July 16, 2020
NAAA eNewsletter

NAAA Ensures UAS Standards Roadmap Addresses Safety for Agricultural Aircraft

On June 30, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) published the second version of the Standardization Roadmap for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The roadmap was the work of ANSI’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Standardization Collaborative (UASSC), a group formed to coordinate the development of standards needed to facilitate the safe integration of UAS into the national airspace. UASSC included over 400 individuals from 250 public and private organizations including the FAA, other federal agencies, industry and academia. The UASSC was not tasked with developing standards itself, but rather help identify standards that need to be developed by standard developing organizations such as the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, which also develops standards related to aerial applications.

 

The overall goal of creating the Standardization Roadmap for Unmanned Aircraft Systems was to identify all existing standards related to UAS, standards currently in development, standards that need to be developed, and research needed in order to create the necessary standards. The roadmap also briefly covered current UAS activities from some of the participating organizations. The overall goal of the UASSC roadmap is to support UAS growth with an emphasis on safety.

 

As part of UASSC, NAAA ensured that standards and research related to the safety risks UAS present to agricultural aircraft and other low-level aircraft were identified and included in the roadmap. These included standards dealing with detect and avoid (DAA) systems, geo-fencing, UAS conducting power line inspections, UAS remote identification and airworthiness.

 

NAAA also played a major role in the section of the roadmap dealing with using UAS to perform aerial applications. NAAA made sure the roadmap pointed out that tank capacity and field size play an important role in determining the feasibility of UAS for applications in the U.S. NAAA also included the study conducted in 2015 by the Colorado Agricultural Aviation Association in conjunction with the Think Before You Launch (TBYL) safety coalition that proved agricultural aviators cannot see UAS, and another study published in Transactions of the ASABE, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), which looked at pesticide drift from UAS. This study concluded that the current AgDRIFT model used by the EPA to evaluate the risk of drift from aerial applications cannot handle modeling UAS by itself; an additional model is needed to deal with the multiple vortices created by multi-rotor UAS. The authors also found that when UAS exceed critical speed (14.5–17.8 mph) the risk of drift is considerable.

 

NAAA will continue to monitor future standard developments related to UAS to ensure safety to the agricultural aviation industry.

Protect Your Privately Owned Airport, List it with the FAA

Do you have a privately owned airport? If so, protect it by making sure the FAA does not list it as closed indefinitely in its airports database. The FAA will remove airports from the database and from charts starting in the next charting cycle if they have not heard from the airport manager since January 2018. For example, in one state alone in the upper Midwest, there are 54 private airports (with several known aerial applicator airports) that will be removed from the database if they do not contact the FAA. 
 
There are many reasons to make sure an aerial applicator has official recognition from the FAA. You probably have a lot invested in your airport: hangers, developed runways and loading areas. You would probably not have much value left in these items if the airport became unusable. Having an FAA designation may provide protection from incursions such as wind energy development and urban sprawl. In some areas when developing wind energy zoning, counties have required setbacks from official airports, private or public.  
 
The best way to check on and update your airport is through the FAA’s new Airport Data and Information Portal (ADIP). This site does require you to register as a user. Once you get registered on this site, click on “Update Facility Data,” then look at the box that lists “Airport Status.” It should say “operational,”  if not, make the required changes.
 
You may also contact your Airports Regional and District Development Office here.  
 
As a last resort contact Drew Goldsmith at the FAA or call (202) 267-6549.

NAAA Saddened to Report on Loss of Operator Paul Gould

The members and staff of NAAA extend their condolences and sympathies to the friends and family of Paul Gould of Webber Falls, Oklahoma. Paul was fatally injured in an ag aviation accident on July 10. He was born on Feb. 7, 1958. He graduated from Webber Falls High School in 1976 and then went on to OSU where he received a degree in entomology. Paul was a former NAAA board member and an active member of the Oklahoma AAA. He was always ready to give advice to those looking to get into the ag aviation industry and mentored several young men towards getting their aircraft mechanic license or private pilot license. 
 
Paul was also very active at the Webber Falls Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Glenda, his parents, a sister and brother and their spouses, two brothers-in-law and their wives, five nephews, three nieces and 10 great-nephews.
 
Visitation is today, July 16, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Agent Millsap Event Center in Gore, Oklahoma. Funeral services will be on July 17 at 10 a.m. at the Webbers Falls School Gymnasium in Webbers Falls. To write on Paul’s memory wall or send flowers for his service, click here.

NAAA Saddened to Report on Loss of Operator Josh Reid

NAAA members and staff offer their condolences and sympathies to the friends and family of Josh Reid of Springfield, Colorado. Josh was injured in an ag aviation accident on July 10. He succumbed to burn injuries received in the accident and passed away on July 14.

 

Josh was the operator and pilot for Reid Aviation & Aerial Spraying. He leaves behind his wife Melissa and four young children. You can send condolences to Melissa and his family at the following address:

 

Melissa Reid

637 E. 10th Street

Springfield, CO 81073

 

At the time of this writing there were no details on memorials. Please keep Josh’s family in your prayers as they mourn his loss.

Thrush Adds Storm Shield Impact Resistant Windshields as Standard Equipment

 Few hazards are more worrisome to an ag pilot than a bird strike or, more recently, a high-speed drone strike.Post-impact images and outcomes reveal the extensive damage suchcollisions can cause when the aircraft windshield is compromised or penetrated. Thrush Aircraft is now providing customers with a significantly higher level of protection from such occurrences by making advanced technology Storm Shield windshields from Storm Aeronautics standard equipment on all Thrush aircraft beginning this summer.

 

In testing at the National Institute of Aviation Research, Storm Shield windshields sustained impact energy loads eight times greater than original equipment manufacturer (OEM) windshields from a competing aircraft manufacturer before showing any visual damage. And at failure, the Storm Shield windshields produced small granular crumbles of material rather than the damaging slivers of glass common in other windshields under similar conditions—while also maintaining their structural integrity better than competing OEM windshields.

High speed impact resistant Storm Shield windshields from Storm Aeronautics are now becoming standard equipment on all models of Thrush Aircraft.

“Providing better protection for customers and their aircraft is something we take very seriously. And adding these new windshields is yet another part of our ongoing commitment to building airplanes designed to bring pilots home safely each night,” Thrush Aircraft CEO Mark McDonald said.

 

“We’re very proud to have our windshields become standard equipment exclusively on new Thrush Aircraft,” said Jared Storm, president of Storm Aeronautics. “Like Thrush, we are deeply committed to pilot safety in every product we build. And flying behind a Storm Shield windshield provides a new level of cockpit protection that’s unmatched in the industry.”

 

In addition to becoming standard equipment on new Thrush aircraft, Storm Shield windshields are also available from Thrush as a retrofit kit for all current Thrush models. Installation requires roughly six hours with some sealant drying time, and kits can be ordered by contacting Kevin Pierce, director of services at Thrush, at (229) 317-8222 or support@thrushaircraft.com.

NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Booth Sales Opened Last Week with Success; Over 60% of the Show Floor Sold!

Booth sales opened July 9 for the 2020 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo in Savannah Dec. 7–10 with many companies purchasing booth space (and pre-purchasing large booth space). Ninety-three (93) companies have purchased exhibit space since sales opened; this is compared to 108 companies in 2017 and 103 companies in 2015, both held in Savannah, on the opening day of booth sales. Don’t fret if you still want to exhibit, there is plenty of booth space left! View pricing and availability here.

 

We are also happy to report that half of the room block is full in Savannah and in the “pulse check” survey, conducted in late May and early June to gauge how members are feeling about traveling to and attending the Ag Aviation Expo, 51% still definitely plan to attend the convention with 31% considering attending.

 

NAAA, the Savannah Convention Center, the hotels and our vendors are all taking steps to ensure a safe and healthy Ag Aviation Expo. While we are still several months away, you can view some of our procedures online.

 

View the NAAA Trade Show Floor Plan to review the companies that will be visiting with attendees on the NAAA Trade Show floor.

 

Attendee registration is now open! Register today for the Ag Aviation Expo!

 

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: Opened July 1
  • Exhibitor Booth Sales: Large booth sales and Diamond sponsorship booth sales are currently open; this includes aircraft, islands and 10’x30'. 10'x10' and 10'x20' booth sales opened 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.

Richter Aviation First Operator to Support the Centennial Celebration of Aerial Application, Many More Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Thank you to our first operator-sponsor, Richter Aviation in Maxwell, Calif., for committing to supporting the 100th anniversary of the aerial application industry. Last month, aviation insurance underwriter USAIG was the first to commit to sponsoring NAAA’s plans celebrating the momentous 100th anniversary of ag aviation. In 2021, the agricultural aviation industry is preparing to celebrate its first 100 years of service of providing food, fiber and biofuel, in addition to protecting forestry and controlling health-threatening pests, to our great nation. As NAAA prepares for this centennial celebration, we invite you to take part as a donor and participant in this once-in-a-lifetime anniversary. You are part of this industry and should be celebrated! 
 
We have four sponsorship levels available and your logo, advertisement and/or story can be seen for years in a book, documentary, in eBlasts and on our 100th anniversary website, which will launch later this year. 
 
Aug. 3, 2021, marks the 100th anniversary of an experiment in Ohio when lead arsenate dust was spread over catalpa trees to kill sphinx moth larvae. In honor of this accomplishment, we are planning a major campaign to include a short documentary, a complete history book of the industry and a significant outreach campaign to the public and the media through media briefings, press releases, website and social media that showcase the proud history and promising future of aerial application.
 
Sponsoring the 100th anniversary is a great way to show your support of the industry's longevity and potentially showcase your contributions to the industry. Your level of support provides you the opportunity to be seen for years to come in the book, on the website and social media, at events and in the documentary.
 
Click here to view our 100th anniversary sponsorship brochure. This is an industry-wide celebration; we welcome your sponsorship ideas if there is a different way that you would like to support the anniversary and industry.
 
Our industry has a remarkable story to tell. It plays a crucial role in helping farmers feed, clothe and provide biofuel to the world. And we hope you will join us in supporting the 100th anniversary celebration of the aerial application industry.

We Love Our Members! Your NAAA Support Has Resulted in Significant Accomplishments; Please Renew Today!

Renewals are now open for the NAAA 2021 membership year! You will soon receive your renewal form in the mail, but there is no need to wait! You can renew online today. As a member of NAAA, you associate with the best and brightest in the agricultural aviation industry and your support is imperative in helping us accomplish our initiatives. We would like to remind you of just a few new offerings NAAA has recently released such as:

  • Ensuring your aerial application business and job is ESSENTIAL during COVID-19 and extending license expirations due to quarantine shutdowns. Check out our COVID-19 Resources webpage. 
  • Offering legal services on Federal Transpiration Laws to Operator and Pilot Members.
  • Receive the 2019 NAAA Operator and Pilot Survey Report which is chock-full of key statistics providing a healthy status of the U.S. aerial application industry. 
  • We have an awesome 2020 Ag Aviation Expo planned for you this year! Hear from James Bradley, author of Flags of our Fathers and Flyboys. It is four days packed full of educational sessions where you can earn CEUs. Registration is now open!
  • Don’t forget to take advantage of financial incentives such as NAAA’s Recruitment Rewards Program.
  • Our 2020 NAAA Membership Directory has been mailed out. It is your one-stop shop where you can find professional members that might be looking for help or offering help and a plethora of qualified allied services in the industry.
  • Stay up to date on the latest issues affecting your profession through the NAAA eNewsletter, Agricultural Aviation magazine and exclusive member resources online such as our Media Relations Kit.

NAAA is dedicated to protecting and advancing the needs of the industry by improving the public's perception of the aerial application industry and spearheading the industry's environmental stewardship and safety initiatives. If you haven’t gotten a chance to review all our accomplishments this past year in the 2020 NAAA Membership Directory, you can download our Annual Report.

 

We appreciate your membership as it will help us continue to fight and win to keep aerial application as an essential service during the current global pandemic and on important issues like unfair user fees and taxes; requiring tower marking requirements; and ensure the safe integration of drones into the national airspace; and advocating that EPA keeps a healthy inventory of crop protection products for aerial use without unnecessary restrictions. Your membership helps us better represent your interests.

Pitch Your Best Shot at Pitching In for PAASS, a NAAREF Fundraiser Taking Place at the Ag Aviation Expo

Help us raise money for NAAREF and PAASS by showing up with your pitching arm for Pitching In For PAASS, a fundraiser for the ag aviation industry’s premier educational safety program. The event will take place 7–10 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Savannah Convention Center. Pitching In For PAASS is a corn-seed bag toss game, also known as cornhole, where players take turns throwing bags of corn kernels at a raised board with a hole.

 

The event will be a March Madness style tournament that will follow the American Cornhole Association rules. A bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the board scores 1 point. The first team to 21 points wins. Games will be capped at 20 minutes each. The scoring judges will call “last round” on any game that has exceeded 20 minutes. 

 

Registration is now open and is required; the minimum donation is $110 per person. Each person must register separately, and teams are made up of two people (if you’d like to register multiple people, please call the office at 202-546-5722). There will be 64 total teams, allowing for 128 participants.

 

Both people on the winning team will receive $125 gift certificates to purchase merchandise at the 2020 NAAA Support Fundraising booth on the NAAA Trade Show floor on Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

Help us raise funds to continue the highly regarded PAASS Program, working to reduce the number of aviation accidents and drift incidents each year. Register today!

Summer 2020 Issue of Agricultural Aviation Now Online!

The Summer 2020 issue of Agricultural Aviation is now available online and in the Agricultural Aviation Magazine App. The cover story of the new issue examines the intersection between crop dusters and pop culture. Additional features include articles on the rise in flight simulators designed for agricultural aviation training, a preview of the 2020 Ag Aviation Expo, the FAA’s Ag Wings program, timely tips to ensure a safe ag flying season, advice for managing back pain, disaster recovery planning, and much more!


Highlights of the Summer 2020 issue include:

How to get the Most from your Digital Edition

All online editions of Agricultural Aviation, starting with the Spring 2017 issue, are available in two reading formats: Replica and Mobile-optimized for easy reading on your phone. Use the buttons on the navigation bar to get the most from your digital edition.


Contents button: The Contents button or hamburger icon hides or displays the table of contents. Scroll through it to jump to the articles that interest you the most.

Reading/Page View: Smartphone readers, this feature is for you! Click on the Page View and Reading View (or Text) buttons to toggle between replica and mobile-optimized versions of an article.


Share: Click the Share button to share articles with friends and associates on Facebook, Twitter and via email.


Improved Search: NAAA’s digital edition now features additional search functionality. In Page View and Reading View, search will display two options: an easy-to-use search within the issue, and an option for a more in-depth search of all issues. To access the search box, open the contents tab by clicking on the hamburger icon. The search box is up top, below the masthead.


You can also access Agricultural Aviation’s library of back issues by clicking the Issue Library button.

Get the Free Agricultural Aviation App

If you haven’t installed the free Agricultural Aviation Magazine App on your smartphone or tablet, you are missing out on a great way to tap into a library’s worth of Agricultural Aviation issues in the palm of your hand. Download the Agricultural Aviation Magazine App and see how easy it is to use. The app is compatible with all Apple, Google and Amazon mobile devices and can be downloaded from their respective app stores by searching “Agricultural Aviation Magazine.” Enable push notifications to be alerted when new digital editions are published and to receive occasional notifications about pertinent articles.

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.

Received Your 2020 Membership Directory Yet? If Not, Let Us Know

By now all NAAA members should have received their copy of the 2020 NAAA Membership Directory. If you did not receive the new membership directory, please contact NAAA’s Marisa Beam at mbeam@agaviation.org to request a replacement copy.

 
NAAA is aware of a few instances where some members’ directory issues were misdelivered to another member in their state. The delivery mistakes were due to errors by the U.S. Postal Service in at least one regional processing center where workers neglected to separate at least a couple of bound stacks of directories grouped by members in the same state. Each copy was individually postmarked, but the delivery post office delivered the entire stack to the member listed on the top copy of the bound directories. Those members notified NAAA of the mistaken deliveries and graciously dropped off the individually postmarked directories intended for their neighboring members at their local post office for redelivery.

 

NAAA informed its printer of the delivery issues, which then notified the bulk mail center in Pennsylvania where the directory mailing originated. A USPS business service network representative acknowledged that the regional plant and local delivery offices appear to have processed the bundles in error. The USPS representative further stated that she had notified the regional plant and delivery office of the top recipients of the errors to address the issue of how to correctly process bundled pieces with their employees.

While these bundled misdeliveries appear to be limited to a few isolated instances, if you have not gotten your copy of the 2020 NAAA Membership Directory yet, please let us know and we will send a replacement copy. Although the delivery errors were beyond NAAA’s control, we apologize for the delay and want to ensure all members have access to this indispensable resource. Once again, if you did not receive the new membership directory, contact NAAA’s Marisa Beam at mbeam@agaviation.org or (202) 546-5722 to request a replacement copy.

Last Chance to Provide Accurate Data for Agricultural Aviation Industry, Please Complete FAA Survey

The Federal Aviation Administration’s 42nd annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey (GA Survey) is coming to an end. If you are selected to participate in this year’s survey, you will receive either an email or postcard invitation to complete the GA Survey soon. You may complete the survey online, or a survey form will be mailed to you along with a postage-paid envelope. There are only a couple of weeks left to submit responses. Please complete the survey if you received one. It is important for us to collect valuable data about our industry to pinpoint our education and safety programs.

 

If you have three or more aircraft and have been receiving survey requests for each individual aircraft, the GA survey coordinators have created a shorter version of the survey that you can fill out for aggregate reporting to reduce the time required to submit a response.

 

Data from this survey are used by governmental agencies and industry to:
  • Compute safety metrics, such as fatal accidents rates.
  • Understand the impact of the GA industry on jobs, economic output, and investments in aviation infrastructure.
  • Track the success of safety initiatives, including avionics recommendations.
  • Determine funding for infrastructure and service needs.
  • Assess the impact of regulatory changes.

Of particular importance to the aerial application industry is using the GA survey data to calculate an accurate accident rate for our industry, which is valuable for demonstrating the continuously improving safety of aerial application. To do that, the FAA needs an accurate tally of the hours flown in 2019. It only takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete the survey, which you can do online or on a survey form that will be mailed to you with a postage-paid envelope. Or, call Tetra Tech toll-free at 1-800-826-1797. The information is confidential and will only be used for statistical purposes and will not be published or released in any form that would reveal an individual participant.