Advice on night flying operations

[navigator72]

Sounds fun! I personally wouldn't do it of I had a family waiting at home for me. (Unless of course you don't really like your family, then I say "Go for it").

Why don't they do this sort of thing in the day?

 

[low-n-slow]

Key, out of curiosity are they using a SATLOC unit for swathing?

I've sprayed for mosquitos at night using a single engine turbine airplane (AT-502) for a sugar company that required flights around well lighted towns as well as company owned work camps scattered over a 30 mile area in south Florida. We have also done our share of crop spraying at night and some frost flying jobs have had me flying over crops from 9 p.m. 'till 7 a.m.

If you like this sort of flying in general I believe you should have no problem, being extremely familiar with the surroundings is an absolute must.

 

[Jmajoris]

There is a lot of risk involved in this type of flying. If you go for it, check your life insurance policy because a lot of them exclude this type of flying. Insurance is all about numbers, which of course don't lie.

Good luck.

I have a chance to take a part-time job as SIC in a BE-90 for a mosquitos spaying operation in Florida. Basically it entails spraying mosquitos while flying at 150 knots at 200' AGL at night. You fly lines following a display (similar in concept to a VOR readout) hooked up to a GPS unit. When you get to the end, you do a tight (60 deg. bank) 180 deg. turn to go the other way. I know Florida is flat, but I believe towers can be up to 199' tall before obstruction lights are required or before they are entered into data bases or charts. The company does supply night vision goggles (and a respirator for emergencies) and the Captains claim to know where all the towers are in the area, but do admit that every once in a while a new tower pops up over night.

I would like to hear from pilots out there that might have some experience in this type of operation. Can it be done safely, and how much risk is involved. It sounds fun, challenging, good experience for sharpening flying skills, and a good opportunity to build hours in a decent plane. However, I have a family and I am not sure if I might be better off building hours other ways that are less risky (instructing, etc.).

 

[Metro752]

Chicago winters aren't that bad.

 

[TurboS7]

They are when you only have two T hangars and 10 other airplanes out on the ramp that need to be A) pre-heated or B) deiced and you have all kinds of scheduled opps to get out. Try changing a cylinder out in the cold.....they are bad enough.

 

[key]

Thanks to all that responded!

Here are some answers to some of the questions that came up:

PCL 128 and PA31Ho - It's a private company hired by Sarasota County.

air chompers - I don't know what kind of NVG's they use.

navigator72 - They need to spray at night (over rural areas) when the mosquitos are out flying around. In populated area's they use trucks to spray. (Using the trucks I think they spray the larva. By air they spray the mosquitos directly.)

 

[9GClub]

Why don't they do this sort of thing in the day?

Aw geez party pooper.

 

[low-n-slow]

This reminds me, seems like a couple of years or so ago I remember seeing an ad somewhere for a Bell 206 (I believe) pilot spraying mosquitos making 12 bucks an hour for the Volusia county mosquito control in Florda. I believe they were primarily doing daytime larvacide work.

 

[Metro752]

They are when you only have two T hangars and 10 other airplanes out on the ramp that need to be A) pre-heated or B) deiced and you have all kinds of scheduled opps to get out. Try changing a cylinder out in the cold.....they are bad enough.

Yeah, but that's what makes it fun. I'm just crazy though Not a Mech, but I can imagine it is a real pain to change ANYTHING out in the cold when it is Chicago Cold.

................they were primarily doing daytime larvacide work.........

mmmmmmmmmmmmm larvacide