It’s a cool morning

As I write this editorial, the sun is peeping up from the horizon this cool morning overlooking a calm lake. I have about 15 more minutes before its bright rays fill the sky. Although it has been 16 years since I raced the sun to the airport to prepare for the first load of the day, I have not forgotten those 27 years that I did that, filling the plane with fuel, calculating the upcoming loads, thinking about the possibility of fog.

As a rule, I would work the fields closest first and the longer ferries later in the day when it would be hot and bumpy. That way, I did not waste the best flying hours of the day ferrying to the field. It was not unusual for early morning hectares-per-hour sprayed to nearly double those covered midday.

Another reason for working fields closest to the airport first was the unpredictability of fog. I have seen times the sky was clear the first 30 minutes of daylight, then quickly turn into a dense fog. I have had the fog chase me out of a field causing me to point the aircraft back to base at near full throttle all the time thinking of an alternate place to land if the fog closed in around me.

I am not telling you about anything you have not experienced if you have several years of ag-flying. Perhaps there are a few that live in arid areas where fog is not a challenge. Even so, we all know the beauty of the sunrise and the exceptional performance of the aircraft in the early morning hours.

Many of you are just starting your 2016 spray season. You are changing from a winter of hopefully relaxation and pondering about ways to make this season safer and more profitable. If you only repeat yourself from previous years, you have not grown and improved. Therefore, you should not expect anything to be better.

I ask each of you to take a deep breath as you face another season. Think about your family, your business and yourself in a way that will only bring you better results from your efforts. The one element that is prevalent in those thoughts should be safety. It is your best tool to improve your profits and your family life. If you have an accident of any kind, at the very least, it will cost you hard earned profits. Or, it may cost you your life. Think about it.

A sole duck is crossing the lake. Not unlike your ferrying to the field, alone in your cockpit, thinking about the best way to approach the upcoming field you plan to spray. I know the duck is not going to spray anything, but it is making an approach to something. Or, the duck could be simply wandering around the lake. Are you wandering when flying? I doubt it.

I think the sun is going to be a little tardy this morning. With it, I think about how the plane will be able to carry one more full load along with what’s left of the full fuel tanks from the first load of the day in calm, relatively cool air before the sun’s heat turns it into chop. It will be nearly sunset before comfortable flying returns this hot summer day. Then, it starts all over tomorrow.

Until next month, Keep Turning…

Fly for the Truth

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…

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