| August 17, 2023 | The next NAAA eNewsletter will be August 31 |
| Joe Curless of Curless Flying Service Delivers Positive Message to Illinois Farm Bureau’s eNewsletter about the Benefits of Cover Crops and Aerial Application |
 Joe Curless of Curless Flying Service in Astoria, IL was recently interviewed by the Illinois Farm Bureau Partners publication about how aerial applicators practice soil and water stewardship from the air. Read More |
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| Extended Wire Safety Course Will be Held Thursday, Dec. 7 at Ag Aviation Expo |
 On Thursday, Dec. 7, in Palm Springs, for the second year NAAA is hosting a Flying in the Wire and Obstruction Environment Course, acclaimed by professional airplane and helicopter operators world-wide. This year’s course will be a full-day, eight-hour course, taught by Utilities / Aviation Specialists Inc. (UAS). Read More |
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| Sixth Fatal Ag Accident of 2023 Claims Life of Austin Scrogin |
 The members and staff of NAAA offer their sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of Austin Scrogin who lost his life on August 8, 2023, in the sixth fatal ag accident of 2023. Born on May 19, 1997, in Marshall MO, Austin was 26 years old when he passed away. Read More |
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| Theodore Farwell Perishes in Seventh Fatal Ag Accident in 2023 |
 Theodore “Ted” Russel Farwell was fatally injured on August 12, 2023, in the seventh fatal ag accident of the 2023 season. He was 39 years old. Ted was born in Medina, NY and grew up working on a dairy farm, learning to fly, and riding horses. Read More |
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| Mary Turner of S & T Aircraft Accessories, Passes |
 Mary Louise Kellermann Turner, a prominent business owner in the agricultural and warbird aviation community, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her children and grandchildren on Monday, August 7, 2023, at the age of 85. Read More |
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| Attendee Registration Open for the 2023 Ag Aviation Expo |
 We look forward to seeing you at the 2023 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo in Palm Springs, CA, Dec 4-7, a new convention destination for the Ag Aviation Expo. Attendee registration is now open for the annual convention. Read More |
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| Grant Lane Celebration of Life Set for October 14, 2023 |
 Lane Aviation, Inc. has announced that a celebration of life will take place on October 14, 2023 for Grant Lane, a prominent agricultural aviator who passed away at his home in Richmond, Texas on July 12, 2023, surrounded by his wife and children. Born May 3, 1954 in Rosenberg, Texas, he was 69 years old.
Read More |
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| 2023 NAAA Award Nominations Due Sept. 8 |
| Use NAAA’s online awards form to submit a 2023 Award nomination! |
 Do you have a rising pilot within your ranks? Do you admire certain NAAA members for their outstanding service to the industry or their community? 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 or year by nominating them for a 2023 NAAA Award. Read More |
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| NAAA & NAAREF Board Meetings Oct. 6-7 in Dayton, OH |
| The October 2023 NAAA & NAAREF Board and Committee meetings will take place in Dayton, Ohio. All meetings are open to NAAA members. Read More |
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| In Case You Missed It! |
| FAA Responds to NAAA’s Concerns with New Part 137 UAS Certification Process |
| On August 2nd, NAAA received a letter from Lawrence Fields, Acting Executive Director, Flight Standards Service, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responding to concerns expressed by the association regarding the changes to the Part 137 certification process for Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) applicants outlined in FAA Notice 8900.659. Read More |
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| NAAA Mourns the Loss of Don Pruett in Fourth Fatality of 2023 |
 Donald L.S. Pruett was fatally injured in an ag aviation accident which occurred July 31, 2023, in Washington County, Illinois. Don was 41 at the time of his passing. The members and staff of NAAA offer their sympathies and condolences to Don’s family and friends. Read More |
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| NAAA Mourns the Loss of Derek “Hooty” DuHoux in Fifth Fatality of 2023 |
 Derek John “Hooty” DuHoux died August 2, 2023, from injuries sustained in an ag aviation accident which occurred July 25, 2023, in Chippewa County, Minnesota. Derek was 34 at the time of his passing. The members and staff of NAAA offer their sympathies and condolences to Derek’s family and friends. Read More |
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| AD Issued for AT-802 Air Tankers |
| The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Air Tractor AT-802 and AT-802A airplanes with Wipaire, Inc. Wipline 10000 Amphibian Floats installed per Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) # SA01795CH, as well as previously floated aircraft that have been converted back to landplane configuration per the same STC. Read More |
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| Happy 10th Birthday to Disney’s Planes |
 Ten years ago, Disney released Planes on Aug. 9, 2013 to great fanfare in the aviation industry, particularly agricultural aviation. The movie has grossed $240.2 million worldwide since it was released. The animated comedy adventure features a cast of colorful aviation characters, including Dusty Crophopper, a big-hearted ag plane with even bigger dreams of competing in a high-flying air race around the world. Read More |
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| Frank Prentice of Covington Aircraft, Passes |
 Frank Prentice, a friend to the ag aviation community and former Vice President of Covington’s Radial Engine Division, passed away on Thursday, July 20, 2023, after a battle with cancer. He started work at Covington Aircraft in 1974 and retired in 2009 |
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| Turbine Training Funds Available Through Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship; Deadline Aug. 31 |
 Two $3,000 scholarships are available
to eligible NAAA Operator and Pilot members for turbine transition
training through the newly created Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine
Training Scholarship. The new NAAA scholarship program is funded by a generous educational grant from Jim Mills of
Turbines Inc., who established the scholarship in memory of Charles
Stokes.
Read More |
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| Apply for ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ Scholarship by Aug. 31 |
 From seeking a mentor to finding the funds for training, the road to becoming an ag pilot is fraught with obstacles, but having $5,000 in seed money certainly helps. Four such scholarships are available through the 2023 NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program, thanks to the generous support of BASF and Thrush Aircraft. Aspiring ag pilots, apply by Aug. 31!
Read More |
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| EPA Releases Proposed Vulnerable Species Pilot Project to Protect Endangered Species |
| In 2022, EPA launched its Endangered Species Act (ESA) Vulnerable Species Pilot to identify both at-risk species reasonably certain to be adversely affected by non-residential outdoor uses of pesticides and proposed mitigation measures to reduce these impacts on the species and their habitat. On June 22, 2023 EPA published a draft white paper listing the initially identified set of listed species and the proposed mitigation measures. Read More |
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| Important Call for GPS Data to Protect Manned Ag Aircraft from Drones |
In 2022, an FAA advisory committee weighted with drone
interests from Amazon, Google and other unmanned corporate interests
suggested that the agency promulgate rules that drones operating beyond
visual line of sight be permitted to:
- Increase their weight to 1,320 pounds
- Not equip with ADS-B identification technology
- Not give the right of way to manned aircraft when operating in
rural, low-altitude airspace because they claimed there are no other
users of this airspace.
As an ag aviator, you know these requests to be patently unsafe and
based on false premises. As such, we call on you to help us collect
information on ag aircraft’s use of the low-altitude airspace. Read More |
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 has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Air Tractor AT-802 and AT-802A airplanes with Wipaire, Inc. Wipline 10000 Amphibian Floats installed per Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) # SA01795CH, as well as previously floated aircraft that have been converted back to landplane configuration per the same STC. ){kind=small}
 Vulnerable Species Pilot to identify both at-risk species reasonably certain to be adversely affected by non-residential outdoor uses of pesticides and proposed mitigation measures to reduce these impacts on the species and their habitat. On June 22, 2023 EPA published a draft white paper listing the initially identified set of listed species and the proposed mitigation measures.){kind=small}
