May 16, 2024
NAAA eNewsletter

FAA Reauthorization Bill Enacted by Congress and Headed for President Biden’s Signature—NAAA Language Ensuring Safety of Manned Aircraft From Drone Activity in BVLOS Airspace and Urging FAA to Promulgate Tower Marking and Logging Included

Yesterday, after Senate enactment last week, the House of Representative enacted the FAA reauthorization bill, H.R. 3935. The bill is now headed to President Biden’s desk for signature, which is expected to be completed no later than tomorrow. NAAA is pleased to announce, after much advocacy over the past two years to influence the bill to protect manned ag aircraft in low-altitude airspace, it has secured that FAA ensure the safety of low-altitude manned aircraft from drones, or uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) operating beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). In addition, the NAAA also secured language in the bill that within a year the FAA promulgate the marking and logging of towers in rural areas between 50-200 feet with a width of 10 feet or less—a provision that was included, again, from NAAA advocacy. That same timeline for the FAA to promulgate the tower marking and logging provisions was included back in the 2016 FAA Reauthorization Extension bill. The tower marking language in the agreed upon FAA Reauthorization reads as follows: 
 
SEC. 355. TOWER MARKING NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE MAKING.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement section 2110 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44718 note).  (b) REPORT.—If the Administrator fails to issue the notice of proposed rulemaking pursuant to subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 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 during the 5-year period preceding the date of submission of the report.  
 
Last week during a meeting with FAA Deputy Administrator Kathryn Thomson, NAAA was informed that the FAA hopes to have the proposed marking and logging of towers out for comment by as early as this summer.  
 
Last week at Ag on the Mall, NAAA CEO Andrew Moore provided Deputy Admin. Thomson with a photo and article showing an ag pilot's difficulty seeing unmarked towers while flying.
 
The protections of low-altitude airspace for manned aircraft from UAS operating BVLOS in the agreed upon reauthorization reads as follow:
 
§ 44811. Beyond visual line of sight operations for unmanned aircraft systems
(a) PROPOSED RULE.—Not later than 4 months after the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the Administrator shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking establishing a performance-based regulatory pathway for unmanned aircraft systems (in this section referred to as ‘UAS’) to operate beyond visual line of sight (in this section referred to as ‘BVLOS’).
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The proposed rule required under subsection (a) shall, at a minimum, establish the following: (6) The safety of manned aircraft operating in the national airspace system and consider the maneuverability and technology limitations of certain aircraft, including hot air balloons.
(c) FINAL RULE.—Not later than 16 months after publishing the proposed rule under subsection (a), the Administrator shall issue a final rule based on such proposed rule.
 
NAAA wishes to thank Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that has jurisdiction over the House bill, and Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Rick Crawford (R-AR)  for their hard work in ensuring these protections to manned aircraft were included in this bill, and to Senator John Thune (R-SD) for his work to include similar protections in the Senate.
 

Fire Boss Air Tractor 802F Equipped with Wipaire’s Amphibious Floats Flies Over Washington, DC National Mall in AOPA Flyover Event

This past Saturday, May 11, a Fire Boss—an Air Tractor 802F equipped with Wipaire’s amphibious floats—was one of 55 aircraft to participate in the National Celebration of General Aviation DC Flyover, organized by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) to celebrate their 85th anniversary. The single engine scoops water from nearby water sources for aerial firefighting. Air Tractor is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The Fire Boss was in the Public Service Flying category in the flyover.
 
Fire Boss flying over the National Mall. The Fire Boss and Albatross were the only two aircraft featured in the Public Service Flying category.
 
View the event on AOPA’s YouTube channel here (watch from 58:07 until 58:32, and the commentators speak more about the Fire Boss at 59:17 until 59:50 ). Leading up to the event, AOPA also filmed a short segment on the Fire Boss here (watch from 45 seconds until 2:17). AOPA’s Tom Haines and veteran aviation journalist Miles O’Brien commented on the live video streamed event. 
 
Fire Boss departs Frederick Municipal Airport to fly over the National Mall.
 
The National Celebration of General Aviation DC Flyover aircraft highlighted the roles and eras of general aviation aircraft since 1939 and commemorated the first proclamation of Aviation Day by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the creation of AOPA 85 years ago. Some of the additional aircraft that participated in the flyover were the Beechcraft Staggerwing, Cessnas, Pipers, Husky, Kodiak, Vans, Grumman, Pitts, Douglas DC-3, seaplanes, homebuilt aircraft, and Robinson and Enstrom helicopters. The event concluded with the Titan Aerobatic Team (formerly AeroShell) flying over the National Mall with smoke. NAAA Pilot member Steve Gustafson is a member of the Titan Aerobatic Team. View all aircraft that participated in the event here.
 
 
Titan Aerobatic Team flies over the National Mall.
 
The flyover event began at Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK), and the aircraft followed the Potomac River to the National Mall. The aircraft flew through airspace that has been closed to anything but military and emergency aircraft since September 11, 2001, and through the ultra-secure P56 airspace, which has been sealed off for decades. 
 
 
Map of the aircraft flyover route. 
 

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

Join us for the 2024 Ag Aviation Expo in Fort Worth, TX, Nov. 18-21. 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 2024 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’s services and/or 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.
 

ADs Proposed for Bell 204/205/210 and 212/412 Tail Boom Attachment Components

The FAA has proposed two new airworthiness directives (ADs) for the tail boom attachment components of certain Bell Textron Inc. helicopter models.
 
Bell 204/205/210 – Revising a 2022 proposed AD, and prompted by events involving failure of the tail boom attachment structure, a new proposed AD would require revising the existing Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) for your helicopter and repetitive inspections of structural components that attach the tail boom to the fuselage. Depending on the results of the inspections, this proposed AD would require removing certain parts from service or re-bonding the structure. Comments on the new proposed AD are due June 26, 2024.
 
Bell 212/412 – Prompted by reports of cracked tail boom attachment nuts (barrel nuts) involving Model 412EP helicopters, a new proposed AD would require replacing all steel alloy barrel nuts with nickel alloy barrel nuts and, replacing or inspecting other tail boom attachment point hardware and depending on the results, replacing hardware, stabilizing torque, and applying torque stripes. This proposed AD would also require repetitively inspecting torque and, depending on the results, corrective action. This proposed AD would require repetitively replacing the upper left-hand tail boom attachment bolt and repetitively inspecting the other tail boom attachment point bolts. Lastly, this proposed AD would prohibit installing steel alloy barrel nuts. Comments on the new proposed AD are due June 24, 2024.
 

NAAREF to Host Fourth Annual In-Season Safety Session

NAAREF will host an in-season safety session on June 3 at 8 p.m. CDT with a small panel of PAASS presenters. The topics will include current trends in ag accidents, good mentoring practices, and other topics of interest to participants. The safety session will be presented via a Zoom webinar. Click here to register. Please attend the NAAREF safety session and spread the word to others. As we enter the busiest time of the season it’s critical to keep safety at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts.
 
NAAREF held the first in-season safety session in 2021 after the ag aviation industry had suffered five fatal accidents by the end of May. The safety sessions are intended to bring safety to the forefront of ag aviator’s minds just before the busy part of the spraying season occurs. Past topics covered include avoiding wire strikes, mentorship, helicopter operations, and avoiding mid-air collisions. You can view recordings of prior NAAREF Safety Sessions, as well as other great safety videos, on NAAA’s Safety and Education Videos webpage.
 
 

NAAA Advocates for Aerial Application Industry Before Public, Media, Key Regulators and Legislators at Ag on the Mall

NAAA successfully met with policymakers and regulators at Ag on the Mall this week on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) organized the event, “The Future of Food & Farming,” which celebrated America’s equipment manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, and farm service providers like aerial applicators and how we all work together to produce more with less environmental impact. 
 
NAAA representatives made the most of the three-day event, which began on Monday and continued through Wednesday. They spoke with federal policymakers, regulators, media members, and everyday citizens who stopped to check out a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter on display thanks to Allen Chorman & Sons, Inc. in Milton, Delaware.
 
Along with NAAA, AEM sent pre-event media advisories to local and national agricultural media outlets, many congressional offices, and regulatory agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
 

NAAA Secretary Joel Meyer, NAAA President Ray Newcomb, NAAA CEO Andrew Moore and Guardian’s Matt Beckwith pictured with (FAA) Deputy Administrator Kathryn Thomson.
 
 

Moore provided Deputy Admin. Thomson with a photo and article showing an ag pilot's difficulty seeing unmarked towers while flying.
 
Moore, with NAAA President Ray Newcomb and NAAA Secretary Joel Meyer, addressed several groups of EPA staffers and agency leaders, including Rod Snyder, EPA’s Senior Agriculture Advisor to the Administrator; Ed Messina, Director of EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs; Jake Li, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention; Venus Welch-White, EPA’s Senior Advisor for Agriculture and Bruno Pigott, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator’s Office of Water.
 

NAAA leadership spoke to EPA’s Office of Agriculture and Office of Pesticide Programs teams multiple times throughout the event.
 
 

NAAA’s Newcomb and Moore pictured with Ed Messina, Director of EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs.
 
 

Moore pictured with Jake Li, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
 
“Attending Ag on the Mall was an important service on behalf of NAAA and our nation’s aerial applicators because many people are not always sufficiently or accurately informed about the industry and our crucial importance to food, fiber and bioenergy production. The event allowed us to discuss important agriculture and aviation policies affecting our industry with multiple congressional leaders and regulatory agency staff,” stated NAAA President Ray Newcomb.
 
NAAA also educated various congressional leaders about the importance of aerial application, including Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Congressman John Rose (R-TN).
 

NAAA’s Moore, Newcomb and Meyer pictured with Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. 
 

Moore, pictured with Rep. John Rose (R-TN), points out the benefits of aerial applications using a rotorcraft.
 
Ag on the Mall was also a favorable event for NAAA leadership to meet with other association leaders, including Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Alexandra Dunn, the new President and CEO of CropLife America and Daren Coppock, President & CEO of the Agricultural Retailers Association.
 

NAAA’s Meyer, Newcomb and Moore pictured with Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
 

NAAA’s Meyer, Newcomb and Moore pictured with Alexandra Dunn, President & CEO of CropLife America.
 
A mix of curiosity and bona fide interest attracted too many passersby to count, but having a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter from Allen Chorman & Sons in Milton, DE, on display with spray booms was enough to get scores of onlookers passing by to ask questions and take pictures by the helicopter. Again, thank you to Jeff Chorman, of Allen Chorman & Sons, Inc., his staff, and Glenn Martin of Helicopter Applicators Inc. in Gettysburg, PA, for supplying the truck and trailer for transporting and exhibiting the helicopter.
 



Future generations of ag pilots loved sitting in the cockpit and learning about aerial application.
 
NAAA enjoyed spending three very productive days taking advantage of the opportunity to educate policymakers and the public about the importance of agricultural aviation. 
 
President Newcomb and Secretary Meyer were outstanding spokespersons in interactions with the media and policymakers. They were also extremely welcoming to anybody who stopped to check out the helicopter display, including more than one hundred interested children and school groups who toured the event.
 
Thank you to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers who organized this fantastic event.
 

Agricultural Airman Guidelines Now Available! – A Wealth of Information for Part 137 Knowledge & Skills

NAAA and NAAREF are proud to announce the general availability of the Agricultural Airman Guidelines (AAG).
 
This new resource serves a dual purpose:
  1. To assist operators, supervisors, pilots and FAA personnel when preparing for, or administering, a 14 CFR §137.19(e) Knowledge and Skills Test, and
  2. To serve as consistent safety education and training guidance for agricultural aviation operators and pilots whether it be for an initial evaluation of their knowledge and skills or a training review.
 
For over six years, veteran ag pilots throughout the US have come together to create, deliberate upon and refine the AAG. Review and vetting have been provided by attorneys and stakeholders from state pesticide lead agencies, ag aircraft manufacturers and FAA.
 
The AAG is intentionally crafted in the framework of the Airman Certification Standards (ACS) and, similarly, provides a basis for attaining and maintaining the knowledge, ability to manage risks and skills consistent with acting as Pilot in Command conducting agricultural aircraft operations.
 
The AAG consists of 12 Areas of Operation arranged in a logical sequence, beginning with Preflight Preparation and ending with Postflight Procedures. Each Area of Operation includes applicable Tasks – 71 in all – which begin with an Objective stating what the applicant should know, consider, and/or do. This is supported with helpful references to applicable regulations, FAA guidance, handbooks and other industry resources. The Task then lists the aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and skill elements relevant to the specific Task, along with the conditions and standards for acceptable performance.
 
The release of the AAG also marks the beginning of an exciting new endeavor at NAAA. Using the Tasks outlined in the AAG as direction, along with other criteria on aviation safety, operations security and environmental professionalism, the association is working to create a catalog of self-paced online courses to augment current educational opportunities for ag pilots – all offered at no cost to NAAA members.
 
NAAA encourages all pilots and operators to check out the AAG and consider how it may be used to enhance ongoing training in your operation.
 

NAAA CEO Andrew Moore was Interviewed on Agriculture of America Podcast

NAAA’s press release in late April cautioning hobbyist and professional drone operators not to interfere with low-altitude manned agricultural aircraft resulted in additional coverage this week via agriculture and aviation media outlets.  NAAA CEO Andrew Moore was interviewed by Jesse Allen on the Agriculture of America Podcast.
 
Agriculture of America is a daily program produced by the American Ag Network, a nationwide radio, digital and multimedia ag news network. Listen to Moore in the fourth segment of the episode.  Agriculture of America can be heard nationwide on over 40 radio stations (including SiriusXM Rural Radio Channel 147 on Satellite Radio). The program has nearly 1.5 million listeners per month. 
 

NAAA Endorses and Encourages Ag Aircraft GPS Data Collection Effort Protecting Manned Ag Aircraft from Drones

As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) marches in lockstep with some corporate interests in the uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) space, it is becoming clear that green lighting and expanding UAS beyond visual line of site (BVLOS) operations may be being prioritized over safety. 
 
First proposed in the 2022 BVLOS ARC Report, and later put out for public comment in 2023, the FAA is considering designating “shielded” areas wherein UAS would have the right-of-way over crewed aircraft. These areas are defined as the airspace within 100 feet vertically or laterally of an obstacle or critical infrastructure, such as power lines. According to the ARC Report this is based on “the limited likelihood of crewed aircraft operations in [these] areas.”
 
The current reality is that some of these UAS interests (think BNSF Railway, Google, Amazon), and in some cases the FAA, do not have a solid understanding of where and how we operate. It falls now to us, as an industry, to inform future rulemaking of the unique nature of aerial application operations. Using a data-driven approach, we can demonstrate our utilization of the low-altitude airspace and expose the safety threat presented by UAS not giving the right-of-way to crewed aircraft within it.
 
To this end, NAAA has a longstanding partnership with Mississippi State University (MSU) to collect GPS data logs donated by its members. Since the project’s inception in 2017, the data collected and analysis performed by MSU has fueled NAAA’s efforts in representing the safety interests of aerial applicators to regulators.
 
If you have donated logs in the past, Thank You. 
 
If you have logs which you have not yet donated, please consider it. The data you provide can help shape policy on a national level and save lives. As a reminder, any data you submit is stripped of any personally identifiable information prior to inclusion in the larger dataset.
 
There are two options to submit your logs to MSU:
  1. Request a secure upload link for data uploads.  Email Madison Dixon, Associate Director, MSU Agricultural Autonomy Institute 

  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):
Mail To: Attn: Madison Dixon
MSU Agricultural Autonomy Institute
Pace Seed Technology Building
Mailstop #9812
650 Stone Blvd.
Mississippi State, MS 39762