Earlier this week NAAA staff members Jay Calleja, Sterling Wiggins and Andrew Moore traveled to Vineland, N.J., at the invitation of Downstown Aero Crop Service Inc. to observe an ag aircraft calibration clinic. Downstown organized the event to enhance the precision of its application equipment and to showcase the technological sophistication of aerial application services to its farmer/customers. Downstown is operated by Curt Nixholm and Vern Becker. About 30 percent of Downstown’s work is agricultural, primarily treating cranberries and blueberries in the southern New Jersey “Garden State” region. The operation also holds major fire-fighting contracts with the state of New Jersey and conducts mosquito abatement work in New Jersey and bordering states. 

 

 

The Downstown Aero Crop Service team: (from left to right) pilots Dennis Mazzoni and Ed Carter; operators Curt Nixholm and Vern Becker; and NAAA Executive Director Andrew Moore.

Leading the calibration clinic was aerial application analyst-extraordinaire, Dr. Dennis Gardisser of WRK of Arkansas LLC, assisted by fellow veteran analyst John Garr of Garrco Products Inc. and Garrco’s eight-member company team. A fleet of Air Tractors and Ag Cats were calibrated for both wet and dry materials. This was followed by presentations by Gardisser and Garr on the purpose of calibrating and using suitable tank mixes to ensure the proper droplet size and swath width to maximize application efficacy, efficiency and environmental stewardship. NAAA’s Executive Director, Andrew Moore, also gave an overview of the aerial application industry and its importance to crop production to the farmer-audience. He also highlighted key safety issues of concern to the aerial application industry such as the proper marking of towers and unmanned aerial vehicles located and operating in agricultural regions to ensure ag pilots’ safety.  

 

NAAA thanks Downstown Aero Crop Service for its hospitality and organization of the clinic to not only augment their own professionalism, but also to spread the message of the importance of the aerial application industry to their farmer-customers and public via the calibration clinic format.