NAAA’s 2020 Ag Aviation Expo Comes in for Safe Landing

The 2020 Ag Aviation Expo was held in person in Savannah last week and is sure to be one that attendees remember for a long time. Not surprisingly, this year’s event was a smaller affair, featuring fewer exhibitors and attendees, but the fact that the Ag Aviation Expo was held at all made its successful conclusion extremely satisfying. What NAAA’s attendees and exhibitors lacked in terms of numbers was compensated by the high spirits on display at NAAA’s education sessions, receptions and trade show. Moreover, the health and safety protocols NAAA implemented achieved their desired effect. In the early returns for NAAA’s attendee survey, 100% stated they arrived home safe and healthy.

 

Here are some of the highlights from NAAA’s unique 2020 Ag Aviation Expo. Let’s review!

MONDAY, DEC. 7

Kickoff Speaker Mixes Fearless Forecasts with Laughs

NAAA member Eric Klindt models a humorous T-shirt that Damon Mason sells.

The convention got off to a flying start at Monday’s Kickoff Breakfast with an address by Damian Mason, an agricultural economist, futurist, author, podcaster and comedian. At root, Mason is a trained professional observer, and he credits his comedy background for honing his powers of observation. “To be a comedian is to be a professional observer,” he said. “That’s what comedy is: observation, report your perspective, deliver a punchline.” Mason generated several laughs throughout his address as he shared his perspectives on where he sees the business of agriculture headed. He did so by making a series of predictions, which you can read more about here.

2020 NAAA ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ Scholarships Awarded

The Kickoff Breakfast was sponsored by BASF, which also co-sponsored the 2020 NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship program with Thrush Aircraft. This year was BASF’s 11th of sponsoring the scholarship and Thrush’s fourth year of co-sponsoring it. Thanks to their generous support, NAAA awarded $5,000 scholarships to four aspiring ag pilots who applied for the 2020 scholarship. Before Mason’s talk, John Sabatka from BASF announced the 2020 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship recipients in a prerecorded video message. They include:

• Alexander “Zander” Baumann of Manitowoc, Wisconsin
• Curtis Grimes of Garden City, Missouri
• Benjamin Ramos of Yuma, Arizona
• Dabid Romero of Gooding, Idaho
  

Curtis Grimes (left), with his sponsor, Sam Styron, was one of four men to receive a $5,000 scholarship from the 2020 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship program.

Scholarship applicants had to be sponsored by an NAAA operator member to apply. Baumann was sponsored by Dean Heimermann, of Countryside Aviation, in Chilton, Wisconsin. Sam Styron of 1Lowflyer Inc. in Harrisonville, Missouri, sponsored Grimes. Miles Morris of Morris Ag Air Southwest in Yuma, Arizona, sponsored Ramos, and Rod Thomas, of Thomas Helicopters in Gooding, Idaho, sponsored Romero.

Aerial Application Technology Research Session

The 2020 Aerial Application Technology Research Session presentations were delivered to attendees virtually.

The Aerial Application Technology Research Session was presented using six prerecorded presentations since every one of the researchers came from an institution that prohibited travel to meetings and conferences. The presenters were available for questions from the in-person audience through a Zoom meeting.

Sam Marx from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln talked about how the variation in an ag aircraft’s spray swath is measured and how to lower variation to improve application uniformity. Chenghai Yang, with the USDA-ARS Aerial Application Technology Research Unit, discussed how to use satellite imagery to identify cotton fields to assist with the boll weevil eradication program. Next from the USDA Aerial Application Technology Research Unit was Brad Fritz, who provided an overview of the different types of nozzles available for aerial applications. Randy Price from the LSU AgCenter discussed his development of a new type of spray pattern analysis equipment for agricultural aircraft. An estimated total value of the agricultural aviation industry was the focus of the research results presented by Senarath Dharmasena of Texas A&M University. The final talk was given by Dan Martin, also with USDA Aerial Application Technology Research Unit, who summarized results comparing deposition and efficacy for different nozzle types and spray application volumes for aerial weed control applications.

A more thorough review of the research presented during this session will appear in the Winter 2021 issue of Agricultural Aviation.

Aerial Imaging and Low-Altitude Airspace Sessions Focus on Crop Scouting and Ag Aircraft Flying Characterizations to Possibly Protect Against Drones

NAAA’s typical session on drones and FAA policy morphed this year to focus on federal policy pertaining to low-altitude obstacles, but also aerial imaging and a study characterizing ag aircraft in flight as a precursor to ultimately develop a safety buffer between low-flying manned aircraft and drones. NAAA CEO Andrew Moore, Madison Dixon, the UAS program manager at Mississippi State University, and AgroScout Sales Director Tim Kustka led the first session.

Moore discussed federal low-level altitude obstacle policy matters due to the FAA and other government representatives’ inability to attend. He stated that in March of 2020 NAAA submitted comments to the FAA on its proposed rule for tracking and identifying unmanned aerial systems (UAS). NAAA commented in support of the FAA proposal that drones over 0.55 pounds be equipped with tracking and identification technology. NAAA also commented that certain recreational and government drones exempt from the tracking and ID technology not be able to fly in areas where there is manned aircraft activity.

Moore also reported that the legislation enacted in 2018 to require towers less than 10 feet in diameter at the base and between 50 feet and 200 feet AGL to be either marked or logged (both would be required for meteorological evaluation towers) into an FAA public database is stalled at the FAA. In recent conversations with the FAA, NAAA has been told that promulgation of the legislation is still in the lineup; however, it is considered a low priority. NAAA will be using congressional pressure to get the FAA to promulgate the rule.

Tim Kustka of AgroScout presented on using its crop sensing DJI drone to perform aerial imaging to scout crops. The AgroScout system can image and scout 5,000 plants in the same amount of time it would take a crop consultant to observe 150 plants by foot. Plus, the system can be used autonomously, and it won’t bring in contaminants such as spores, seeds and insects from an infected field to a clean field from shoes. Presently, the system is being used by PepsiCo and Pizzoli in their operations.

The session ended with questions and answers covering different aspects of aerial crop scouting. There were also questions on how operations are done safely around obstructions, such as irrigation units. The response was that those units are equipped with geospatial coordinates that the drone can avoid. A discussion on how to protect manned agricultural aircraft from scouting drones was also mentioned, as was the possibility that aerial applicators could use the technology as another service platform to provide to their farmer-customers.

After the first session concluded, the second was presented virtually by Madison Dixon of Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory on its study titled “Characterization of Agricultural Aircraft Performance Using Flight Log Data.” Data for the study was collected from a three-year research effort made possible by the support of NAAA members through GPS flight log data contributions. The research aims to keep agricultural pilots and aircraft safe from drones by providing UAS operators with information on how to deconflict with agricultural aircraft.

In total, 28,448 total logs have been collected from 20 states (WA, CA, ID, CO, TX, ND, SD, NE, KS, TX, MN, WI, IA, IL, MS, AK, AL, AR, DE, MD). Multiple different ag aircraft were used, ranging from Weatherlys to Air Tractors, with interesting statistics including an average ferrying speed of 132.8 mph and an average spray speed of 139 mph. The data from the GPS logs submitted had all identifying information removed. The next steps for the Mississippi State University’s researchers include additional modeling and prediction of manned aircraft movements, simulation of UAS operations around ag aircraft, etc.

NAAA Engine Sessions

Several engine sessions were offered for turbine and radial powered aircraft over the course of the convention, beginning with a Pratt & Whitney Canada Session on Sunday, Dec. 6. The four-hour Sunday morning P&WC PT6 presentation was hosted by Covington Aircraft, with Robert Craymer and Fletcher Sharp presenting. There were approximately 45 attendees, and topics covered included basic PT6 descriptions, with most of the time spent addressing operator questions. From a perspective of questions asked by operators, this was an all-time high. There were a lot of very positive comments on how it was presented.

Fletcher Sharp moderated the Radial Engines Session. The only panelist was David Hamilton from Covington Aircraft. The audience, numbering 40 at its conclusion, included a growing number of new, young operators, which is a good thing.

Topics covered included the best way to operate a radial engine, which led to a lengthy discussion on how much throttle to use on takeoff. Some of the newer guys were doing reduce power takeoffs, and Hamilton pointed out that for takeoff only, the throttle should always be full forward to ensure as much gasoline as possible flows into the cylinders to provide additional cooling of the cylinder heads and help prevent cracking. The use of straight mineral oil versus Ashless Dispersant oil was addressed. The age component of many of the key radial engine parts was a hot topic. Most of what is available has been out there for 50 to 70 years or more, and no one is making new parts due to the design and production costs being astronomically high. As radial engines continue to age, certain key parts may become an issue.

The Honeywell TPE331 Session was led by NAAA Past President Perry Hofer, who pulled together a panel of -331 operators including himself, Barry Boyette, Matt Regier, Jeff Reabe, Mikel Hofer and Issac Wilde, who were willing to share their operating practices and procedures, including fuel nozzle maintenance best practices, oil sampling programs, and ensuring their fuel farm was kept in the best possible condition. All told, there were about 24 operators in this session. Hofer’s assistance was gratefully accepted!

For the P&WC PT6 Turbine Session, the four panelists were Robert Salyers from P&WC, Robert Craymer from Covington Aircraft, Will Wilson from Airforce Turbines and Jay Streb from Turbines Inc. Fletcher Sharp was the moderator. Topics discussed included the added value of the “Cool or Fast Start” kits, primarily for the larger -60 series of engines, the new P&WC oil analysis program, oil consumption rates, troubleshooting engine problems using data from a ground power run, compressor washing and turbine rinsing, best practices on engine shutdown procedures after the last flight of the day and fuel nozzle maintenance. For any turbine engines, clean air, clean fuel and clean oil can be large contributors to a good running engine. A brief review of a potential Airworthiness Directive aimed at all -34 series of engines was shared so that if the AD is issued, operators would have some background information. Attendance was around 45 operators.

Chemical Session

John Garr of GarrCo Products discusses some of his adjuvant products at the 2020 Chemical Session.

Lynn Justesen of UPL moderated the 2020 Chemical Session. He began the session talking about UPL, which offers a large number of very established products. UPL has more than 80 registered active ingredients in 278 different products. It is India-based with U.S. headquarters in Pennsylvania. He finished up by talking about the importance of adjuvants, which was a perfect segue to the other session presentations.

Steffan Busch with EGE Products began by talking about Length EXT, a next-generation polymer with residual encapsulation technology. Length EXT protects insecticides from being broken down by UV light, which increases the residual life of the insecticide. Length EXT will also decrease evaporation during the application. Busch finished up describing N-Line and J-Line, two different nitrogen stabilizers offered by EGE. N-Line is strictly a nitrogen stabilizer, while J-Line has both a nitrogen stabilizer and a nitrification inhibitor.

The next talk also focused on adjuvants. John Garr of GarrCo Products began his presentation with a discussion on the importance of spray droplet size and its impact on both coverage and drift potential. Control DUO offers both drift control and a nonionic surfactant (NIS) in one product and has been shown to increase pesticide deposition on leaves. Assist is a compatibility agent and water conditioner from GarrCo that can help create an effective spray mixture. Garr finished up by talking about Stimulate, a highly concentrated microbial product. Stimulate increases root mass, which in turn enhances water and nutrient uptake. It can be applied as a foliar application with any pesticide except paraquat and works with any crop.

TUESDAY, DEC. 8

NAAA General Session

The 2020 NAAA General Session examined legal, medical and food trends occurring in the ag aviation industry nationally. Aviation attorney John Wright participated by Zoom and started things off by discussing a pair of legal cases he tried in Colorado between an aggressive state government agency and two reputable aerial applicators. Agri Marketing magazine publisher Lynn Henderson also Zoomed in to provide an overview of how the landscape is changing within the food and agriculture sectors. Dr. Stan Musick, an aviator and AME, took the stage in person to cover several medical topics relevant to ag pilots, including over-the-counter drugs’ potency, fatigue and how to get a medical special issuance. Their presentations are covered more in-depth here.

NAAA Trade Show and Live Auction

The NAAA Trade Show featured approximately 100 exhibitors, including three fixed-wing ag planes and two rotorcraft on display. Twenty-two companies and individuals donated items to NAAA’s 2020 Live Auction, including a brand-new PT6A-34AG engine donated by Pratt & Whitney Canada and purchased by winning bidder John Pew of Sarita Aerial Contractors Inc. in Arizona.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9

Athena Program

 

The 2020 Athena program presented at NAAA’s convention was titled “Personalities: Who Are You?” The purpose is to understand yourself better to serve others better. By understanding your personality, you can learn how to react and interpret the other person’s personality. The program was based on the DISC profile, which stands for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness.

Athena presenter Jane Barber-Pitlick delivered the program to 16 attendees and encouraged them to take the DISC personality test to gain insights about themselves and others and learn to adapt to better appreciate someone else’s personality “quirks.” The attendees were given the opportunity for a limited time to take the DISC personality test at no cost to them, courtesy of NAAA.

The WNAAA originally developed the Athena Project over 20 years ago for ag pilots’ wives to better understand the daily pressures pilots face while away from home. Its name comes from Greek mythology. Athena, the daughter of Zeus, was the goddess of wisdom, agriculture and handicrafts. The program is now under the purview of the NAAA Support Committee. Over the years, Athena’s presenters have developed the program with the assistance of the PAASS Program developers to broaden the audience to all those who work daily alongside ag pilots. The program has covered many topics, including emergency management, recordkeeping and insurance needs, pilot nutrition and personality traits.

Relationship Drift Session

Distractions are a common factor in many agricultural aviation accidents. Many distractions come from the cockpit, while others come from external stressors. These external stressors can be difficult customers, problems with employees and equipment maintenance issues. There is, however, a stressor that has nothing to do with agricultural aviation—stress from personal issues resulting from a relationship with a spouse or significant other. This stress, like any other, can cause a pilot to be distracted from the task at hand and increase the likelihood of an accident.

Last year the NAAREF Safety Session was titled “Relationship Drift” and focused specifically on this type of distraction. The goal of the session was to examine how personal relationships affect pilot decision-making and safety. Following the 2019 session’s success, NAAREF decided to hold another Relationship Drift Session at the 2020 Ag Aviation Expo.

This year it was presented by Darrin Pluhar and Sue Stewart. Stewart is an operator from Haskell, Texas, whose husband is a co-operator and an ag pilot. Pluhar is an operator and ag pilot who operates in Ekalaka, Montana. The session began with pilots and their spouses or significant others in the same room for an introduction and an overview of the program’s goals.

After that, the audience was split into two groups. Operator and pilot roles are largely but not exclusively the dominion of men, as a female ag pilot and a few female operators in the audience could attest, but for the sake of discussion, the audience was separated by gender into two groups. The women remained in the main room, and the men were escorted to another room.

Each group was presented with a series of similar questions designed to promote discussion focusing on the overall goal of understanding and reducing distraction caused by relationship stress. Polling was conducted with each group using an audience response system. Questions included when pilots and significant others should discuss how to handle non-work-related issues during the season, how much communication is appropriate during a busy day in the season, and how both pilots and their domestic partners can help their relationship stay on target during the busy part of the year. Also discussed was how to address urgent situations during the season and the appropriate time to communicate when an emergency occurs. All of the questions generated good discussions with participants sharing their individual experiences and thoughts.

After the two groups answered the questions and discussed their responses apart from each other, they reconvened together to review and discuss what each had to say about the topics covered by the questions. Pilots and their spouses or significant others were then able to share their thoughts on how to ensure their relationship stayed strong, with both parties’ individual needs being met, and at the same time ensure minimal distractions to help ensure pilot safety.

Helicopter Session

Longtime Helicopter Session moderator Jeff Reabe of Reabe Aircraft Improvement once again skillfully guided conversation and questions on topics ranging from cabin comfort, finding and retaining good employees, moving from piston to turbine powered helicopters, and the benefits of charging by the hour instead of by the acre for helicopter work. The session even included a special guest: Jim Viola, the new president and CEO of Helicopter Association International.

Storm Aeronautics Session

Jared Storm spoke on the safety success of the Storm Shield and the Storm Cutters. Both safety items continue to be successful in providing a higher level of safety when encountering dangerous situations such as bird strikes and wire strikes.

Storm Aeronautics continues to provide parts support and product improvements to Ag-Cat owners. The company continues to work on developing a larger version of the A and B model Ag-Cat. This will be a more aerodynamic aircraft compared to previous attempts to produce a larger Ag-Cat. This version will feature a PT6A-140 series engine and is expected to provide higher ferrying speeds while keeping in-field application speeds down to a reasonable level.

THURSDAY, DEC. 10

Air Tractor Session

An attendee fist-bumps Air Tractor President Jim Hirsch (left) at the Air Tractor Session.

Air Tractor President Jim Hirsch conducted the Air Tractor Session. He began by reviewing how the company had responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan followed at the factory includes frequent hand-washing, daily cleaning and disinfecting, providing masks and hand sanitizer for each employee and daily health screening. This response allowed Air Tractor to mark its 46th year of uninterrupted aircraft production.

Hirsch then provided attendees a synopsis of 2020 production. In 2020, 119 Air Tractors were produced. The top airplane manufactured was the AT-802A, with 31 built during 2020. The AT-502B was next with 23 built, followed by the AT-502XP at 16 manufactured. Air Tractor has manufactured 92 AT-502XPs since 2016. The forecast for 2021 is to produce 130 Air Tractors.

One of the latest planned improvements at the Air Tractor factory is “inspect vision.” This is an automated optical inspection system that scans parts and then compares them to the part’s drawing to verify the part has been accurately manufactured. For 2021, Air Tractor will be renewing a paint booth and its spar mill.

Hirsch went on to talk about maintenance training, which is free with the purchase of an Air Tractor. COVID-19 has caused a delay in this training, but new dates will be posted soon to Air Tractor’s website.

There are several new products for Air Tractor’s models, including CapstanAg’s SwathPRO system, which will improve application accuracy and is in the process of getting an STC. Also new is the Trotter Gen III Fire Retardant Dispersal System (FRDS), which is now fully FAA approved. Now standard equipment on AT-602s and AT-802s is the new tailwheel and axle, which is easy to grease, has long life bearings and is manufactured from aluminum for better corrosion resistance. A new windshield manufactured by PPG that is lighter and has 10 times more impact resistance will be coming soon, and work continues on the AT-1002 and the certification process. Hirsch said he felt a renewed sense of confidence that the AT-1002 will get finished.

The session finished up with reminders about service letters. Hirsch stressed the fact that clean fuel, air and oil will prevent 80% of service events. Service letter 320 deals with the engine air filter—environmental operating conditions determine the service interval. Hirsch reminded operators who apply fertilizer to ensure the airplane’s nose is pointed into the wind while loading fertilizer so that the dust blows away from the engine. Air Tractor is working on an x-flow filter for ram air.

AeroShell 560 High Thermal Stability (HTS), a cleaner oil that does not darken, is now approved. Pratt & Whitney Canada service instructions provide details for introduction into in-service engines. Flap torque tubes can experience cracks at the actuator bracket weld. Service letter 347 covers this issue, and Air Tractor expects the FAA to issue an AD for the flap torque tube. For V struts on the AT-802 and AT-802A, service letter 383 covers cracks that can occur across the tube near the V weld. A design change has been made to prevent the cracks.

Hirsch closed by reminding the audience that service manuals and maintenance tip videos are available on the Air Tractor website for Air Tractor owners. Current maintenance tip videos include x-flow air filter service, trim your Air Tractor plane, weight and balance and brake bleeding.

Thrush Aircraft Session

Thrush President and CEO Mark McDonald speaks at the Thrush Aircraft Session.

Mark McDonald, president and CEO of Thrush Aircraft, started its session by relating that the current ownership and management of Thrush Aircraft is a little over a year old. The most often asked question he has received is, “Are you glad you purchased Thrush Aircraft?” The answer, he said, is a definite yes!

Some of the plans made for 2020 were to stabilize the business, improve service, develop and support dealers and create a team. McDonald believes they have made headway on all these goals.

Thrush Aircraft produced 19 aircraft in 2020 and plans on producing 40 aircraft in 2021. McDonald said the goal going forward is to deliver on promises made and that the company will not start big projects until they can be delivered. One project Thrush has started is certifying the PT6A-140 series engine in the 510 airframe.

Thrush also is working on providing product and service options for GE engine owners who would like to do something different. McDonald reported that Thrush Aircraft is still working with GE. GE plans to have three spare engines in the U.S. and one in Canada before the 2021 season starts, and it plans to improve service centers and inventories.

Thrush is interested in helping with safety in ag aviation, specifically regarding human factors. McDonald is concerned that they have not received any calls on safety issues and is willing to work with NAAA and other OEMs. Thrush intends to make its flight simulator more available and will have new training modules in three to four months.

NAAREF Safety Session

The NAAREF Safety Session covered two very important safety topics: how to dump a load in an emergency safely and how to land with a fully loaded aircraft. The topics were covered using two videos that included both classroom and aircraft footage courtesy of Fran de Kock of Battlefords Airspray in Canada. He graciously allowed NAAREF to film him instructing his students on how to safely dump and safely practice dumping and how to land with a loaded airplane.

In the video on emergency load dumping, de Kock notes that in his experience, a deficiency in ag pilots is the ability to dump loads and react to emergencies. He has had many students who have dumped one load in their life, and it scared them to the point they never tried it again. He feels the reason they have scared themselves so badly is that they have put a load in their airplane, gone up to altitude and dumped the load at full power and full cruise. The aircraft responds by pitching up drastically, to the point where it could cause an accident.

In an emergency such as an engine failure or trying to get off the strip or clear an object on takeoff, the aircraft will not be traveling nearly as fast, which is a crucial difference to how many pilots practice dumping. When dumping, the airplane is very controllable when the speed is low, but it pitches up violently when the speed is high. He gave an example of experiencing engine failure in a spray run when you have quite a bit of load left in the airplane. The first thing you should do is dump the load. Two things have happened in this situation—you’ve lost your acceleration and your airspeed is decreasing. De Kock is not worried about the nose pitching up at all in this situation because of the loss of acceleration; he’s worried about the end result of landing safely. Dump the load and fly the airplane.

In his AT-504 with a student, de Kock demonstrated how to practice dumping, simulating an engine failure emergency on takeoff by cutting back power just as the student got airborne. In a debrief after the dump, de Kock explained to the student that he should have nudged the aircraft’s nose forward a little more when he began to feel it shake to translate the energy of losing the load into airspeed. Instead, the student had let the aircraft continue to go upward and it began shuddering. He reminded the student that this was a simulated emergency and gave the student the engine back, but the engine would not be coming back in a real emergency.

In a real engine loss situation, the energy gained from dumping the load would need to be translated into airspeed. Then the pilot would need to set the aircraft up into a landing configuration and get it down safely. He reminded the student that he would not have time to feather the prop in such an emergency. On the student’s second training dump, he successfully captured that aircraft’s energy from dumping the load and converted it into airspeed. The student basically rolled the aircraft’s nose over, and he could have put flaps on and successfully landed had it been a real emergency and not a training exercise.

De Kock then pointed out there is a big difference between losing an engine, where you need to roll the nose over and land, and not being able to get off the runway or clear an obstruction. In those two situations, the engine is still performing, so when you begin to dump the load, you need to get altitude to clear the end of the runway or obstruction. In these situations, the energy of losing the load is converted into altitude instead of inertia.

Next, de Kock addressed the notion that many pilots just want to dump enough of the load to get off the strip. He firmly stated that he does not believe in that for either training purposes or in real-life emergencies. He feels the pilot should get rid of the whole load because, at this point, you’re in trouble. You don’t want to be worrying about whether or not milking off 100 gallons will allow you to make it. He instructed his students to dump the whole load and then fly the airplane. Many people will talk about not wanting to dump the load unless you absolutely have to because of the cost of the load. He contrasted the cost of the load versus the airplane’s cost or possibly even the pilot’s life. In reality, the load is by far the cheapest thing to lose.

Returning to how to respond to an engine failure at takeoff, de Kock reiterated that dumping the whole load will give you inertia, which can be translated into enough airspeed to land safely. You will want to touch down in the soft field configuration in that situation, touching down as slow as you possibly can with the flaps out. He stated that dumps on takeoffs that are required because of anything other than engine failures are self-induced. He gave an example of a pilot working off an unfamiliar strip who didn’t recognize density altitude and couldn’t quite get airborne. This is self-induced because the pilot should have had a smaller load in the airplane. This scenario was also covered for the students in the AT-504. Immediately after dumping, the airplane was in the air and climbing away.

Also important is setting up the gate for dumping. The gates can be set up so that when the pilot pushes forward on the dump handle, they totally release. The initial part of dump training is to make sure the mechanism is working. De Kock has seen gates that have been tightened so much in an attempt to stop leaking that they could not get the gate to discharge without breaking something. Practice using the dumping mechanism on the ground to make sure it works correctly and that you know how to use it. A pilot should be able to hit the dump handle without looking at it. A final tip de Kock provided on training for dumping a load is not to make closing the gate right away a top priority. During a real emergency, you won’t care about the gate at that point, so don’t worry about it in training either. If you had an engine failure, you would have many other things to do besides closing the gate. Fly the airplane.

The second video covered the dumping of landing with a fully loaded aircraft. De Kock explains that landing with a load is a situation generally worth avoiding, but some situations can force a pilot to return with a full load. This means every pilot must be able to land the airplane loaded, and with training and practice, it can be done successfully. You need a good surface and a plan. Control inputs have to be perfect. The aircraft needs to be in good working order, and the tailwheel lock has to be functioning correctly. In his first lesson, he takes the controls of the AT-504 and demonstrates to one of his many students how to land with a load. He explains that everything has to be done right.

According to de Kock, a pilot needs to be aware of differences in airspeed and using power because you can get behind the power curve very quickly. He also stressed that pilots should reduce their angle of approach when landing with a load so that the round-out phase of the landing is not as critical. If you do a more normal round-out, carry a little extra airspeed and bleed it off over the runway.

In terms of approach speed, de Kock’s rule is 20% higher than a pilot’s normal approach speed. If you normally approached at 80 mph, you would want to be almost 100 mph when landing loaded. You will lose speed in a hurry because the wing will decelerate quickly since it is carrying more weight than usual. According to de Kock, you are better off approaching a little too fast rather than a little too slow; it’s easy to bleed off excess speed.

The first attempt by the student to land loaded was a little off. The student was overreacting on the controls and let the aircraft porpoise. De Kock reminded him he needs to make a smooth transition from flying to the ground. The student’s second attempt was much improved.

When practicing landing with a load, you don’t want your first attempt to be fully loaded. Learn how the airplane will react by starting with smaller loads before working up to a full load. If things start to go awry during a loaded landing attempt, de Kock says add power and go around for another attempt. It is easier to redo the landing setup properly than to try and fix a landing that isn’t going well.

When flying a turbine, don’t bring the power below 70% because if you need power, you’re going to want it in a hurry. De Kock also recommends getting rid of the flaps once the main/fore landing gear is firmly on the ground because “you don’t want that wing to still be thinking about flying.”

In closing, de Kock stated you need to land with extra speed and very good control inputs. A pilot must have a good landing approach. If the approach isn’t good, you won’t execute a good landing. Give yourself plenty of extra room and set the landing up farther back than usual so that you know what the aircraft feels like on the controls. Respect the airplane, respect the speed, respect your abilities and know your limitations.

MENTORING OFFERINGS

Compaass Rose Session

Twenty-two low-time pilots attended the 2020 Compaass Rose Session in Savannah.

The PAASS Compaass Rose series is designed to provide professional support and direction for agricultural pilots who are new to the industry and people who want to learn more about the industry and what it takes to get into ag aviation. The goal is for participants to enhance their knowledge, continue to gain agricultural aviation experience and improve their professionalism.

The Compaass Rose format was updated in 2017 to create an environment even more favorable for those pilots new to the industry or looking to get into it. Two PAASS presenters led this year’s session: Matt Hovdenes and Mike Rivenbark. After brief introductions, 22 pilots with approximately five years of experience or less were moved to a different room. A series of multiple-choice questions were then asked of both groups, with participants answering using mobile polling. While each group was asked slightly different questions, they addressed the same topics. Both groups were asked about their experience level to get a sense of experience in the room. The questions then went on to address both groups regarding mentoring, safety, priorities and communications.

Having the groups split up allowed the participants to discuss their answers in a judgment-free zone. After each group discussed the topics, they reunited to review their responses to the survey questions together. The whole group discussed each topic with an emphasis on areas where there was greater variance between the more seasoned pilots and newer pilots’ views. On many of the topics, there was a surprising amount of agreement between the two groups. For example, most of the experienced pilots and most of the new pilots expected a new pilot to start at a non-flying position with the company. On a question about what operators look for in a potential employee, attitude and ethics rated higher than flight experience.

Speed Mentoring Session

NAAREF’s “Ask the Expert” Speed Mentoring Session was once again one of the more popular events for pilots new to the industry. The Monday afternoon timeslot allowed new pilots to meet more seasoned industry members early in the week, allowing for more ample networking opportunities throughout the show.

The mentors included operators, pilots and representatives from the insurance industry. The 32 mentees were divided up between seven tables to provide for distancing. Two to three mentors staffed each table. A total of 18 mentors helped with this event. After brief introductions, mentees asked questions for 25 minutes before the mentors rotated to different tables. This format allows for a more direct, personal interaction and benefits mentees by allowing them to hear views from several different perspectives.

The mentees in the groups varied from pilots with no agricultural experience to pilots with up to five years of agricultural application experience. The pilots had a range of questions, including how to get the first seat, how to transition to turbine aircraft and how to safely operate in the low-level environment. Some also had questions about starting their own business or being managers of an existing business.

Much of the discussion centered around how to build relationships with potential employers and how to pick a company for which the pilot would want to work. Mentors stressed the importance of loyalty and how much additional cost is incurred by employers when taking on an inexperienced ag pilot, such as time invested and increased insurance premiums. This is a small industry, and attitudes and work ethic follow pilots as they progress in it.

The conversations would have continued long past the time allotted if schedules would have permitted. NAAA would especially like to thank the 18 mentors and organizers for this quality session. The mentors included Wes Sharp, Sam Rogge, Terry Jordan, Craig Craft, Brenda Watts, Matt Regier, Riley Farder, Billy Whitfield, Michael Rutledge, Mike Rivenbark, Matt Crabbe, Al Schiffer, Matt Hovdenes, Perry Hofer, JT Helms, Doug Davidson, Tim Bonnell Jr. and Vaugh Tolbert.

In Closing …

We could go on, but we’ll save other details about the convention, including details of 2020’s best and brightest acknowledged at the concluding Excellence in Ag Aviation Banquet, for the next issue of NAAA’s magazine. If you like what you learned in Savannah or read here, save the dates for Dec. 6–9, 2021, and join us in Palm Springs, California, at our 55th annual Ag Aviation Expo. 

Beware of Jet Fuel/Diesel Fuel Deliveries with Possible Diesel Exhaust Fluid Contamination

Ten to 12 Pratt & Whitney Canada turbofan engine events on corporate jets have occurred over the past two years involving power rollbacks with the inability to regain power. In one instance, the corporate jet lost power in both engines. The aircraft that experienced the complete loss of power was able to glide to a runway and land safely. Upon investigating the incidents, the FAA attributed the cause of the engine problems to contaminated fuel.

Somehow diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), a liquid used to reduce the amount of air pollution created by a diesel engine, ended up in jet fuel at several airports and got dispensed into the aircraft. Although the majority of PT6A ag engines are unlikely to be affected by this problem, it is worth being aware of and speaks to the importance of fuel integrity.

These refuelings happened at several different fixed-base operations (FBOs) around the country. Shortly after departure from those airports, the DEF in the jet fuel reacted and started to plug orifices in the engines’ fuel control units (FCUs). Investigations of each fuel control unit revealed large amounts of urea partially or completely plugging fuel-related orifices in the fuel control. (DEF is an aqueous urea solution made with 32.5% urea and 67.5% deionized water.)

These aircraft all were serviced with Jet A fuel, and somehow, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). These refuelings happened at several different fixed-base operations (FBOs) around the country. Within 20 to 30 minutes after takeoff, each jet had an impending fuel bypass caution light illuminate, and each aircraft had an engine experience an uncommanded rollback to idle thrust. One aircraft experienced a dual engine rollback. None of the engines that had a rollback were able to recover power with a throttle push. All aircraft were able to glide to a runway and land safely.

In discussions between Fletcher Sharp, the director of propulsion on NAAA’s board, and vendors that specialize in repair/overhaul of fuel control units, the general sentiment was that PT6 engines fitted with Bendix/Honeywell FCUs (PT6A-20 through and including PT6A-45 series) most likely would not experience any issues if DEF contaminated the fuel.

The larger PT6A-140AG, -60AG, -65AG and -67AG engines all have Woodward FCUs. Those might be prone to problems, mainly during winter storage, because unlike the smaller Bendix/Honeywell FCUs, the Woodward fuel control unit is always full of fuel. Fuel contaminated by DEF in the fuel control unit and left alone without any ground runs during the offseason could show signs of sticking control valves, corrosion or both. Urea is extremely corrosive if left alone, and corrosion is not covered under Pratt & Whitney Canada’s warranty.

DEF only goes with diesel fuel. It is not for use in any other fuel product. However, most diesel fuels are very similar to jet fuels. Operators should closely monitor fuel product at delivery to their fuel farms to ensure DEF is not mixed with their fuel.

 

 P&WC Service Bulletin 13244 for the -60AG and -65AG and Service Bulletin 14504 for the -67AG and -67F engines address approved fuels and additives. The -140AG fuel and additive information is in the -140AG engine maintenance manual. If any engine issues arise that could be related to use of unapproved fuels or additives, Pratt & Whitney Canada’s warranty would most likely be null and void.

Pilots Approved for COVID-19 Vaccine May Resume Flying After 48-Hour Interval

On Dec. 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine. A day later, the FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine issued the following statement: “Holders of FAA-issued Airman Medical Certificates or Medical Clearances may receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine; however, a 48-hour no fly/no safety related duty interval must be observed after each dose.” While the FAA’s statement only mentions the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, NAAA believes the FAA will treat other vaccines similarly after receiving FDA approval.

NAAA has worked to ensure that the ag aviation industry is considered essential. Being designated as essential has allowed our activities to continue unabated during the pandemic. The distribution of these emergency use vaccines is the responsibility of each state. In most cases, essential workers will be offered the vaccine after front-line health care workers and at-risk populations.

2020 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Photos Available for Sale

Hundreds of photos from the 2020 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo in Savannah are available for viewing and purchase from NAAA’s official convention photographer, Randy Thompson Photography. An online gallery is set up at RandyThompsonPhotos.com where photos can be purchased individually for $5 per download or a CD of all the images for $30.

 

Visit RandyThompsonPhotos.com and click on the “NAAA 2020 Savannah” photo gallery to view the photos and find your favorite keepsakes from the event-filled 2020 NAAA Expo. If you have trouble completing a purchase through the photographer’s online store or need further assistance, please contact Randy Thompson at (912) 398-2093 or randyphoto@att.net.

How Would You Rate the 2020 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo? Please Tell Us by Dec. 23!

Thank you to the attendees and exhibitors for joining us for the 2020 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo in Savannah last week.

We are continually working to improve our education sessions, networking, trade show and the programs/services offered to attendees. Click the link below to complete the short survey so that we have substantive input to help us continue to improve future Ag Aviation Expos. Please complete the survey by Dec. 23.

• Attendee survey click here
• Exhibitor Survey click here
  

All responses are anonymous, but if you wish to share further details, please contact Lindsay Barber, NAAA’s Director of Meetings, Marketing & Special Projects. Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to complete this important survey. We look forward to seeing you Dec. 6–9, 2021 in Palm Springs, California.

Thank You, NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Sponsors!

NAAA sincerely appreciates the companies that supported NAAA and the agricultural aviation industry with a sponsorship for the 2020 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo last week. We have been fortunate over the years to be able to count on many of our Allied Industry and operator members who sponsor a convention program, activity or item that benefits attendees.
 
Thank you to our 2020 Ag Aviation Expo sponsors:

• Diamond Sponsors: BASF, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Syngenta, UPL North America
• Platinum Sponsors: Bayer CropScience, Corteva Agriscience, Transland
• Gold Sponsors: Ag-Nav, AgriSmart Information Systems / Flight Plan Online, Air Tractor, Covington Aircraft Engines, GarrCo Products, Starr Insurance Companies, Wilbur-Ellis
• Silver Sponsors: Aeris Insurance Solutions, AgAir Update, Ag Container Recycling Council, AIG, AssuredPartners, CapstanAG, Chuck Holzwarth Flying Service, FMC, Insero, Kimmel Aviation Insurance Agency, Lane Aviation, North Star Aviation Inc., Old Republic Aerospace, Packer & Associates, Raven Slingshot, Southeastern Aircraft Sales & Service, Turbine Conversions
• Bronze Sponsors: Chem-Man, Davidson Solid Rock Insurance, Sky Tractor, Star-Flex

We know that sponsoring companies can support many organizations, so we very much appreciate their support of NAAA! If you’re interested in a 2021 Ag Aviation Expo sponsorship in Palm Springs, California, please contact Lindsay Barber, NAAA’s Director of Meetings, Marketing & Special Projects.

Donate to NAAREF as Part of Your Year-end Giving Plans

As the year comes to an end, we hope you will consider a donation to support the National Agricultural Aviation Research & Education Foundation (NAAREF) programs. NAAREF programs include PAASS and Operation S.A.F.E., which were designed and are succeeding in promoting safety and environmental professionalism to the aerial application industry. Without successful NAAREF educational programs it’s unquestionable that the regulatory requirements facing us would be more rigorous. Unfortunately, and ironically, due to a decrease in government support, NAAREF is behind on fundraising goals and needs your support. 

 

NAAREF programs save lives, enhance our industry’s reputation, enable insurance discounts and help us meet regulatory requirements for certification.  Since it first hit the stage in 1998, PAASS—the Professional Aerial Applicators’ Support System—has reduced our accidents by 23% and drift complaints by 25.8%. It is also recognized by a number of government agencies, including the EPA, FAA, NTSB and individual state lead pesticide agencies. You can make a donation by clicking here.

 

Compaass Rose provides professional support and direction to new agricultural aviation pilots and helps to recruit new blood into the industry. It was recently updated to provide a better forum for both new and experienced ag pilots. Operation S.A.F.E. (Self-regulating Application & Flight Efficiency) clinics ensure aircraft provide on-target applications and demonstrate our professionalism to our customers and the public. These are just a handful of the programs NAAREF offers the industry.  

 

But again, to ensure their high-quality and continuance, we need your help. With government support no longer available, we have lost 14% of the revenue needed to offer NAAREF programs. We need to increase the amount of charitable donations from individuals and companies such as yourself in order to make up for the loss. You can make a donation by clicking here.

 

Please donate now to help support NAAREF programs and cultivate education, safety, and technology advancements in the industry. They save lives, reduce drift incidents, demonstrate the professionalism of the aerial application industry, and can help stave off additional government regulations.

NAAA and AAAA Work with U.S. Sen. Boozman and DOT’s FMCSA Seeking to Legally Transport Limited Quantities of Jet A without CDL HazMat Endorsement

Over the past few weeks, NAAA and operators and staff of the Arkansas Agricultural Aviation Association (AAAA) have been in communication with U.S. Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to allow states, at their discretion, to waive the requirement for a holder of a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to obtain a hazardous materials (HazMat) endorsement to transport 1,000 gallons or less of Jet A.

NAAA originally made this request of the FMCSA in 2018, but the request was held up at the Transportation Security Administration. AAAA scheduled a virtual meeting with Sen. Boozman’s office, and his team conferenced in top leadership from the FMCSA to urge them to consider NAAA’s 2018 request. Matthew Woolard, an aerial application operator in Arkansas and NAAA board member, underscored the difficulties of finding potential employees to transport commercial motor vehicles for agricultural aircraft operators due to the drivers leaving for year-round work once they receive their CDL and hazardous endorsement from a seasonal aerial application business. Woolard also mentioned the difficulties of finding Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) locations and scheduling testing times to take the knowledge and skill tests required for a CDL in rural areas, where most aerial application businesses are, since the closest DMV could be several hundred miles away.

NAAA and Katherine Holstrom, AAAA’s executive director, stated that Jet A has nearly identical chemical properties as diesel. States are allowed to grant CDL drivers a hazardous materials exemption for diesel fuel for custom harvesters, farm retailers and other businesses similar to aerial application operations.

Later, the FMCSA stated to NAAA that finalizing a regulation can take considerable time. In the interim, the agency suggested a temporary relief measure could be granted by requesting a waiver and an exemption while the FMCSA works on finalizing a regulation. The FMCSA also emphasized that an alternative and equal level of safety and security should be offered for a request to be granted. A waiver is granted more quickly and lasts 90 days. An exemption takes more time to finalize but less time than a regulation change and can last as long as five years.

NAAA followed up with a new request for a waiver and an exemption for aerial application CDL drivers to legally transport limited quantities of Jet A without a HazMat endorsement as the agency considers making a regulatory change. NAAA emphasized in its waiver and exemption request that safety will not be jeopardized by this request since aerial application operators with CDLs are driving on similar rural roads and for shorter distances, mostly less than 20 miles, to go from one satellite strip to another. They also drive when the weather is favorable to make applications, not in foggy, rainy and cold and snowy weather.

Regarding an equivalent level of safety, NAAA mentioned that all commercial pesticide applicators must comply with the EPA’s Worker Protection Standards (WPS), which require annual mandatory training to inform workers and handlers of pesticides about reducing exposure from pesticides. Drivers of commercial vehicles used for aerial application businesses typically are pesticide handlers. Employers of commercial pesticide applicators must ensure their employers are at least 18 years of age and are trained annually to use pesticides safely and consistently according to their label before they perform tasks involving pesticide use. The training is crystal-clear about the risks pertaining to these chemicals and the safety precautions necessary for their use. The WPS training is similar in nature to the risks associated with and safety precautions necessary for transporting chemicals required for a hazardous materials endorsement.

NAAA stated that an equivalent means of security aerial applicators would implement to be exempt from the HazMat endorsement is to contact local law enforcement to conduct a criminal background check on all of their CDL drivers before hiring them. This would ensure the prospective driver does not have a criminal record that might compromise road safety or national security. They also obtain Motor Vehicle Reports (MVRs) as part of their background screening process for new applicants and renewals, which checks for DUIs, traffic violations and parking tickets.

NAAA will keep the membership abreast of these waiver, exemption and regulatory change requests for the FMCSA to grant states the authority to legally allow aerial applicators to transport limited quantities of Jet A fuel without a CDL HazMat endorsement.

It’s that Time Again: Renew Your Membership Today!

Renewals are now open for the NAAA 2021 membership year! Renew online or by mail 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.