be a plausible argument to not charge a fuel surcharge. But, only if you don’t count how much money that was lost in previous years by not charging a fuel surcharge.

The point in all this is a flying service should not be figuring on fuel prices to make a profit, whether it be an inflated fuel surcharge or a significant overall drop in fuel costs. Ag operators are not fuel brokers. Pricing should be based on multiple factors that allow for increases in fuel costs, as well as a savings to the customer by reduced fuel costs. The calculation will never fit perfectly. In most cases, over time, there will be gains and losses because of fuel prices regardless of how invoices are written.

That’s my two-cents worth; much like a saying, “The advice you get here is worth what you paid for it”. Nothing! In the meantime, I am immensely enjoying filling up my truck with gas for under $40.

Until next month, Keep Turning…