April 30, 2020
NAAA eNewsletter

Special Rule Issued by FAA Extends Medical Certificates, Flight Reviews and Other Privileges Through June 30

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NAAA has been in near-daily contact with the FAA regarding the many regulatory hurdles that are nearly impossible to comply with during the pandemic. In response to this, the FAA yesterday released a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) addressing many of these concerns. The following exemptions will be valid upon the rule’s publication in the Federal Register.

 

Medical Certificates

The FAA extended the validity periods of medical certificates expiring between March 31 and May 31 through June 30.  This is an important distinction between the FAA’s previous decision to simply suspend enforcement actions against expired medical certificates, which could have potentially caused insurance complications.

 

Flight Reviews

The FAA is offering a three-calendar-month “grace period” for those whose flight review expire between March 1 and June 30. However, there are two conditions to be eligible for this extension:

  • The pilot must have logged at least 10 hours of pilot in command time (PIC) within the 12 calendar months preceding the month the flight review was due, in an aircraft for which that pilot is rated.
  • Eligible pilots must complete FAA Safety Team online courses totaling at least three Wings credits. The courses must have been completed in January or later to meet this requirement, according to the rule.
  • For Robinson R-22 and R-44 pilots, the 10 hours of PIC time noted above must be in an R-22 or R-44, provided the pilot has at least 200 hours of helicopter time with at least 50 hours in an applicable Robinson helicopter.
  • R-22 or R-44 pilots with less than the above level of experience may extend their flight review an additional three months provided that of their 10 hours of PIC time in an R-22 or R-44, 3 hours has occurred in the 3 calendar months preceding the month the flight review was due, and  they complete a minimum of three hours of self-study that includes specific subjects as denoted in the SFAR.

Knowledge Tests

Applicants whose knowledge tests expire between March and June will have their knowledge tests’ validity extended by three months.

 

Flight Instructors

Unlike pilot certificates, flight instructor certificates expire every two years. The FAA will  extend the validity of flight instructor certificates that expired between March 31 and May 31 until June 30.

 

Inspection Authorization

Airframe and powerplant mechanics with inspection authorization who were not able to meet the first year renewal requirements by March have until June 30 to complete one of the listed activities to meet the first year renewal requirements.

 

NAAA had previously joined a letter with general aviation industry partners asking the FAA to temporarily allow exemptions and deviations from certain FARs to ensure the continuity of operations and commerce during the pandemic.

 

As a result, the FAA justified the need for the SFAR writing, in part, “… the associations stressed the importance of general aviation operations for lifesaving air medical missions, the movement of essential personnel and medical equipment, aerial applications for crops, forestry treatments, firefighting, and eradication of mosquitoes and other disease-carrying pests.”

 

You can get the very latest policy guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic important to agricultural aviators at agaviation.org/covidresources


NAAA Meets with FAA and EPA About Outdoor Applications of Disinfectants for COVID-19

Last week NAAA reported on several media stories about aerial applications of disinfectants to treat outdoor areas potentially contaminated by the COVID-19 virus. Based on these reports, NAAA discussed this possibility with the FAA and the EPA. The FAA indicated that a part 137 operating certificate would be required for any operation, using manned aircraft or UAS, conducting outdoor applications of disinfectants.  

 

The trouble, NAAA discovered after meetings with top officials at EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs is that there are no products that are currently labeled for outdoor use against the COVID-19 virus.  EPA has provided NAAA a database that lists all of the products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against the COVID-19 virus. Again, NAAA was informed by the EPA that every product on this list was intended for indoor use only, and that an outdoor application, by any method, of any of the disinfectants on the list would be an off-label application and thus illegal. Furthermore, use of a product outdoors that is not on the list but contains a similar active ingredient (i.e. hydrogen peroxide) would also be illegal; that would be considered use of an unregistered product.

 

The EPA also informed NAAA that the CDC does not recommend making outdoor applications of disinfectants in an attempt to control the COVID-19 virus. Ultraviolet  exposure from sunlight is considered sufficient for destroying outdoor viruses, according to the CDC. 

Local Glyphosate Ban Struck Down Strengthening Preemption Claims

Ordinances have arisen over the past few years from local governments taking it upon themselves to regulate a pesticide even when it is outside of their jurisdictional authority.  Pesticide restrictions have taken place in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Lincoln County, Oregon just to name a few jurisdictions that have either banned pesticides outright or banned an application type.  Last year, the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico prohibited the use, sale, purchase, distribution and possession of products that contain glyphosate.

 

Representatives of the local pesticide industry challenged this action. In a recent ruling the judge determined that the ordinance was invalid and the authority to regulate pesticides resides with the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture and was preempted by the Commonwealth’s pesticide law. The plaintiffs successfully argued that this ban violated interstate commerce, due process, and equal protection. This challenge was watched very closely by other municipalities that have sought to limit the use of pesticides within their jurisdiction. The ruling offers a clear legal precedent for establishing pesticide preemption in Puerto Rico.

Longtime Missouri Aerial Applicator Dennis McGarity Passes Away

NAAA is saddened to announce that Dennis McGarity from Sikeston, Missouri, passed away on April 23. Born March 9, 1952, Dennis was 68 years old at the time of his passing. He is survived by his wife Vanessa, four sons, a brother, sister and six grandchildren. 

 

Dennis served in the Missouri National Guard from 1972 to 1978. He started his career in agricultural aviation in 1975 and operated McGarity Flying Service with his sons. He was a longtime member of the Missouri Agricultural Aviation Association, where he served as president for many years and was also voted Operator of the Year on several occasions.  

 

Visitation for Dennis was held on Sunday, April 26, at the Ponder Funeral Home. His funeral took place the following day, followed by his burial in the Sikeston Memorial Park Cemetery. To sign his online guestbook, click here.

NAAA Makes Important Contributions to ANSI UAV Roadmap Version 2.0

The American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Unmanned Aircraft Systems Standardization Collaborative (UASSC) released its draft Standardization Roadmap for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Version 2.0) that outlines the future of voluntary industry standards in the UAV industry.

 

In this newest roadmap, NAAA ensured more accurate and precise technical language was used to describe aerial application operations and technology. NAAA also ensured a study conducted by the Colorado AAA on the difficulty associated with manned aviators seeing UAVs was included, as well as an additional study from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) that looks at pesticide drift when applied by a UAV.

 

The new roadmap also covers NAAA’s work bringing UAV potential drift hazards to the attention of the EPA, stating, in part:

“Currently, USDA’s AgDRIFT model is the regulatory and industry standard for calculating drift risk for ag aircraft, ground sprayers, and air blasters. This model has been developed over the years through extensive research and smaller unmanned aircraft do not fit properly into the AgDRIFT model. NAAA has provided data to the EPA explaining why the agency needs to develop a committee to accurately study the drift characteristics of applications made by UAVs, so this data could be incorporated into the AgDRIFT model. NAAA also requested that until this research is conducted and evaluated, the EPA clarify the rules regarding how UAS can make aerial applications under existing law.”

NAAA submitted comments on the draft 2.0 roadmap detailing why the section on UAVs doing powerline inspections needs to include information on agricultural aviators who operate above and below power lines while making pesticide applications and as such UAVs conducting such work should be equipped with sense and avoid technology. NAAA also suggested clarification that standards research on UAS applications need to focus on drift mitigation in addition to treatment efficacy.

 

Founded in 1918, ANSI serves as the administrator and coordinator of the United States private-sector voluntary standardization system. ANSI oversees the creation, promulgation and use of thousands of norms and guidelines that directly impact businesses in nearly every sector. ANSI is also actively engaged in accreditation by assessing the competence of organizations determining conformance to standards. In September 2017, ANSI launched the UASSC to coordinate and accelerate the development of the standards needed to facilitate the safe integration of UAS into the national airspace system. The UASSC was not chartered to write standards, but to review areas where standardization is needed.

EPA and Army Corps of Engineers New “Waters of the U.S.” Definition Takes Effect on June 22

Last week, the Federal Register officially published the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers final rule establishing a new definition of “Waters of the United States” that are protected by the Clean Water Act. The final rule is set to take effect 60 days after publication, on June 22.

 

The new rule, called the “Navigable Waters Protection Rule: Definition of Waters of the U.S.,” will narrow the scope of Federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. The rule will affect public agencies, private property owners and other sectors within the water, infrastructure and agricultural industries. The final rule will replace the 2015 “Clean Water Rule,” which was repealed in December 2019.

 

On April 21, 2020, the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finalized a new definition of waters of the United States (sometimes called “WOTUS”). This new definition has fundamental implications for the application of point source permits under Section 402 (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) and dredge and fill permits issued under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

 

The Clean Water Act regulates the quality of water by making it illegal to discharge pollutants into navigable waters without a permit. Determining precisely what waters that includes, however, has frankly been complicated.  The Clean Water Act defines “navigable waters” as the waters of the United States, including territorial seas. The question continuously debated is does that include water that pools at the bottom of an old quarry? What about wetlands that are not navigable, but are adjacent to navigable water? How about wetlands on private property that are a mile away from the closest navigable stream? It turns out that all of those were included as waters of the United States.

 

The question found its way to the U.S. Supreme Court in Rapanos v. United States, which resulted in a 4-1-4 opinion. In the absence of a statutory or regulatory definition, the plurality in Rapanos, defined the term “waters of the United States” to also include “relatively permanent standing or continuously flowing bodies of water” that are connected to traditional navigable waters or wetlands that have a continuous surface with such relatively permanent waters. Justice Kennedy, in a famous concurring opinion gave us the significant nexus test, meaning wetlands or bodies of water were included as waters of the United States if they “either alone or in combination with similarly situated lands in the region, significantly affect the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of other covered waters more readily understood as ‘navigable.’”

 

The Court’s definition was cumbersome.  Thereafter, in 2015, the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers issued a rule defining “waters of the United States.” Under that rule certain waters were deemed to be jurisdictional, including: (1) waters which are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide; (2) interstate waters and wetlands; (3) the territorial seas; (4) impoundments of waters otherwise identified as jurisdictional; (5) tributaries of the first three categories; and (6) adjacent waters. The rule excluded certain bodies of water, like ditches, irrigated land, and stock tanks. The 2015 rule also left the door open to other bodies of water that may be deemed waters of the United States on a case by case basis such as isolated waters that are not connected to navigable waters but are ecologically important (including California vernal pools or prairie potholes).

 

Numerous states filed suit to prohibit the enforcement of the 2015 definition, largely alleging that the rule was too expansive and infringed upon private property rights and state sovereignty. The suits led to preliminary injunctions barring the application of the rule.  In February 2017, President Trump signed an executive order directing the EPA and Army Corps to revise their definition, and the final rule is the result.  The new Waters of the United States definition expressly includes the following as waters of the United States:

  • The territorial seas, and waters which are currently used, or were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide;
  • Tributaries;
  • Lakes and ponds, and impoundments of jurisdictional waters; and
  • Adjacent wetlands.

Not included as expressly referenced in the new rule excluding certain waters and water features from the definition:

  • Groundwater, including groundwater drained through subsurface drainage systems;
  • Ephemeral features, including ephemeral streams, swales, gullies, rills, and pools;
  • Diffuse stormwater run-off and directional sheet flow over upland;
  • Ditches that are not “waters which are currently used, or were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide;”
  • Tributaries; and
  • Non-ephemeral wetlands that are adjacent to waters of the United States;
  • Prior converted cropland;
  • Artificially irrigated areas, including fields flooded for agricultural production, that would revert to upland should application of irrigation water to that area cease;
  • Artificial lakes and ponds, including water storage reservoirs and farm, irrigation, stock watering, and log cleaning ponds, constructed or excavated in upland or in nonjurisdictional waters, so long as those artificial lakes and ponds are not impoundments of jurisdictional waters;
  • Water-filled depressions constructed or excavated in upland or in non-jurisdictional waters incidental to mining or construction activity, and pits excavated in upland or in nonjurisdictional waters for the purpose of obtaining fill, sand, or gravel;
  • Stormwater control features constructed or excavated in upland or in non-jurisdictional waters to convey, treat, infiltrate, or store stormwater runoff;
  • Groundwater recharge, water reuse, and wastewater recycling structures, including detention, retention, and infiltration basins and ponds, constructed or excavated in upland or in non-jurisdictional waters;
  • Waste treatment systems.

Supporters of the new rule say that it lends certainty and prevents federal overreach. Opponents point out that the new definition appears to roll back federal protections against discharges of pollutants from a point source. Several environmental interest groups have already begun plans to bring suit challenging the new rule. However, this does not mean that these bodies of water can have no environmental protection because states may still impose their own regulations.  Whether the definition will provide any certainty may depend on whether it can withstand the upcoming challenges in the courts or a potential change in administration. The 2015 rule did not.


20,000th Lethbridge-built Pratt & Whitney Engine Installed in Air Tractor Aircraft

The 20,000th engine produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Lethbridge, Alberta, manufacturing facility recently went into a new Air Tractor ag plane. The PT6A-65AG engine was installed in a new AT-602. Air Tractor dealer Frost Flying delivered the airplane (serial number AT-602-1308) to its new owner, Scott DeLong of Farmers Cooperative in Dorchester, Nebraska, April 9.

 

“What a milestone. We couldn’t be more excited that this engine is powering an Air Tractor,” Air Tractor Jim Hirsch said. “The PT6 engines manufactured by Pratt & Whitney are legendary for their performance and reliability.”

 

Pratt & Whitney engines are flown by more than 1,100 airlines and operations in 200-plus countries. The company has introduced 100 new engines powering a variety of aircraft during the past 25 years.

 

At its Olney, Texas, manufacturing facilities, Air Tractor produces a line of aircraft that includes 400, 500, 600 and 800-gallon capacity airplanes powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engines. The airplanes are used for agricultural aerial application, firefighting, narcotic crop eradication, fuel hauling, fighting locust plagues and cleaning oil spills in coastal waters.

 

Scott DeLong (left) of Farmers Cooperative in Dorchester, Nebraska, poses with Garrett Frost of Frost Flying upon delivery of Air Tractor AT-602-1308. DeLong’s new AT-602 is powered by a PT6A-65AG engine, the 20,000th engine manufactured at Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Lethbridge, Alberta, facility.

2020 Ag Aviation Expo Hotel Details

Join us for the 2020 Ag Aviation Expo in Savannah, Dec. 7-10! While the NAAA Ag Aviation Expo is months away, you may have concerns about traveling to Savannah, attending or exhibiting at our annual convention. NAAA is working on plans to help with social distancing throughout our convention, as well as with facilities on their steps for additional disinfecting/sanitizing during our show. We are proceeding as is for our Ag Aviation Expo and will keep you informed of any changes.

 

Besides the networking, education and fun at the NAAA Ag Aviation Expo, enjoy a city full of great restaurants, nightlife, shopping, attractions and history. The NAAA hotel room block is now open! It is important for attendees to stay in the NAAA room block. We get the best hotel room rates in the heart of the Savannah district. If the NAAA hotel block is not filled, we cannot offer these great rates for future years!

 

Save the Date for the 2020 Ag Aviation Expo

  • Dates: Dec. 7–10, 2020
  • Location: Savannah Convention Center. Some events will also take place at the Westin, which is located directly next to the convention center.
  • Schedule of Events: Current schedule here. Subject to change.
  • Hotel: Hotel Details Below
  • Attendee Registration: Opens July 1
  • Exhibitor Booth Sales: Large booth sales and Diamond sponsorship booth sales begin in March; this includes aircraft, islands and 10’x30'. 10'x10' and 10'x20' booth sales open on Thursday, July 9. Please email Lindsay if you’d like to be contacted regarding large booth space.
  • Sponsorship Opportunities: Sponsorships are now available. View the opportunities online. Please email Lindsay if you would like to secure a sponsorship from last year or would like to be contacted about 2020 opportunities! We have sponsorships available for all budget sizes.
  • Auction Donations: Thank you to Pratt & Whitney Canada for donating a PT6-34AG engine to this year’s NAAA Live Auction. While we’re still several months away from the Ag Aviation Expo, we are already accepting donations for the Live and Silent Auction. The earlier you inform us of your auction donation, the more advertising you’ll receive on the NAAA website and in NAAA publications. Support the aerial application industry by donating an item today. Email Lindsay with your donation details.

Book Your Hotel Room

The 2020 NAAA hotel room block is coordinated through Visit Savannah, which is the Savannah Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Housing office. Please do not call the hotels directly; use the link and/or phone number below to book your room. Rooms are available at the Westin Savannah Harbor (directly next to the convention center), Hyatt Regency Savannah and Savannah Marriott Riverfront hotels (across the river from the convention center and Westin – transportation provided). All room blocks close Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. ET.

  • Westin Savannah Harbor: $150/night plus taxes
    • Westin Cancellation: For each reservation cancelled after Oct. 30, 2020, a nonrefundable one night room + tax will be charged to the credit card on file. Guests who check out early (prior to the reserved check out date) will be assessed one full night’s room charge plus taxes.
  • Hyatt Regency Savannah: $148/night plus taxes
  • Savannah Marriott Riverfront: $142/night plus taxes

All room rates above are single/double occupancy and do not include taxes.

 

Book your room today by clicking here, call the housing bureau at (912) 644-6465 or email reservations@visitsavannah.com. Please note reservations are taken over the phone Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. If you cannot call during those hours, please email your reservations details or book your room online here.

Complimentary Transportation & River Taxis

Getting across the river is quick and easy thanks to the free ferry service that will shuttle attendees back and forth throughout the day and evening. The Savannah Belles Ferry provides water transportation from the Hyatt and the Marriott to the convention center and Westin hotel. The trip takes five to 10 minutes, and ferry service will be continual during convention hours; schedule will be available onsite. Free shuttle bus service is also available for those who are not comfortable on the water.


Spring Savings! NAAA Merchandise is 30% OFF

Thanks so much for being a 2020 member! We appreciate your ESSENTIAL services as agricultural aviators and related businesses, especially in these stressful times. 


We've discounted all our merchandise by 30% as we begin to close NAAA’s online eStore. Aerial applicators prefer to shop for NAAA's quality merchandise at the annual Ag Aviation Expo, so that is where our sales focus will be devoted and continue. In the meantime, great bargains can be found online here until April 30, 2020.

 

We'll see you at this year’s Ag Aviation Expo in Savannah, Ga., December 7-10, 2020 where you can shop the newest and trendiest items. 
 

 

NAAA Hires New Director of Finance and Operations

Starting May 26, NAAA will have on staff a new director of finance and operations (DFO) who will take over for Terri Long, NAAA’s current DFO, who is retiring at the end of September after over five years of exemplary service. The new DFO is Deana Burke who has 10 years of experience in banking, finance and administration. Deana currently serves as the chief financial officer and director of administration at the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators where she has managed the finances, human resources, administration and operations at the association for the past three years. Prior to that she worked in the banking industry for seven years in Wisconsin where she also was born and raised. She graduated from college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

Please join NAAA in welcoming Deana Burke aboard next month and thanking Terri Long for her great five years of service to NAAA.

Shine a Light on Our Unsung Heroes with NAAA’s Quick and Easy Online Awards Form

 

One of the highlights of each NAAA convention is the chance to honor a distinct group of the committed individuals and companies for their service to the agricultural aviation industry. Their stories are truly inspiring, making it a rewarding experience for the audience and award recipients alike. Receiving an NAAA Award is not a one-night or even a one-year honor, however. The significance doesn’t fade with time in the eyes of those members who have been fortunate enough to be honored by their industry peers for a job well done.

 

The aerial application industry is filled with exceptional people who go above and beyond the call of duty, often with little fanfare. So go ahead—make someone’s day, year or career by nominating him or her for a 2020 NAAA Award! Chances are you may have some extra time on your hands if you’ve been sheltering in place. Take advantage this unique interlude to help NAAA identify these unsung heroes. We’ve made the award nominations process even easier with NAAA’s new online awards submission form.

 

The new online submission form is the fastest and simplest way to nominate someone in just a few clicks, but the traditional PDF-based awards forms are also available options.

Completed entries using the traditional PDF forms may be emailed or faxed to NAAA at information@agaviation.org or (202) 546-5726 (fax).

 

There are nine NAAA Award categories and one NAAREF Award. The nomination deadline is Sept. 10, but early nominations are encouraged. The longer you wait, the busier you’ll be as the summer season approaches.

NAAA Award Categories

Agrinaut Award: Honors an agricultural aircraft operator, operating organization or allied member company that has made an outstanding contribution in the field of ag aircraft operations. The achievement cited shall have contributed to the “state-of-the-art” for the benefit of the agricultural aircraft industry as a whole.

 

Allied Industry Individual Award: Recognizes an NAAA member or staff and/or an allied industry individual who has significantly contributed their efforts for the benefit of the allied industry and the aerial application industry. (Presented by the NAAA Allied Industry Committee.)

 

Delta Air Lines “Puffer” Award: Recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the design of agricultural aircraft and/or related equipment.

 

Evans-Christopher Operation S.A.F.E. Award: Recognizes individuals or entities that have made outstanding contributions to the Operation S.A.F.E. program. (Presented by NAAREF.)

 

John Robert Horne Memorial Award: Honors a pilot with five or fewer years of experience in the agricultural aviation industry who has an exemplary safety record and/or has contributed to safety in ag aviation. This award no longer has carryover nominations from year to year; a new nomination must be submitted every year.

 

Larsen-Miller Community Service Award: Recognizes outstanding contributions by a member to his or her community.

 

Opal & Bill Binnion Memorial Award: Acknowledges those who contribute to NAAA in its efforts to educate the public about aerial application. (Presented by the NAAA Support Committee.)

 

Outstanding Service Award: Awards outstanding service to the commercial agricultural aviation industry or to its association.

 

Related Industry Award: Recognizes outstanding contributions by an allied industry member and his or her company.

 

William O. Marsh Safety Award: Recognizes significant achievements in safety, safety education or an outstanding operational safety program.

 

The 2020 NAAA Award recipients will be announced in the fall and honored at the Excellence in Ag Aviation Banquet Dec. 10 in Savannah.

NAAHOF Accepting Nominations for 2021 Induction into Hall of Fame

The National Agricultural Aviation Hall of Fame (NAAHOF) Nomination Board has changed its procedure for evaluating candidates for induction into the NAA Hall of Fame. Under the policy change, the Nominations Board will consider individuals one year before their induction to allow more time to deliberate on NAAHOF nominees’ credentials. NAAHOF has updated its nomination form accordingly and is accepting nominations for people who would be inducted in 2021. Nominations to be considered for induction into NAAHOF in 2021 are by due Sept. 1, 2020. The 2021 NAAHOF Candidate Nomination Form is available here.

 

The National Agricultural Aviation Hall of Fame is located in the National Agricultural Aviation (NAA) Museum in Jackson, Mississippi. The purpose of the NAA Museum is to educate the general public about the contributions of the agricultural aviation industry. Induction into the NAA Hall of Fame is the highest honor that can be paid to agricultural aviation achievers. The Hall of Fame honors agricultural aviation leaders, pilots, operators, scientists, engineers, inventors and other individuals who have helped promote the agricultural aviation industry with their outstanding contributions.

 

The National Agricultural Aviation Hall of Fame is not affiliated with NAAA, but new members are inducted at the Excellence in Ag Aviation Banquet at NAAA’s convention. Previous inductees include such industry-shaping individuals as Lt. John A. Macready, Dick Reade, Fred Ayres and Leland Snow. A complete list of enshrined members into the NAA Hall of Fame is available on NAAA’s Industry Links webpage.

Eligibility for NAAHOF Enshrinement

  1. All nominations must be documented. All information that has to do with the reasons/accomplishments of the nominee must accompany the written/typed nomination letter. The utmost attention should be paid to all accomplishments of the nominee.
  2. A nominee must have made a significant contribution to the agricultural aviation industry in the United States. Accomplishments must be national in scope.
  3. Any person currently sitting on this Nominations Board is automatically ineligible for consideration for enshrinement to the NAAHOF until such time as they are no longer an active part of the governing process of this institution.
  4. Any person nominated for enshrinement must not have anything in their past which will reflect in a negative manner upon the agricultural aviation industry.

The NAAHOF Nomination Board is chaired by Brian Rau. NAAHOF nominations may be sent directly to the chairman at:

Brian Rau

4142 57th Avenue SE

Medina, ND 58467

medinaflying@aol.com

For more information, please contact Brian Rau at (701) 486-3414 or medinaflying@aol.com.

Want to Win Thousands in Educational Scholarships? Enter Our Support Scholarship Contest!

Attention, higher-education students: Don’t miss out on the opportunity to compete for a combined $3,000 in educational scholarships. The deadline for the 2020 Support Scholarship Essay Contest is Sept. 15. The NAAA Support Committee will award a $2,000 scholarship as top prize and Covington Aircraft Engines has generously agreed to sponsor a $1,000 scholarship.

 

The theme for this year’s contest is “Why is Agricultural Aviation Important?”  The scholarship is not restricted to pursuing a “flying career.” Any educational pursuit beyond high school (at any age) is eligible. The competition is open to all NAAA members and their family members.

 

Entrants must be a senior in high school or be registered in higher education by the fall semester of 2020.  Previous winners are not eligible to compete. Submissions must be an essay of at least 1,500 words or a 5-minute multi-media presentation. Submissions should be sent as an email attachment by Sept. 15 to information@agaviation.org. More information about eligibility requirements, contest guidelines and sample essays from past scholarship recipients are available online here.

NAAA’s ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ Scholarship is Back with $20K Available in ’20

Attention, operators and aspiring ag pilots: The NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship is back! Thanks to the generous support of BASF and Thrush Aircraft, $20,000 in aid is available via the 2020 NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program to assist four aspiring ag pilots in their journey.

 

The goal of NAAA’s “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship Program is to strengthen the aerial application industry by helping operator members bring new pilots into the profession and help fund their training. Applicants must be sponsored by an NAAA Operator member, and scholarship recipients may use the proceeds for flight training or aviation or ag-related coursework at a university, college, community college or other institution of higher learning. A stipend for a trainee in an NAAA Operator-sponsored apprentice program is also permissible. The scholarship program is administered by NAAA and funded by educational grants provided by BASF and Thrush.

 

This year, NAAA will award up to four scholarships valued at $5,000 each. This is a win-win for NAAA Operator members and individuals seeking training funds to support their pursuit of becoming a professional ag pilot.

 

NAAA awarded $5,000 scholarships to four aspiring ag pilots at the 2019 Ag Aviation Expo. From L–R, NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship recipients Caleb Swanson, Raudel Mendoza, Liam Zahm and Jacob Radermacher.

How to Apply

To be considered for the 2020 scholarship, along with completing the two-part application, every applicant must submit:

  • A letter of recommendation from the NAAA Operator member sponsoring the applicant.
  • An essay of 250 words or less explaining why you want to pursue a career in agricultural aviation and how you would use NAAA’s “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship to further your education and training.
  • A one-page résumé or list of activities detailing all agricultural and aviation experiences, education and training.

NAAA will award the recipients of the 2020 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarships in December at the Ag Aviation Expo in Savannah. Last year NAAA awarded $5,000 scholarships to four young individuals who represent the future of ag aviation: Raudel Mendoza of Sunray, Texas, Jacob Radermacher of Shipshewana, Indiana, Caleb Swanson of Canton, South Dakota, and Liam Zahm of Marne, Michigan.

 

To learn more about the 2020 NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship, please review the instructions included with the 2020 application. Please contact NAAA at (202) 546-5722 or information@agaviation.org for clarification about any of the application requirements.

 

While the applicant must be sponsored by an NAAA Operator member, NAAA membership is not a prerequisite for the person applying for the scholarship. Becoming an NAAA Associate member, however, is a great way for candidates to learn more about the industry and augment their training.

 

The deadline to apply for the 2020 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship is Aug. 31.