PAASS Programs Scheduled for 2023-2024 Convention Season; Requirement for C-PAASS Certification

Former NAAA President Leland Shelton Passes

Arthur Leland Shelton, 87, of Hereford, Texas passed away on Saturday, September 30, 2023.Memorial services will be held Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at Avenue Baptist Church in Hereford.

Leland was the proud President of the Texas Agricultural Aviation Association in 1983 and the National Agricultural Aviation Association in 1985. He was chairman of the committee that developed Operation S.A.F.E., which has been instrumental in the industry concerning spray patterns and drift control. Leland was awarded with the NAAA Agrinaut Award in 1990 and the Outstanding Service Award in 1985 (now called the Zoren & Joan O’Brien Memorial Outstanding Service Award).

Born May 17, 1936 in Taft, California to Olin and Thelma Shelton, he was a graduate of Dimmitt High School and joined the Army where he became a paratrooper.

In 1958, Leland moved to Hereford and began working for B&O Spraying Co. In 1960, he met Mary Patton, the love of his life, and they were married on July 30, 1961. Shortly after their marriage he started flying lessons and in 1964, he got the opportunity to become a partner in the company, and it became Whiteface Aviation. He was the managing partner until 1986, when he became the sole owner. During his time in the aerial application industry, he received many awards and recognition.

Leland was a great hard-working husband, father, and grandpa, who was always proud of his family, loved having family get togethers and he also loved the times he spent in Ruidoso. Leland also enjoyed working, playing golf, fishing, and many other things.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Mary, of Hereford; sons, Terry and his wife, Sandy of Hereford, Jeff and his wife, Kim of Crockett; grandchildren, Jessica and husband, Nathan, Tanner and wife, Whitney, Raegan and husband, Ryan, Peyton, Teagan and wife, Sydney and Macie; great grandchildren, Sonen, Cora, Wesley, and Lyla; brother, Jerry and wife, Beth of Tulia; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Laquita Griffith and Melba Conard, and a brother, Donald Shelton.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Avenue Baptist Church, 130 N 25 Mile Ave, Hereford, TX 79045 or to Hereford Senior Citizens Center, 426 Ranger St., Hereford, TX 79045.

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FAA Approves Some UAS BVLOS Operations Without Visual Observers

“The exemptions that have been issued contain specific conditions and limitations related to data collection and will enable the FAA to obtain the information that it needs to provide the basis for further rulemaking efforts. The FAA intends for this exemption to add to the foundational framework to safely enable UAS cargo delivery operations for compensation or hire within the NAS that will ultimately be reflected in a final rule. The FAA views this exemption, and the other exemptions it has issued, as steps toward rulemaking.”

“DAA technology comes in various forms such as third-party service providers, on-board DAA systems capable of detecting other aircraft by means of acoustics or radar and ground based DAA systems that provide live feeds directly to a UA. The FAA recognizes that these examples are not all-encompassing, and that industry will continue to develop different ways for UA to detect and avoid other aircraft during BVLOS operations. Some DAA systems may be more beneficial for certain types of operation. For example, an operator conducting a linear infrastructure inspection may choose to use an on-board DAA system, as opposed to a third-party service provider, as that type of operation would account for more limited airborne traffic in the proximity to the infrastructure in which is the only airspace that those operations will occur. Conversely, a package delivery operator may choose to utilize a third-party service provider which could provide a larger scale airborne traffic layout along multiple routes of flight. The FAA does not intend to specify which DAA system is applicable to which type of operation; rather, the FAA is requiring the operator to use a system that is able to detect ADS-B equipped and non-ADS-B equipped (cooperative and non-cooperative) aircraft in order to remain “well clear” of other detected aircraft. For the purposes of this exemption, “well clear” means maintaining a horizontal distance of 2,000 feet and 250 feet above and below a detected aircraft…” 

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Renew Your NAAA Membership for 2024

 

Thank you for your support of NAAA as a 2023 member. We request your continued support by renewing your NAAA membership for 2024. While you have been busy aiding farmers to produce a safe, affordable, and abundant supply of food, fiber, and bioenergy, NAAA has been busy making sure low altitude airspace is safe for your aerial application business to operate, as well as ensuring that you have the pesticide products you need to do your job. 

 

Several of NAAA’s accomplishments this year, on your behalf, include: 

• NAAA launched C-PAASS, for aerial applicators that take additional steps to augment their professionalism through education and testing who may be recognized and rewarded by their insurance providers, pesticide manufacturers, and customers. 
• Since 2017, NAAA has submitted a total of 267 comments to the EPA to keep aerial applications on pesticide labels with great success enabling you to keep a deep inventory of pesticide tools without unnecessary and burdensome restrictions.
• Due to NAAA's advocacy work, the House passed FAA Reauthorization bill directing FAA to broaden protections ensuring the safety of manned aircraft from drones operating beyond visual line of site in addition to those drones operating under Part 107 and those above 55 pounds. 
• NAAA is actively advocating Congress for Farm Bill inclusion of exempting NPDES Permits for pesticide applicators and other key unnecessary, burdensome and duplicative regulatory relief provisions, in addition to continuing substantive USDA research for developing safer, more efficient aerial application technologies.
• NAAA’s “Aerial Application: Above All Forms of Crop Care” ad campaign and accompanying web search tool identifying member businesses is widely circulated to hundreds of thousands of potential aerial application users.

You will also continue to receive ongoing benefits, such as legal consultation on federal aviation laws, discounts for attending or exhibiting at the Ag Aviation Expo, staying connected to members through the print and online NAAA Membership Directory and receiving Association publications and eNewsletters, social media briefings and substantive web content at AgAviation.org. 

 

Please make it a priority to renew your NAAA membership---the payoff far exceeds what you will spend in dues in the form of effective advocacy that reduces regulation and taxes affecting your aerial application business and trade association membership dues are tax deductible.

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Thank You, NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Sponsors! Attendees, Register Today!

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
• General Session Speakers:  Ed Messina & Terry Kippley & Turn Smart Safety Session
• Schedule of Events: See the current, tentative schedule here.
• Hotel: Details here.
• Attendee Registration: Now Open here.
• Exhibitor Booth Sales: Booth Sales Open here.
• 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. Please consider making a donation 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 Lauren with your donation details.

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