| May 12, 2022 |
| NAAA Sends Preventative Letter to FAA Administrator Nolen to Defang Aviation Safety Compromises Recommended by Drone BVLOS ARC |
 After digesting a recently released report from the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) studying ways to
allow for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to fly beyond visual line of
sight (BVLOS), this week, NAAA sent a letter to FAA Administrator
Billy Nolen outlining the serious aviation safety concerns the ARC’s
recommendations would have to manned pilots flying in low-altitude
airspace.
Read More |
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| NAAA Member Doug Thiel Discuses Ag Aviation on ‘Pilots, Props and Planes’ |
 NAAA member Doug Thiel discussed his career as an agricultural aviator on Pilots, Props and Planes,
a show airing on public television in the San Joaquin Valley of central
California. The agricultural aviation segment also highlighted the
significance of the century-old industry to farmers and consumers. Read More |
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| Ag Aviation Expo Sponsorships Available—Boost Your Company’s Brand! |
 Join us for the 2022 Ag Aviation Expo in Knoxville, Tennessee, Dec. 5-8. Sponsorship sales are open for this
year’s convention, where we’re expecting a large crowd at this new Ag
Aviation Expo location. Branding at the Ag Aviation Expo is a great
opportunity to get your message in front of the agricultural aviation
industry and reach a targeted and nationwide audience of aerial
applicators in North America—an audience responsible for applying 28% of
crop protection products to commercial cropland in the U.S.
Read More |
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| In Case You Missed It! |
| NAAA Submits Augmented Tower Marking Proposal to Congressional Transportation Committees as 2023 FAA Reauthorization Process Begins |
Last week NAAA submitted a proposal for the upcoming FAA reauthorization to two congressional transportation committees that would strengthen a tower marking statute that the association successfully had included in the 2018 bill by requiring all towers between 50 and 200 feet in rural areas meeting certain physical standards to be marked and logged into an FAA database. Read More |
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| NAAA Attends Energy Conference Trade Show to Promote Better Wire Marking |
 NAAA recently spent two days at the IEEE PES (Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers Power & Energy Society) T&D Conference
and Exposition in New Orleans. IEEE PES is the world’s largest
convention for the electrical power industry. NAAA member Tom Wolf from
JBI Helicopter Services and NAAA staff member Scott Bretthauer were
there to promote the use of Balmoral Engineering’s rotating wire marker,
the RotaMarka, on power lines in rural areas in order to reduce the number of wire strike agricultural aviation accidents. Read More |
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| NAAA Spearheads Ag Aviation Association Effort to Protect GPS |
| Late last month, NAAA and 27 state and regional agricultural aviation
associations joined with 61 other organizations in letters written to
President Joe Biden and the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
The letters were sent on the second anniversary of the FCC’s approval of
Ligado Networks’ application to operate a 5G network in the L-band
radio spectrum, the band adjacent to the one used for GPS. Read More |
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| Spring 2022 Issue of Agricultural Aviation Now Online! |
 The Spring 2022 issue of Agricultural Aviation
is available online and in the Agricultural Aviation Magazine
App.
Branded as “The Safety Issue,” the focus of this special issue is all
about safety—from aviation to environmental safety to ensure ag pilots’,
farmers’ and planet Earth’s well-being.
Read More |
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| Special Conditions Issued for Pressure Refueling of Robinson Helicopter Company Model R66 Helicopter |
| On April 27, the FAA published the following special conditions as part
of the type certification basis for Robinson Helicopter Company Model
R66 helicopters. Read More |
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| Shine a Light on the Industry’s Unsung Heroes! |
The aerial application industry is filled with exceptional people who go above and beyond the call of duty, often with little fanfare. Make someone’s day, year or career by nominating him or her for a 2022 NAAA Award! NAAA’s online submission form is the fastest and simplest way to nominate someone in just a few clicks.
Read More |
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| NAAA Leaders Discuss Drone Safety on ‘Farm Life Live’ |
2022 NAAA President Jim Perrin and CEO Andrew Moore discussed drone safety issues April 21 on Farm Life Live, an online program hosted by Farm Life Media President Brannon Deal. Moore and Perrin, the show’s sole guests, had a terrific conversation with Deal. Read More |
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| AD Issued on Specific CT Vanes and Blades for PT6A-34, -34B, -34AG, -114 and -114A Turboprop Engines |
| In April the FAA issued an awaited airworthiness directive (AD) on
Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. PT6A-34, -34B, -34AG, -114 and -114A
model turboprop engines. Read More |
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| FBI Warns Food and Agriculture Sector Partners of Potential Ransomware Attacks |
 Last month the FBI informed food and
agriculture sector businesses that ransomware actors may be more likely
to attack agricultural cooperatives during critical planting and harvest
seasons, disrupting operations, causing financial loss and negatively
impacting the food supply chain.
Read More |
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| NAAA Comments Against Drone Petition Requesting Exemptions Compromising Airspace Safety |
| Last month NAAA submitted comments on Airobotics Inc.’s petition seeking
relief from specified safety requirements of Federal Aviation
Regulations. Airobotics is seeking relief to operate a small Unmanned
Aircraft System (UAS) for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) inspection
operations. Because of the BVLOS request, the operation does not fall
under part 107, which prohibits BVLOS. Read More |
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| We All Have a Telling History: Use Yours and NAAA’s Materials to Broadly Communicate Agricultural Aviation’s |
| By Andrew Moore, NAAA CEO |
 NAAA has reached the climax in the centennial epic of sharing our
industry’s history to the public, which of course was Aug. 3, 2021. But
just because the official centennial anniversary date is behind us
doesn’t mean all efforts to share the importance of our industry to the
public have passed you by. We will be celebrating the centennial of
agricultural aviation for an entire year. If you are an active citizen in the world of aerial application, don’t be a static
audience member during this epic, year-long centennial event. Take the stage with
us as we enunciate the gospel
of agricultural aviation to the public. Read More |
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| NAAA Releases Book of the Century! Buy It Today |
 To commemorate agricultural
aviation’s 100th anniversary, NAAA is pleased to present Agriculture’s Air Force: 100 Years of Aerial Application. NAAA’s meticulously sourced book is based on a collective history of the industry based on material from Agricultural Aviation magazine, AgAir Update, Low & Slow and other resources. Agriculture’s Air Force is a true keepsake. Order your copy today!
Read More |
|
 studying ways to
allow for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to fly beyond visual line of
sight (BVLOS), this week, NAAA sent a letter to FAA Administrator
Billy Nolen outlining the serious aviation safety concerns the ARC’s
recommendations would have to manned pilots flying in low-altitude
airspace.){kind=small}
 T&D Conference
and Exposition in New Orleans. IEEE PES is the world’s largest
convention for the electrical power industry. NAAA member Tom Wolf from
JBI Helicopter Services and NAAA staff member Scott Bretthauer were
there to promote the use of Balmoral Engineering’s rotating wire marker,
the RotaMarka, on power lines in rural areas in order to reduce the number of wire strike agricultural aviation accidents.){kind=small}
 on
Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. PT6A-34, -34B, -34AG, -114 and -114A
model turboprop engines.){kind=small}
 for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) inspection
operations. Because of the BVLOS request, the operation does not fall
under part 107, which prohibits BVLOS.){kind=small}
