June 22, 2023
NAAA eNewsletter

FAA Streamlines UAS Part 137 Certification Process

On June 13, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Notice 8900.659, directing its staff with updated guidance on the Part 137 certification process for UAS. The FAA justifies these changes by asserting that uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) Part 137 operations present a lower risk than other certificated operations.


As stated by the agency:
We’ve seen a significant increase in agricultural aircraft operator certificate applicants seeking to use Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) under 14 CFR Part 137. Our data shows that UAS not only have significant commercial and agricultural value, but they also operate in a lower risk category when compared to crewed aircraft; they have no onboard pilot, carry a much smaller payload and 99 percent of the UA carry no flammable fuel.

Since the first agricultural UAS certificate was issued in 2015, there have been no known accidents or injuries among the 178 certificated operators. Given the relatively low risk of agricultural UAS operations and restrictions written into the required exemption, we’ve determined that streamlining the Part 137 UAS certification process will not adversely affect safety.
The FAA is moving forward with the following changes:

Part 137 UAS Certification Process

  1. Uncrewed Operators (UO) now apply for a Part 137 certificate via the central UAS Operations Office (137UOO) instead of their local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). They would still need to have applied for and been granted the necessary exemptions from 14 CFR before applying. The new office may be contacted at: UAS137Certificates@faa.gov.
  2. The FAA determined UO are lower risk, so § 137.19(e) Knowledge and Skills Tests can now be self-administered. The FAA can request documentation of satisfactory completion.
  3. No Letter of Authorization (LOA) issued for UO; Operating Certificate issued by 137UOO.
  4. Splitting of Flight Safety Offices:
    1. 137UOO is responsible for uncrewed-only operations.
    2. Local FSDO is responsible for mixed operations (having both crewed and uncrewed).
    3. 137UOO will specifically coordinate with FSDOs to conduct field activities on an as-needed basis (inspections, investigations, etc.).
  5. No regular surveillance will be required by the FAA for uncrewed-only operations.

Documentation Requirements

  1. Newly required operations manual for UO (includes safety, flight duties/responsibilities, accident reporting, HAZMAT, etc.).
  2. Newly required self-created/self-administered/self-documented training program for UO.
  3. (1) and (2) are not submitted to or approved by the FAA but must be made available by request.

Approved Aircraft

  1. 49 USC § 44807 previously approved UA are all approved for Part 137 use.
  2. All <55 lb. UA are approved for Part 137 use.

Alignment of Policy

  1. Uncrewed-only operators need only a Remote Pilot Certificate (not a commercial pilot certificate).
  2. Third-class medical certificate required (not a second-class medical certificate).
NAAA is concerned about the competitive advantage that this gives to new uncrewed Part 137 applicants over those who must follow the standard process with the FSDO. The association is also concerned that the separate centralized approach for UAS may prove to further alienate crewed and uncrewed Part 137 operators, as they would deal with distinctly different FAA officials and oversight, even if treating adjacent fields. When the skies become more crowded with UAS operations, FAA safety coordination becomes more and more important.

The new process will likely relieve backed-up FSDOs of their UAS burden, and hopefully allow them to better serve crewed and mixed crewed/uncrewed operators. In addition, NAAA does appreciate the FAA’s assertion that at least a third-class medical certificate be required. NAAA has held firm on this requirement for all proposed commercial operations of UAS, commenting as such on countless UAS exemption petitions.

Within 12 months, the FAA will incorporate these changes into Advisory Circular (AC) 137-1. Current Part 137 UAS applicants on the National Applicant List will be automatically transferred to the 137UOO, and applicants in progress will be given the option to continue working the certification with the FSDO or transfer to the new streamlined process. It is also worthy to note that the scope of these changes does not extend to any specialty use cases, such as beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) or swarm operations. Any proposed specialty use cases would still need to be initiated through a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the jurisdictional FSDO.


NAAA continues to meet with industry stakeholders to better evaluate the impacts of these changes to its member operators and is actively formulating a suitable response to the FAA regarding this notice.

House and Senate Transportation Committees Introduce and Work to Move FAA Reauthorization Bills: A Look at the Good, Bad and Ugly for Ag Aviation

    Less than two weeks ago, the House and Senate’s respective transportation committees unveiled their proposed FAA reauthorization bills and set an ambitious schedule to mark up those bills through their panels and move them onto their floors for debate. NAAA had a weekend to digest 1,200 pages of legislative text and respond to the committees with its feedback about the bills. NAAA engaged in discussions with federal legislators and their staff well before these drafts’ release to ensure the bills included low-altitude aviation safety provisions for manned aircraft from unmarked and unlogged towers and drone avoidance requirements. The House provisions included good language on the tower marking and logging front, but the Senate’s language in this area was bad and downright ugly regarding drone avoidance requirements from manned aircraft.


    The Good: The House bill includes Section 228, titled “TOWER MARKING NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING,” which directs the FAA to implement section 2110 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44718 note). This would supersede section 576 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–254, 132 Stat. 3391) that gave communication towers the option of either marking or logging towers between 50 and 200 feet in height. If this House provision is enacted, it would require all towers 50 to 200 feet in height and 10 feet in diameter in rural areas to be marked and logged into an FAA database. Furthermore, the House would require the regulation to be promulgated within a year of enactment, and if not, then the FAA Administrator shall:

    submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an annual report on the status of such rulemaking, including—(1) the reasons that the Administrator has failed to issue the rulemaking; and (2) a list of fatal aircraft accidents associated with unmarked towers that have occurred over the 5 years previous to the date of submission of the report.

    The Bad: Although NAAA advocated the Senate to reverse course from its 2018 amendment weakening communication tower requirements to only mark or log their locations, but not both—even after the NTSB stated that all towers in the 50- to 200-foot range should meet the same marking and logging requirements—the legislative body didn’t budge. It did, however, urge the FAA to promulgate the 2018 rule to mark towers or report why it did not, similar to the House language:

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress on implementation of the requirements of section 2110 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44718 note) (as amended by section 576 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–254, 132 Stat. 3391)). (b) REQUIREMENTS.—The briefing required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) A description of, and timeframe for, the Administrator’s development of requirements to file notice of construction of meteorological evaluation towers and other renewable energy projects under the notice of proposed rulemaking RIN 2120-AK77. (2) A description of the FAA’s use of existing publicly accessible databases to collect and make available information about certain structures that are required to, or voluntarily, file notice with the FAA. (3) For the period beginning on July 15, 2016, and ending on the date the briefing required by subsection (a) is provided, a list of aircraft accidents during such period that are associated with covered towers (as such term is defined in section 2110(b)(1)(A) of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44718 note) that are not marked in accordance with applicable guidance in the advisory circular of the FAA issued December 4, 2015 (AC 70/7460-IL).
    The Ugly: In an effort to prevent collisions between drones and manned aircraft, NAAA is advocating to Congress that statutory language be included in federal aviation law requiring drones to always give the right of way to manned aircraft. Real concern arose last year when an FAA Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) on drones operating beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) recommended in certain low-altitude situations that drones not be required to be equipped with ADS-B In sensing technology or give the right of way to manned aircraft. The ARC was stacked with drone interests and included a minority report from general aviation interests opposing the manned aviation safety-weakening recommendations. Unfortunately, the Senate bill requires the FAA, within six months of enactment, to issue a proposed rule promulgating the BVLOS ARC’s recommendations to be finalized in two years. The Senate measure includes not requiring a type of production certificate for drones weighing up to 1,320 pounds and flying at speeds up to 100 mph.
    The House’s FAA reauthorization language pertaining to drones is less onerous. It amends Section 44807 of Title 49, United States Code, stating that nothing in this subsection shall be construed to give an unmanned aircraft operating pursuant to this section the right of way over a manned aircraft. The House also requires the FAA to issue a proposed rule for comment within four months of enactment of BVLOS drones operating primarily at or below 400 feet above ground level, to develop airworthiness standards for such unmanned aircraft, and develop a rule for the ability for unmanned aircraft to be operated for agricultural purposes. The House bill also requires the Comptroller General of the United States (General Accountability Office) to study technologies and methods that may be used by operators of unmanned aircraft systems to detect and avoid manned aircraft that may lawfully operate below 500 feet above ground level and that are:
    1.  not equipped with a transponder or automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast out equipment; or
    2. otherwise not electronically conspicuous.
      1. CONSULTATION.—In conducting the study required under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall consult with—
        1. representatives from—
          1. unmanned aircraft systems manufacturers and operators;
          2. general aviation operators;
          3. aerial applicators; and
          4. helicopter operators, including State and local governments; and
        2. any other person the Comptroller General determines appropriate.
      2. REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report describing the results of such study.

    Moving Forward: Before the House marked up its FAA reauthorization bill last week, NAAA joined its general aviation colleagues in a letter to Congressmen Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), the chairman and ranking member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, in support of their bill’s provisions that are positive to general aviation, including increasing Airport Improvement Program funding to help improve infrastructure at GA airports; reinforcing the FAA’s partnership in the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) Initiative, including ensuring the continued availability of aviation gasoline; investing in the next generation of aviators, mechanics, manufacturers and other aviation professionals through the establishment of the National Center for the Advancement of Aerospace; and prohibiting FAA investigations into any regulated person or entity from remaining open for more than two years without a determination being made.

    The House Transportation Committee unanimously approved its FAA bill, H.R. 3935, on June 14. Graves, the committee’s chair, said he is aiming for a full House vote on the FAA bill in late July. The Senate is a different matter.

    Senate Aviation Subcommittee Chair Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) hasn’t been able to move the Senate’s bill through committee and onto the floor due to controversy over a commercial airline pilot training amendment and slots at Reagan National Airport (DCA). In the meantime, NAAA is continuing to meet with committee staff and congressional representatives to amend the bills to ensure all towers fitting the 50-to 200-foot descriptors must be both marked and logged, and that adequate safety provisions are included in the FAA legislation to prevent drones from colliding with manned aircraft.

    NAAA Defends Safety of Ag Aviators Against Proposed UAS BVLOS Operations

    Under pressure from deep-pocketed corporations seeking regulatory relief to operate uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is pushing to expand BVLOS operations.

    In what appears to be a tactical move, on May 24, the FAA published four precedence-setting BVLOS Exemption Petitions alongside a broader proposed rule for public comment. If adopted, some of the most troubling recommendations from the UAS BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) report released last year may become a reality. Of specific concern to ag aviators, the rule would give UAS the right of way over crewed aircraft in so-called “shielded” areas. In addition, the FAA steamrolled NAAA and nine other crewed aviation groups by denying a joint request in a letter seeking additional time to comment on these five paradigm-shifting proposals (the FAA only allowed 20 days for comment).


    The proposed shielded areas, wherein UAS would now have the right of way over crewed aircraft, are defined as “a volume of airspace that includes 100’ above the vertical extent of an obstacle or critical infrastructure and is within 100 feet of the lateral extent of the same obstacle or critical infrastructure.” The ARC contends that these shielded operations should be permitted based on “the limited likelihood of crewed aircraft operations in [these] areas.” Agricultural aviators were clearly not considered in this assessment, as this would place UAS squarely into what are already the most statistically dangerous areas in and around an applications site, such as around electric infrastructure.

    The FAA, it seems, plans to lean heavily on the required use of Detect & Avoid (DAA) systems to mitigate the risk of the proposed UAS BVLOS operations. Each of the four exemption petitions submitted planned to employ radically different DAA techniques, but none provided public evidence of their efficacy. The FAA is seeking to employ a combination of industry standards to approve or disapprove DAA systems in exemption petitions; however, it is unclear whether the agency will actually verify a petitioner’s claimed DAA performance. Moreover, NAAA is unaware of any DAA system that has been tested against the unique nature of aerial applications.

    NAAA commented in opposition to all four exemption petitions as well as the proposed rule on BVLOS expansion and shielded operations. We will continue to beat the drum of the necessity to have UAS certified as airworthy and that UAS must always give the right of way to crewed aircraft. In addition, we will assert that DAA systems must be certified by the FAA and be performant against aerial application operations. As the momentum behind UAS integration into the national airspace pushes regulation forward, the safety of the humans working in that airspace cannot be set aside.

    You can view the above-mentioned dockets (and NAAA comments) using the links below:

    2024 House Ag Appropriations Bill Again Reports Support of Aerial Application Technology Research

    The U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee has advanced a bill to fund the USDA through fiscal year 2024, and once again, included in the committee’s report is language supportive of aerial application technology research. The supportive language in the committee’s report is as follows:

    Aerial Application.—The Committee recognizes the importance of aerial application to control crop pests and diseases and to fertilize and seed crops and forests. Aerial application is useful not only to ensure overall food safety and food security, but also to promote public health through improved mosquito control and public health application techniques. The Committee urges ARS to prioritize research focused on optimizing aerial spray technologies for on-target deposition and drift mitigation and to work cooperatively with the Environmental Protection Agency to update their pesticide review methodology.

    The fiscal year 2024 bill provides $17.838 billion of funding, a 30% reduction from the fiscal year 2023 bill; however, it includes $8 billion in unused funding rescissions from the Inflation Reduction Act, Covid-19 funding and other programs, which would provide a total of $25.3 billion to the agencies. The fiscal year 2023 bill was $25.48 billion. Language in the bill also restricts Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s ability to use money from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a source of funding he has tapped to launch the agency’s flagship climate program. The Senate is slated to mark up its Ag Appropriations bill today.



    Since 2002 through the current federal government fiscal year of 2023, NAAA has been successful in securing an additional $12,512,500 for the Aerial Application Technology Research Unit (AATRU) within USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). In 2011 Congress enacted a ban on earmarking money for specific projects; however, NAAA was able to keep aerial application research funding steady by having the supportive report language inserted into past appropriation bills and farm bills. NAAA is also currently working on inserting language supportive of aerial application research in the 2023 Farm Bill that is currently being crafted by the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.


    NAAA will continue to work for adequate USDA-ARS aerial application technology research funding so long as the research is equitably distributed toward the type of aerial applications conducted most. In addition, so long as the research is being focused on further integrating georeferencing variable rate flow control incorporating meteorologic and digital mapping, and aircraft attitude technologies on board the aircraft to automate the spray systems further, resulting in mitigating drift, conserving fuel and making aerial applications more efficacious, while allowing the pilot to focus on flying the aircraft more safely by allowing that pilot to observe obstacles outside the cockpit. Favorable committee report language sends a strong message to the USDA to continue to sustain appropriate funding for aerial application research. This message couldn’t be more important as the USDA-ARS has had its budget cut over the past few years, resulting in the shutdown of multiple research units.

    New Microsoft Flight Simulator Set to Feature Ag Aviation and Aerial Firefighting

    The latest version of Microsoft’s entry into the flight simulation world will likely feature agricultural spraying and aerial firefighting as missions in the not-yet-released Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Screenshots on Microsoft’s Flight Simulator website show a Cessna C-188 equipped with spray booms. The C-188 appears in a video trailer of the simulator spraying a crop. The stunning trailer also shows the ability to fight fires in a CL-415 and an Erickson Air-Crane. Watch the official trailer below.


    NAAREF Holds Third Annual In-Season Safety Session: Recording Now Available for Those Unable to Attend

    NAAREF held its third annual in-season safety session June 12 in an effort to remind the ag aviation industry about the importance of focusing on safety throughout the season. The first in-season safety session was conducted in 2021 in response to the high number of fatal accidents that had occurred by the end of May that year. While the 2023 season thus far has fewer accidents than in previous seasons, we cannot afford to let our guard down. Safety must remain a top priority.

    The safety session was conducted by a panel of PAASS presenters: Matt Hovdenes, Eric Klindt, Mike Rivenbark, Rod Thomas and Brian Townsend. NAAREF Executive Director Andrew D. Moore opened the session and introduced the panelists. The panel discussed several topics, including operating helicopters in the ag environment safely, avoiding wire strike accidents, and the importance of communication, proper ferrying height, and ADS-B for avoiding midair collisions and runway incursions.


    If you missed the NAAREF in-season safety session, you can view a recording here.

    NAAA, Helicopter Applicators Inc. Join Ag Partners Hosting Field Day for EPA in Maryland


    Last week, NAAA, joined by Helicopter Applicators Inc. out of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, participated in a field day presentation of modern agricultural practices for the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs at Harborview Farms in Rock Hall, Maryland. The event was organized by the Pesticide Policy Coalition, a consortium of users and manufacturers of pesticides, of which NAAA is a member.


    Trey Hill of Harborview Farms gave a tour of their corn crop, pesticide storage and ground equipment used at the farm and discussed the modern and sustainable practices commonly followed there. Following that, Helicopter Applicators Inc. supplied an ag-retrofitted OH-58 helicopter and pilot Rasmus Hansen and NAAA CEO Andrew Moore explained the importance of aerial application to crop production and the care, professionalism and sophistication of the technology used to ensure a safe and targeted aerial application. Hansen then provided an aerial application demonstration to the field day participants, which included key policymakers from the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs, such as Ed Messina, the director, and many of his staff. In addition, Chris Novak, the president and CEO of CropLife America (the association that represents all pesticide manufacturers), was in attendance, along with many pesticide manufacturers, other key national grower groups and Maryland and Delaware state regulators.

     



    A special NAAA thank you to Glenn Martin of Helicopter Applicators Inc. for his continued support at these field day events loaning ag helicopters and exceptional pilots and crew who articulate the importance and professionalism of aerial application.

     

    Delta State Honors First Aviation Students to Graduate With New Ag Aviation Career Pathway Certification

    The first 10 students from the commercial aviation department at Delta State University (DSU) to graduate with an Agricultural Aviation Operations Career Pathway Certification were recognized during a ceremony June 2 in the DSU airport hangar at the Cleveland (Mississippi) Municipal Airport.


    Col. Brad MacNealy (pictured above), the department’s director of flight operations, said, “We’ve got what we feel is the premier aerial applicator course not only in the country but in the world. We are sitting in the middle of the best farmland in the world. We have a university with an aviation program. We have all the agricultural expertise right in our backyard. It’s the perfect partnership.”


    The new program resulted from DSU’s collaboration with area ag pilots, the Cleveland Airport Board and many others. DSU credited NAAA member Ike Brunetti of Brunetti Flying Service in Shelby, Mississippi, for his integral role in organizing the program. Brunetti guided the new pilots and their instructors as the program developed. He spoke to the pilots and the friends, family and supporters assembled in the hangar, saying, “Dreams have to have goals; without goals, they are only dreams.”

    In a video message to the graduating certificate holders, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) said, “Today, we celebrate your graduation and certification in an area of great importance to Mississippi and our nation—agricultural aviation. As former ag commissioner, this industry is very close to my heart. The ag pilot shortage is not just a statistic, but it’s a call to action, and you all have answered that call to serve Mississippi and American agriculture in a big way.”

    The Agricultural Aviation Operations Career Pathway Certification attests to a student successfully completing hazmat training, FAA instrument flight certification, FAA commercial certification, tailwheel endorsement, and a minimum of 100 hours, including 25 hours of lightbar training in a Citabria, 25 hours of lightbar aerial application in a Cessna 188 Ag Wagon and 10-hour type-rating and aerial application in an Air Tractor 802.

    Apply for C-PAASS 2023—Certified-Professional Aerial Applicator Safety Steward

    If you’ve recently participated in a 2022 and/or 2023 Operation S.A.F.E. Fly-In and you’re receiving this eNewsletter because you are an NAAA member, you have completed two of four requirements to apply for C-PAASS certification for 2023.


    Apply for C-PAASS certification today, which is offered on an annual basis to individual ag pilots, both operator and non-operator. As the first year for C-PAASS, its requirements are based entirely upon education and professional opportunities already available:

    1. Annual PAASS Attendance for three (3) years
      • 2020-2021 season, AND
      • 2021-2022 season, AND
      • 2022-2023 season
    2. Biennial Operation S.A.F.E. Participation
      • 2022 season, AND/OR
      • 2023 season
    3. Annual Membership in NAAA
      • 2023
    4. Annual Membership in a State/Regional agricultural aviation association
      • 2023

    To submit a 2023 C-PAASS application:

    1. Check your eligibility at education.agaviation.org/cpaass.
      • You will need to log in using your NAAA username/password. Contact information@agaviation.org if you need assistance.
    2. If eligible, scroll to the bottom of the page and locate the 2023 C-PAASS Application tile. Hover over it and click the green Register (Free!) button.
    3. You will be prompted to attest to your completion of each of the requirements and directed to upload documentation of your 2023 membership in a State/Regional agricultural aviation association. NAAA Staff will be automatically notified to review your application once this documentation is submitted.
    4. Your application will be reviewed within three (3) business days.
    5. If your application is accepted, you will be provided a link to pay the certification fee (currently $100) and obtain your digital certificate.
    Aerial applicators, now more than ever, operate in an environment of competing interests. An ever-increasing demand for timely and effective applications is challenged by factors such as added regulatory burden, rising insurance costs and stiffer pesticide label language, just to name a few. The agricultural aviation industry is rising to these challenges and, in character, has moved to advance education, rather than regulation, as the path forward.

    NAAA and NAAREF jointly launched the Certified-Professional Aerial Applicator Safety Steward (C-PAASS) program earlier this year to serve as the industry’s flagship certification and as a roadmap for the pursuit of the best educational opportunities currently available. This voluntary program allows those aerial applicators who strive to constantly educate themselves to better their safety and application quality to be recognized for their efforts. Secondarily, the certification can signal to customers, regulators and others outside the industry their commitment to professionalism.

    Apply for C-PAASS certification today! Utilize it to inform regulatory officials and insurance agents and to market to your customers that you have undergone additional training and development to ensure you can provide the highest quality service.

    Beware of Fraudulent Companies Trying to Book Hotel Rooms for NAAA Ag Aviation Expo

    NAAA received notification that an independent third-party company called Venue Solutions is contacting our NAAA Allied members to book sleeping rooms in Palm Springs for the 2023 Ag Aviation Expo. This company is NOT associated with NAAA or any hotel in Palm Springs; your hotel room should only be booked through the information we provide. Ignore their emails.

     

    Please remember that no one from (or on behalf of) NAAA or any of the hotels will contact you (by phone, email, etc.) to book a hotel room. NAAA recommends making your own hotel reservations using the information in our NAAA publications or at AgAviation.org/hotel. Do not trust these companies; they will take your money, and you may not have a hotel room in Palm Springs.


    The hotels in the NAAA room block for the NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Dec. 4-7 in Palm Springs are the Renaissance, Hilton and Hyatt. Booking details are at AgAviation.org/hotel.

    NAAA, AirWorks and JBI Helicopters Co-Host Field Day for EPA, State Pest Control Officials, Grower Groups and Pesticide Companies in Western Tennessee Ag Country

    In early June, NAAA joined the University of Tennessee Ag Extension Service in educating leaders of the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs, state pesticide enforcement officials, state and national grower groups, and pesticide manufacturing leaders. The tour’s organizer, Kim Brown Pope, the Louisiana Agricultural Aviation Association’s executive director and a University of Tennessee Ag Extension Service specialist, invited NAAA to present an overview of the aerial application industry, its educational programs focusing on environmental professionalism, and its efforts to register pesticides for aerial use using more accurate aerial drift modeling. She also organized a site visit for the government and industry officials at Justin and Ashley Houston’s ag aviation operation, AirWorks, in Halls, Tennessee, with participation by JBI Helicopters’ representatives from JBI’s Lafayette, Louisiana, branch.

    NAAA’s participation began with a presentation to the attendees at the Jackson, Tennessee, offices of the University of Tennessee Ag Extension Service. Andrew Moore, NAAA CEO (pictured at right), presented an overview of the size, scope and importance of the aerial application industry and went into detail about NAAA/NAAREF educational programs from PAASS to Operation S.A.F.E. to C-PAASS and how those programs, through substantive education, have markedly reduced accidents and drift incidents. Moore urged state pesticide enforcement officials to incorporate the safety programs into their commercial pesticide applicator licensing programs, particularly now that the new EPA pesticide certification requirements are going into effect, requiring states to have specific aerial application content as part of obtaining/renewing their pesticide licenses.

     


    Dr. Scott Bretthauer spoke about NAAA’s pesticide (re)registration efforts with the EPA.


    Dr. Scott Bretthauer, NAAA’s director of policy, education and safety, presented on NAAA’s efforts to (re)register pesticides for aerial use using the more realistic Tier 3 of the AgDRIFT atmospheric drift model that takes into account current-day setups, conditions, drift reduction technologies and techniques used in the aerial application industry today to mitigate drift.

     


    AirWorks’ Justin Houston explained how he can modify the spray boom system on his AT-802 on the fly to reduce his swath width size.

    The western Tennessee tour also included transporting the attendees to Justin and Ashley Houston’s ag aviation operation, AirWorks, in Halls, Tennessee. There, Ashley Houston gave a great demonstration of how she takes aerial application orders from their farming customers, checks FieldWatch for beehives and sensitive crops that might be nearby and the EPA’s BLT for endangered species that might be nearby. Justin Houston then explained the equipment of his Air Tractor 802, including his boom/nozzle reduction system to reduce his swath by 50% when treating near a sensitive area, and how his GPS and lightbar operate to perfectly align his swaths.

     


    Representatives from JBI Helicopters’ Lafayette, Louisiana, branch explained how their Bell 206L LongRanger helicopter mitigates drift while making precise aerial applications.


    Attendees then went outside, where Curt West, Tom Wolfe and Corey Fransen of JBI Helicopters explained how their Bell 206L LongRanger helicopter operates to mitigate drift yet make precise aerial applications. Fransen then piloted the aircraft atop the JBI Helicopters nurse truck, loaded the aircraft with fluorescent dye and flew across water sensitive cards and string where the Operation S.A.F.E. aircraft application calibration equipment was set up. Fransen was followed by Justin Houston in the AT-802, who demonstrated how the aircraft smoker and 50% boom shutoff system work and also flew across the Operation S.A.F.E. analysis equipment. (Watch the video clip of Justin’s demo below.)

     


    Attendees were then taken back to the hanger where the string readout equipment and scanner were located to read the droplet size and efficacy of the applications that were made to the string and cards and were provided with how the analysis works to guide applicators to calibrate their application equipment to get the sweet spot droplet size and swath to make professional, targeted applications.

    The field tour was a tremendous success, with a great audience of pesticide regulators, grower groups and pesticide manufacturers able to observe firsthand the professionalism and technological innovations commonplace in today’s aerial application industry.

     


    From L-R, NAAA's Scott Bretthauer and Andrew Moore, with AirWorks LLC’s Ashley and Justin Houston at their hangar.

    Library of Congress Unveils New Occupational Folklife Collection on Agricultural Aviation Profession

    A special collection on the role of “Crop Dusters in Rural America” is available now and for posterity on the Library of Congress’s website. The collection was produced by a mother-and-son team who undertook the oral history project in part to dispel outdated notions about ag pilots and the agricultural aviation profession.


    In 2020, folklorist Samuel Kendrick and his mother, Ellen Kendrick, received an Archie Green Fellowship from the American Folklife Center to chronicle the occupational experiences and perspectives of agricultural pilots, operators and other figures involved in the industry. They had some familiarity with their subject matter already from living on their family farm in Richards, Missouri, near the Missouri-Kansas border. Being friends with Dusty Elkinton, the first ag pilot they interviewed, also helped. It gave the Kendricks some street cred, which helped when they looked for other aerial applicators to interview.

    In 2021, they recorded interviews with 14 individuals for their agricultural aviation collection, including Missouri operator and 2023 NAAA Secretary Sam Styron (pictured at right), married ag pilots Austin and Emily Daniel, Air Tractor President and CEO Jim Hirsch, NAAA CEO Andrew Moore, and the most veteran of all the ag pilots they secured, Floyd McElwain, who was 85 at the time of his interview. Together, the oral histories capture the unique nature of the agricultural aviation profession and the traits common among ag pilots. The Kendricks also sought to highlight the ethics, professionalism and safety at the forefront of the decisions aerial applicators make inside and outside the cockpit to support farmers in producing a safe, affordable and abundant supply of food, fiber and bioenergy.


    The curated ag aviation interviews are among the newest collections published by the Library of Congress as part of its ongoing Occupational Folklife Project and will continue to be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Anyone who listens to the Occupational Folklife interviews will come away with a better understanding of the agricultural aviation profession and a greater appreciation for the hardworking people devoted to this essential segment of agriculture.


    The inclusion of an agricultural aviation collection at the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center is a welcome addition to the public record. Explore it here.

    Want to Fly the Snow S-2A?


    Want to fly the Snow S-2A before it becomes grounded for good? If so, please call Pete Jones of Air Repair Inc. in Cleveland, Mississippi, at
    (662) 846-0228 to make an appointment. This fall, the meticulously restored Snow S-2A will head to Jackson, Mississippi, to go on permanent display at the National Agricultural Aviation Museum. The S-2A was built in the 1950s by the godfather of modern ag aircraft, Leland Snow.

     
    Leland Snow in the Snow S-2A.

    Proposed AD Supersedes Continental Engines Oil Filter Adapter Gasket AD

    The FAA has revised its proposed Airworthiness Directive (AD) to supersede AD 2022-04-04, which requires replacing the oil filter adapter gasket on certain Continental Aerospace Technologies Inc. engines.

    NAAA reported on this in September 2022, when the FAA first proposed an applicability change to AD 2022-04-04 along with expanded replacement gasket part numbers.


    This new proposed revision changes the applicability (again) of the AD to include all Continental model engines equipped with an F&M Enterprises Inc. or Stratus Tool Technologies LLC oil filter adapter installed per Supplemental Type Certificate SE8409SW, SE09356SC or SE10348SC. These F&M and Stratus oil filter adapters are known to be installed on Continental Model C–125, C– 145, GO–300, IO–360, IO–470, IO–520, IO– 550, O–300, O–470, TSIO–360 and TSIO– 520 series engines.

    This proposed revision would continue to require the replacement of any F&M or Stratus oil filter adapter fiber gasket with a copper gasket part number (P/N) AN900–28 or P/N AN900–29, or a stainless steel PTFE gasket, P/N ST07.

    To view the complete proposed AD or submit comments, click here. Comments are due by July 17.

    Apply for ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ Scholarship by Aug. 31

    From seeking a mentor to finding the funds for training, the road to becoming an ag pilot is fraught with obstacles, but having $5,000 in seed money certainly helps. Thanks to the generous support of BASF and Thrush Aircraft, $20,000 in aid is available through the 2023 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. 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 from BASF and Thrush.

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

    How to Apply

    To be considered for the 2023 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 the applicant wants to pursue a career in agricultural aviation and how they would use NAAA’s “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship to further their education and training.
    • A one-page résumé or list of activities detailing all agricultural and aviation experiences, education and training.

     

    Last year NAAA awarded $5,000 scholarships to Ross Edwards of Sherwood, Arkansas; Tommy Koebel of Geneva, Illinois; Drew Kroeplin of Highmore, South Dakota; and Adam Jacobs of Graymont, Illinois (pictured above with his sponsor, Scott Petersen, at left, of Pontiac Flying LLC). NAAA will announce the recipients of the 2023 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarships in December at the Ag Aviation Expo in Palm Springs, California.

    Application Process

    To learn more about the 2023 NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship, review the application instructions and checklist.

    Applicants must apply using NAAA’s online application. A link to the online application is available  below. The applicant will fill out ALL applicant and sponsor information. The NAAA Operator Sponsor must write a letter of recommendation on behalf of the applicant. Upload all required material noted in the Application Checklist and any additional supporting documentation using the turbine scholarship’s online application portal.




    A link to the scholarship application portal can also be found at AgAviation.org/scholarship.

     

    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 applying for the scholarship. Still, becoming an NAAA Associate member is an excellent way for candidates to learn more about the industry and augment their training.

    The deadline to apply for the 2023 “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship is Aug. 31.

    Restrictions

    With the introduction of the new Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship this year, applicants may only apply for one NAAA pilot-training scholarship per year. They can apply for the NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship or the Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship, but not both in the same year.

    NAAA Operator members may only sponsor one NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship applicant a year. They can also sponsor a Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship applicant in the same year, but the applicants cannot be the same person applying for both scholarships in the same year.

    Two $3,000 scholarships are available for turbine training to eligible NAAA Operator and Pilot members applying for the 2023 Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship. 

    FAA’s GA Survey Data Collection for 2022 Entering Final Stretch: Please Participate if Invited

    The FAA’s annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey (GA Survey) is entering the final stretch. There are still a few weeks to go, and we need everyone who is invited to participate. If you are selected to participate in the GA Survey, you will receive an email or postcard invitation asking you to complete the survey online. Please participate in the survey if asked!



    The survey is for collecting aviation activity for the calendar year 2022. The GA Survey is the only source of information available that provides reliable data on the GA fleet, including the number of aircraft and hours flown. The data is used by the FAA, other government agencies and the aviation industry for a variety of things, including assessing safety and understanding the economic impact of aviation.


    The GA Survey is especially critical to the agricultural aviation industry. NAAA uses the results of the GA Survey, in conjunction with NTSB accident numbers, to calculate an overall accident rate and a fatal accident rate for Part 137 operations. This allows NAAA to track and document the safety of the agricultural aviation industry and provide evidence to the FAA and NTSB that PAASS and other safety programs are working to reduce Part 137 accidents. This is especially helpful in the event additional regulations may be proposed.

    Participation in the GA Survey is voluntary, but the agricultural aviation industry needs your input if you are selected to participate. For those who chose not to complete the survey online, a mail survey is sent that includes a postage-paid return envelope. The information is confidential and will only be used for statistical purposes; it will not be published or released in any form that would reveal an individual participant. It only takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete the survey.

    If you are contacted, please respond to the survey even if you did not fly your aircraft during 2022, sold it, or if the aircraft was damaged. If you own three or more aircraft, there is an abbreviated survey form you can use instead of needing to complete a survey for each aircraft.

    About 30% of the total number of GA aircraft are surveyed every year, so you may be asked to participate two or more years in a row. If you have questions, please contact Tetra Tech, the independent research firm that conducts the GA Survey for the FAA, toll-free at 1-800-826-1797 or by email at infoaviationsurvey@tetratech.com. Results from prior surveys can be found here.

    Turbine Training Funds Available Through Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship

    Two $3,000 scholarships are available to eligible NAAA Operator and Pilot members for turbine transition training through the newly created Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship. The new NAAA scholarship program is funded by a generous educational grant from Jim Mills of Turbines Inc., who established the scholarship in memory of Charles Stokes (pictured at right). It is administered by NAAA.


    The new turbine transition scholarship will be awarded starting this year. Here’s what you need to know about the 2023 Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship.

    Key Details

    Purpose: The Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship was created to provide training funds to agricultural pilots with a minimum of 150 hours of ag time for use at a turbine transition course or program. The scholarship must be used for turbine flight training at a qualified flight school or turbine training facility.


    Amount: The 2023 Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship Program will award up to two one-year, $3,000 scholarships to deserving, qualified ag pilots participating in a flight training program focused on turbine transition training. All funds are in U.S. dollars.


    Eligibility: Applicants must:

    • Have a minimum of 150 hours of ag time.
    • Be a Pilot, Affiliated Operator or Operator member of NAAA.
    • Be sponsored by an NAAA Operator member in the Operator dues category who will write a letter of recommendation on their behalf. (Operator applicants may not sponsor themselves; another NAAA Operator member would need to sponsor them.)

    How to Apply: Applicants must apply using NAAA’s online application process. A link to the online application is available at agaviation.org/turbinescholarship.


    Deadline: Aug. 31, 2023


    Restrictions:

    • Applicants may only apply for one NAAA pilot-training scholarship a year—either the Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship or the NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship, but not both in the same year.
    • NAAA Operator members may only sponsor one Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship annually. They can sponsor an NAAA “Ag Wings of Tomorrow” Scholarship applicant in the same year, but the applicants can’t be the same person applying for both scholarships.

    Go Deeper

    Learn more about the application process for the 2023 Charles Stokes Memorial Turbine Training Scholarship at agaviation.org/turbinescholarship.

    Exhibitor Details for the 2023 Ag Aviation Expo: Booth Sales for Aircraft & Large Booth Space Now Open

    Join us for the 2023 Ag Aviation Expo in Palm Springs, California, Dec. 4-7. In addition to attending the NAAA Ag Aviation Expo, Palm Springs is full of great restaurants, bars, fun activities, and terrific weather! You can visit the Palm Springs Air Museum, enjoy an off road or BMW driving experience, play golf, visit museums and even gamble at a casino close to the convention center. The area offers many hiking trails and top-notch spas.

     

    Booth Sales for Aircraft & Large Booth Space Now Open: If you plan to bring an aircraft, need a 20’x20’+ island booth, a 10’x30’+ inline booth or plan to be a Diamond or Platinum Sponsor, please contact Lindsay Barber ASAP. To ensure the best placement on the trade show floor, we appreciate knowing about aircraft and large booth spaces by the end of April.

    The NAAA Trade Show will take place Dec. 5, 12 p.m.-5:30 p.m. and Dec. 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Review the NAAA Exhibitor Prospectus and exhibitor webpage for further details, pricing and dates. The full schedule of events is available here.

    Details for the 2023 Ag Aviation Expo

    • Dates: Dec. 4-7, 2023
    • Location: Palm Springs Convention Center and Renaissance (the two facilities are attached)
    • Kickoff Breakfast Speaker: Burt Rutan, Aerospace Legend
    • Schedule of Events: See the current, tentative schedule here.
    • Hotel: Details here.
    • Attendee Registration: Opens in August.
    • Exhibitor Booth Sales: Details here for large booth sales that open in late March and 10’x10’ and 10’x20’ booth sales that open on July 13. Please email Lindsay Barber if you would like to secure a large booth space (any booth size 10’x30’ or larger).
    • Sponsorship Opportunities: View the sponsorships opportunities here. We have sponsorships available for all budget sizes. Please email Lindsay if you would like to secure a sponsorship from last year or be contacted about 2023 opportunities!
    • Auction Donations: Thank you to Pratt & Whitney Canada for donating a PT6-34AG to this year’s NAAA Live Auction. While we are 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 will 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.

    Has Your Aircraft Been Pattern Tested Yet? There Are Tools to Help

    If you have not attended or scheduled an Operation S.A.F.E. Fly-In for this season yet, the time is becoming short in many parts of the country.

    NAAREF recommends having your pattern assessed, at minimum, every other year or when major changes are made. This is vitally important to ensuring your aircraft is ready to make effective applications this season. Accordingly, NAAA has included biennial Operation S.A.F.E. participation as a core component of its C-PAASS professional aerial applicator certification.


    If you are unable to attend one of these events, as an NAAA member, you have alternative options.

    Earlier this year, NAAA announced the release of DropFlight, an iPhone/iPad app that allows extremely fast scanning and analysis of water-sensitive spray cards, all on your Apple mobile devices. This tool, created in part by an aerial applicator, is targeted specifically for aerial applicators to use in assessing spray pattern uniformity, effective swath width and droplet size across the swath.



    Download DropFlight from the App Store

    Use NAAA member code: NAAA23


    Another option for conducting your own spray pattern testing is to use AccuPatt, the same desktop (Windows/MacOS) software that Operation S.A.F.E. analysts use. Originally developed to run the string testing systems you may have seen at a fly-in, AccuPatt has grown to include spray-card-analysis functionality that can be used independently to perform spray-card-only pattern testing. Now, it is being offered to NAAA members for use in their own operation at no cost. A flatbed scanner is required to digitize the spray cards for analysis.

     

    Download AccuPatt for Windows/MacOS

    Consult the User Manual to get up and running


    To further reduce friction in getting your spray pattern testing underway, DropFlight is also offering all the needed testing gear. Available as a convenient kit or by the piece, DropFlight’s card mounting system makes it simple to lay out cards uniformly and in the correct orientation to the wind. This testing gear will work with DropFlight and AccuPatt and is the fastest and most convenient way to acquire all the equipment you need to conduct your own pattern testing.


    As always, if you consult with a NAAREF-recognized Operation S.A.F.E. analyst about your pattern testing data, they can report this to NAAREF as participation in Operation S.A.F.E. NAAA members will receive an official letter of participation and credit toward C-PAASS certification.

    Ag Aviation Expo Sponsorships Available: Boost Your Company’s Brand!

    Join us for the 2023 Ag Aviation Expo in Palm Springs Dec. 4-7. Sponsorship sales are open for this year’s convention. Branding at the Ag Aviation Expo is a great opportunity to get your message in front of the agricultural aviation industry and reach a targeted and nationwide audience of aerial applicators in North America—an audience responsible for applying 28% of crop protection products to commercial cropland in the U.S.


    Get your company name in front of the expected 1,500-plus operators, ag pilots and other attendees directly related to the agricultural aviation industry through an Ag Aviation Expo sponsorship.

    Six reasons why you should be a sponsor at the 2023 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo:

    1. A targeted audience will see your company’s name and/or logo.
    2. Sponsorship enhances your company’s credibility and rapport.
    3. You will gain brand awareness and recognition.
    4. You will generate new sales and/or leads and potential business partnerships.
    5. You can drive attendees to your booth and message through your sponsorship.
    6. According to a post-convention survey, 75% of aerial applicators stated that they would be “very likely” to use the products and services of a company that sponsors an event at the Ag Aviation Expo. View sponsorship opportunities here.

    By becoming a sponsor, attendees will:

    • Remember your company, services and products.
    • See you as a supporter of the ag aviation industry.
    • Recognize your brand.
    • See you as a partner and industry visionary.
    • Hold you above others in purchasing decisions.
    For more information, contact Lindsay Barber by email or phone at (202) 546-5722.

    Makeup PAASS Programs Now Available for 2021, 2022 and 2023 – Get C-PAASS Certified Today!

    The impact of the PAASS Program on reducing the number of agricultural aviation accidents and drift incidents is proven—26% reductions in both categories since the program first hit the stage. In an effort to present the program’s life-saving curriculum to those who may have missed it, the National Agricultural Aviation Research and Education Foundation (NAAREF) has leveraged the NAAA Education Center to host recorded webinars of the PAASS Program from 2021, 2022 and 2023.


    If you want to be C-PAASS-certified for the 2023 season but missed one of these three PAASS Programs, this is your opportunity to fulfill that requirement and complete your C-PAASS application. If you missed the 2023 PAASS Program, it is now available for credit for $850. Starting July 1, its fee will increase to $1,700. The 2021 and 2022 programs are each now available for credit for $1,700.

    NAAA members also have the option to purchase one year of unlimited access to not-for-credit versions of PAASS for $120. The not-for-credit versions of the 2021 and 2022 programs are available now, and the 2023 program will be available starting July 1. More than just a review for yourself, educate your ground crew or other stakeholders to impress upon them the importance of safety and environmental professionalism in your operation. The $120 option will not give you official credit for PAASS attendance and will not count toward C-PAASS.

    The best way to experience PAASS is a live program at your state/regional agricultural aviation convention. However, situations occur that may prevent this from happening. By offering these online options to make up PAASS, everyone can benefit from the wealth of information presented and help move the needle in preventing ag aviation accidents.

    Click here to view all archived PAASS Programs.

    Important Call for GPS Data to Protect Manned Ag Aircraft from Drones

    In 2022, an FAA advisory committee weighted with drone interests from Amazon, Google and other unmanned corporate interests suggested that the agency promulgate rules that drones operating beyond visual line of sight be permitted to:

    • Increase their weight to 1,320 pounds
    • Not equip with ADS-B identification technology
    • Not give the right of way to manned aircraft when operating in rural, low-altitude airspace because they claimed there are no other users of this airspace.
    As an ag aviator, you know these requests to be patently unsafe and based on false premises. As such, we call on you to help us collect information on ag aircraft’s use of the low-altitude airspace. NAAA is working with and supports Mississippi State University’s (MSU) Raspet Flight Research Laboratory and its continuing research on safe operational distances between low-altitude, manned aircraft and drones. The study’s objectives are to:
    1. Identify Ag Aircraft Operational Trends
    2. Develop Ag Aircraft Operational Model
    3. Validate Model through Observation/Collection of Empirical Data
    4. Inform/Educate UAS Operators
    5. Promote Safety in all Low-Altitude Ag Environments
    Your voluntary participation in this study is critical to achieving these objectives. NAAA encourages you to donate your GPS flight log data to participate in this timely research. Logs from any year(s) are welcome and will be washed of any identifying information prior to use.
    Many of you have previously contributed during the first stage of data collection from 2017 to 2020 when NAAA members donated 49,180 flight logs from 20 states. The second stage of the study began in 2021 and seeks to additionally include aircraft make and model info. These details are important, as the airspace modeling will be impacted by aircraft types differently, such as fixed-wing versus helicopter operations.

    More GPS flight log data is needed to continue this study. Because of the diverse growing areas and unique geographical challenges experienced by aerial applicators, it is imperative that as many states and regions as possible are represented. This will ultimately help facilitate the safe integration of unmanned aircraft into these different airspaces.

    As a reminder, NAAA and Raspet have agreed that all submitted information will remain confidential, and all GPS flight logs will be stripped of any personally identifying information before any research is conducted using the data.

    There are several methods available to submit your data:
    1. Request a secure upload link for larger uploads OR email directly to Madison Dixon, Research Director.
      Email:       mdixon@raspet.msstate.edu
    2. Mail a flash drive or other storage device to the address below. (The device will be immediately mailed back once data is received if a return address is provided):

    Address:

    Attn: Madison Dixon

    Raspet Flight Research Lab – Bldg. 2

    114 Airport Rd.

    Starkville, MS 39759

    NAAA Releases Book of the Century! Buy It Today

    NAAA has released the book of the century—a century of agricultural aviation, that is.

    One hundred years ago, an aerial crop dusting experiment spawned the birth of the agricultural aviation industry. To commemorate agricultural aviation’s 100th anniversary, NAAA is pleased to present Agriculture’s Air Force: 100 Years of Aerial Application.


    Agriculture’s Air Force provides a new, updated account of aerial application’s history, 35 years after Mabry Anderson’s masterpiece, Low & Slow: An Insider’s History of Agricultural Aviation, was published. NAAA’s meticulously sourced book is based on a collective history of the agricultural aviation industry based on material from Agricultural Aviation magazine, AgAir Update, Low & Slow and other resources.


    Beginning with Agricultural Aviation’s Spring 2021 issue, NAAA published excerpts from Agriculture’s Air Force and continued to do so through the Fall 2021 issue. Those stories are just a small slice of what’s in the 268-page hardback edition, however. The complete book contains so much more.


    Agriculture’s Air Force delves into the intersection of agriculture and aviation. It chronicles the agricultural aviation industry’s growth from its infancy in 1921 through the boom times after World War II and on to today’s modern era of high-tech aerial application.


    The finished hardback book has been years in the making but well worth the effort. “This is a significant piece of work covering not just the industry’s history, but its essence,” NAAA CEO Andrew Moore said. “We are proud of it and believe it will make a lasting contribution to the industry.”

    The story of agricultural aviation is much like the broader story of aviation: It is mostly punctuated with interesting smaller moments sandwiched between milestone developments. Aerial application is also the story of technological leaps and bounds.

    Agriculture’s Air Force covers five eras spanning more than 10 decades. In addition, it features 34 Spotlight pieces focused on significant individuals, organizations, trends, technologies and topics related to aerial application.


    Agriculture’s Air Force: 100 Years of Aerial Application may well be NAAA’s most enduring 100th anniversary initiative. One thing’s for sure: It is no textbook. The commemorative book is written from a fresh perspective that is entertaining and enlightening. Readers will come away with a new appreciation for agricultural aviation as a profession and the dedicated individuals who propel it forward.

    Order Your Copy of Agriculture’s Air Force Today!

    Agriculture’s Air Force retails for $45, excluding shipping. Order it from AgAir Update’s Online Store.