January and February are extremely busy months for Graham and I, not unlike the peak of the season for you. Although we work trade shows during other months, these two months are the busiest with several conventions being back to back. Of course, the normal workload at the office does not go away, it has to be done, too. Also, for the past few years, I have used the last week of January to make an international trip south of the equator (during ag-operators’ season) for articles; Chile, Brazil and South Africa. Next week, I am off to Colombia to visit a couple of operators there.
I am not complaining, it is a way of life. I know after these two months, the rest of the year will be “normal”, if there is such a thing. When I was actively spraying, I loved the season and could endure the pressure knowing it would eventually come to an end and there would be several months of rest. However, for many of today’s ag-pilots, that rest eludes them with spraying being done almost year round. Of course, that is not true in the cold North, but ever so much so the further south you look.
For me, I went when flying ag from a rest period in the winter to year round work with a peak in January and February publishing AgAir Update. The quickest way to make the month pass by is to have a monthly deadline for something, like three editions of AgAir Update. Not complaining mind you, just saying…
On another note, traditionally men have been the pilots of agricultural aircraft. Ag-flying is a stressful occupation, both mentally and physically. Hour upon hour in the seat of an ag-plane can test the strength of any man, both young and old. So, a woman becoming an ag-pilot has been a rarity, until recent years.
To the best of my knowledge, there are two active female ag-pilots in Australia and one that was in training in Costa Rica, but I believe she has since decided against ag-flying. In the U.S., there are at least three or four. I do not know of any in other countries, but there could be. The exception is Brazil. I am told there are somewhere between six and eight female active ag-pilots in Brazil, half of the world’s female ag-pilots.
The first Brazilian ag-pilot featured in 2015 in AgAir Update was Rochele Barcellos Teixeira from Canoas, Brazil in our “Women in Ag-Aviation” article series. Since, I have learned of another, Juliana Torchetti from Belo Horizonte. Juliana is now in her third ag-flying season, after first coming from the general aviation sector as a cargo pilot. She must be very committed, as on her arm she bares the tattoo, “Volo per Veritas” (Fly for the Truth). You will read about Juliana in this edition of AgAir Update.
“Volo per veritas” is a very appropriate aphorism. There must be an intense love for ag-flying. Sure, the pay is good; when you are in the air. But, it is more than just money. Flying ag is about doing good for the world with improved food production. It is the feeling of a job well done after spraying a field. There is not a better way to feel the true freedom of flight than in an ag-plane; taking the first load of the day to the field as the sun peeks up above the horizon in a calm sky, or returning back to the airstrip after a long day with a great amount of satisfaction for the day’s work. During the first and last flights of a long day, the aircraft is performing at its best and only an ag-pilot can experience Volo per Veritas.
AgAir Update would like to find other female ag-pilots and feature them in its “Women in Ag-Aviation” series. Female ag-pilots are unique, strong-willed and their stories can be interesting ones. If you know of any, please send me their contact information at bill@agairupdate.com.
For those of you south of the equator, the end of the season is not far away. If you have come this far, don’t ruin it by making a dumb mistake. Safety should always be paramount in your flying decisions. As long as you stay safe, everything else will work out to the best. If you have an accident, then everything else becomes a problem.
For the rest of you, enjoy the time you have off, making up for lost time with family and friends.
Until next month,
Keep Turning…
