| August 31, 2023 |
| EPA Releases Amended WOTUS Definition in Aftermath of Supreme Court’s Narrowing Ruling Last Spring |
 The Environmental Protection Agency released its latest Waters of the United States rule (WOTUS) earlier this week following the Supreme Court’s May ruling in the Sackett v. EPA case which overturned portions of President Biden’s controversial rule. Read More |
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| All Drones Must Operate in Accordance with Remote ID Rule by September 16, 2023 |
 The 2021 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) final rule requiring remote identification (RID) of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) goes into effect for all UAS September 16, 2023. The rule requires drones to be equipped with technology that will determine its location and the time it is operating in specific locations Read More |
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| As BVLOS Petitions Mount, NAAA Steadfast on FAA Certification of Detect and Avoid Performance |
| NAAA recently commented on a Petition for Exemption to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The petitioner, Amazon Prime Air, is seeking to amend its existing exemptions (18601B and 18602B) to utilize their proprietary detect and avoid (DAA) system in lieu of visual observers (VOs) to conduct beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) Part 135 package delivery operations with their MK27-2 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS). Read More |
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| Austin Scrogin Memorial Scholarship Established for Delta State’s Aerial Applicator Pilot Training Program |
 Austin Scrogin, 26, passed away this summer doing what he loved—ag flying. His parents, Chris and Kimberly Scrogin, have established a memorial scholarship to attend Delta State’s Aerial Applicator Pilot Training Program as they wish to carry on the dreams of their son by helping others who aspire to be ag pilots. Read More |
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| Register & Book Your Travel to Palm Springs, CA for the Ag Aviation Expo |
 The 2023 Ag Aviation Expo will be here before you know it from Dec. 4-7, so it’s time to start thinking about registration and your travel to Palm Springs. Attendee registration and booth sales are open! You’ll hear from Burt Rutan, Aerospace entrepreneur and Virgin Galactic spacecraft designer, at the Monday Kickoff Breakfast. Read More |
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| Emergency AD Issued for Bell 407 Tail Rotor Blades |
| On August 18, 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-17-51 for all Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 407 helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of a disbonded area in a tail rotor (T/R) blade due to missing adhesive between the upper skin and core. This condition, if not addressed, could result in severe vibration, failure of the T/R blade, and subsequent loss of T/R control. Read More |
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| Deadline Today for ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ Scholarship |
 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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| Deadline Today for Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship |
 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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| 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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| In Case You Missed It ! |
| 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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| 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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| 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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| 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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| 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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 earlier this week following the Supreme Court’s May ruling in the Sackett v. EPA case which overturned portions of President Biden’s controversial rule.){kind=small}
 final rule requiring remote identification (RID) of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) goes into effect for all UAS September 16, 2023. The rule requires drones to be equipped with technology that will determine its location and the time it is operating in specific locations){kind=small}
. The petitioner, Amazon Prime Air, is seeking to amend its existing exemptions (18601B and 18602B) to utilize their proprietary detect and avoid (DAA) system in lieu of visual observers (VOs) to conduct beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) Part 135 package delivery operations with their MK27-2 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS). ){kind=small}
 issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-17-51 for all Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 407 helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of a disbonded area in a tail rotor (T/R) blade due to missing adhesive between the upper skin and core. This condition, if not addressed, could result in severe vibration, failure of the T/R blade, and subsequent loss of T/R control.){kind=small}
.){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}
