Ag Aviation

You preflight your aircraft and go over the work orders that you prepared the night before looking for critical information such as environmentally sensitive areas and field borders. You notice a light north wind blowing which means that half of your spray runs in the field will be into the rising sun. Very beautiful, but also very deadly as the bright sun likes to hide field obstacles.

Another factor that has much trickle-down effect on the insurance issue is the popularization of genetically modified crops (GMO). The majority of farmers around the world now rely on “Roundup Ready” crops. This new technology has helped farmers tremendously by simplifying and making weed control much more effective in certain crops such as soybeans, flax, and corn. The problem with this for aerial applicators and insurance writers is the issue of drift liability. Round Up, while non-toxic to humans, is extremely harmful to non “Roundup Ready” crops making application more risky and difficult. Thousands of chemical drift claims are filed each year. As a result of this, Round Up is now offered as a rider to the operators drift insurance policy and typically runs an extra $10,000 per aircraft. A very high percentage of aerial sprayers cannot afford to carry insurance for this particular chemical and therefore are not able to treat these GMO crops. Also, if an operator who is insured for Round Up has more than two claims filed for drift, they will be denied insurance coverage.

Today, ag aircraft are state-of-the-art, designed specifically for aerial application. They have on-board computers that monitor the rate of application as well as Global Positioning System (GPS) to guide them down the fields accurately. Some have turbine engines and can cost upward of about $800,000. Today, technology permits the pilot to do the best job possible. It is seldom that application mistakes occur.

Today, organizations and their members work hard to change the old image. Their goals and objectives are to promote and foster the development of a professional approach and attitude to aerial application, develop professional standards in the industry, promote research and development in chemicals and application techniques, protect the environment, and develop an effective liaison with government agencies.

Education and training of members is a high priority of the National Ag Aviation

Some topics in this essay:
System GPS, HP P&W, , NAAA Training, aerial application, hard change image, “roundup ready” crops, ready” crops, genetically modified crops, modified crops, maneuver aircraft, hard change, change image, “roundup ready”, protect environment, agricultural aviation, genetically modified,