The 2019-2020 PAAAS Program is ready to help you and the
agricultural aviation industry improve safety, application accuracy and
professionalism. The following four modules will be given at state and
regional agricultural aviation association meetings this fall and winter. Check
the NAAA calendar
and make sure you plan on attending. The
core mission of PAASS is to reduce both ag aviation accidents and drift
incidents, and PAASS has proven successful at this task. Accidents have been
reduced by 23% since PAASS began. Studies conducted by the American Association
of Pest Control Officials show a reduction in drift claims of nearly 26 percent
since PAASS started. Many state departments of agriculture offer CEUs for PAASS
attendance and many insurance providers offer discounts to PAASS attendees.
Agricultural Aviation’s Airfield Watch
For this year’s Airfield Watch module, an operator will
describe a break-in that occurred at his facility. He will review how the perpetrators
attempted to gain access to his buildings and equipment in an attempt to steal
fuel. He also describes what he’s done since the incident in order to better
secure his operation. This has included increasing the security lighting with
motion detectors around the buildings with plans to install security cameras at
the facility. It is critical to protect agricultural aviation operations from a
variety of threats, including vandalism, theft, and the unlikely possibility of
terrorist activity.
Human Factors in Agricultural Aviation – “Controlled
Flight Into Terrain Accidents”
Controlled Flight Into Terrain, or CFIT, accidents continue
to be a concern for agricultural aviation. Over the last 10 years, CFIT
accidents have accounted for 29% of all agricultural aviation accidents. During
this same time period, 49% of fatal Part 137 accidents have been CFIT
accidents. In 2018, a staggering 75% of fatal accidents involved CFIT. CFIT
accidents include collisions with the ground, wires, towers, and trees. Participants
will hear from several pilots about their CFIT accidents and factors that led
to the accident. These included failure to properly scout a field, allowing the
pressures of running an operation to cause distraction, and trying to sometimes
impress an employer or someone else but perhaps taking on additional risk. CFIT
accidents obviously present a dangerous threat to pilots but can also cause
harm to the environment as well with the accident potentially resulting in a
pesticide spill. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss how to scout
fields for obstacles and maintain vigilance throughout the application in order
to avoid a CFIT accident.
Environmental Professionalism – “Operation S.A.F.E. Prep
Work and Boom Update”
Operation S.A.F.E. fly-in clinics offer aerial applicators
the opportunity to have their aircraft’s spray pattern and droplet size
evaluated by a trained professional. Many S.A.F.E. fly-ins are quite busy, with
multiple aircraft participating. In order to get the most out of attending a
fly-in, it is important to prepare your aircraft ahead of time. The
Environmental Professionalism module will discuss aircraft preparation,
including checking for leaks and aligning nozzles, whether participating in an
Operation S.A.F.E. or analyzing your system yourself. The module will also provide an update on
using a shortened boom to reduce drift and the impact of belly nozzles on spray
pattern quality.
Hangar AG Flying – “Accident Review, Landing with a Load,
and other Topics”
This module will include an analysis of ag accidents that
occurred during the 2019 application season. Studying these accidents enables
attendees to learn from other pilots’ experiences and increase flying safety. A
segment on how to land with a load will review how to accomplish this task as
well as how to train for it. Also covered will be an update on FieldWatch and
discussion on the risks of pesticides.