Crop dusting!

[agpilot34]

Some get parted out for spares, some go overseas, some tow banners. There's quite a few on the used market right now.

I strongly disagree with anyone who says this is a dying industry. While it is true there are far fewer operators nowadays, the fact remains that there is no viable substitute for aerial application in alot of cases. Ground rigs destroy crops and cant run in wet conditions, and they're slow anyway. Biotech crops are still not cost effective to grow, regardless of what the tree hugging environmentalists would like us all to believe. The aerial application business has shrunk, that is true, but it will never be completely out of the picture.

 

[mcjohn]

I would enjoy the work. And hopefully stay alive.

 

[RightPedal]

There are a few contractors out there that fertilize the pine forest for the paper companies.
When they work off my strip they takeoff with a five-thousand pound load every seven to nine minutes.
Most of the time they work at the target site and are making takeoffs and landings on ground that some people wouldn't drive a truck on. I've seen guys work daylight to dark and not get out of the airplane but once all day. I'm told that $2500 to $3000 a day is common. They work two to three days and relocate to another site which is most of the time out in the middle of nowhere and sometimes take three days to relocate and set up to work. As for me, it's those takeoffs and landings every seven to nine minutes that turn me on. I like fast pace work.

 

[Ill Mitch]

Some get parted out for spares, some go overseas, some tow banners. There's quite a few on the used market right now.

I strongly disagree with anyone who says this is a dying industry. While it is true there are far fewer operators nowadays, the fact remains that there is no viable substitute for aerial application in alot of cases. Ground rigs destroy crops and cant run in wet conditions, and they're slow anyway. Biotech crops are still not cost effective to grow, regardless of what the tree hugging environmentalists would like us all to believe. The aerial application business has shrunk, that is true, but it will never be completely out of the picture.

Yea, dying was too strong a word. But it is definitely shrinking. I agree that it will never go away completely, but as someone said in this thread and another one not too long ago, it is more of a 911 service than anything else.
I guess about the only steady spraying gigs are the boll-weevil stuff.

I had a gig lined up a couple of years ago in TN for a multi-plane operator. I really wanted to take it, but am glad I didn't as the airplanes sat for most of the season. Last season they sat as well. Hopefully this season will be better as my bros need to eat!

 

[mcjohn]

As for me, it's those takeoffs and landings every seven to nine minutes that turn me on. I like fast pace work.

Ditto. Face paced work keeps me happy. Sitting on my ass at the flight school all day is KILLING ME!

 

[RightPedal]

Yea, dying was too strong a word. But it is definitely shrinking. I agree that it will never go away completely, but as someone said in this thread and another one not too long ago, it is more of a 911 service than anything else.
I guess about the only steady spraying gigs are the boll-weevil stuff.

I had a gig lined up a couple of years ago in TN for a multi-plane operator. I really wanted to take it, but am glad I didn't as the airplanes sat for most of the season. Last season they sat as well. Hopefully this season will be better as my bros need to eat!

The bowlweevil eradication program is dead for the most part. It's all pretty well a maintanence program now, I'm told. I have a friend in south texas that flew over 900 hours last year.
The multi-plane operator you spoke of (G.Mc) is a relative of mine and taught me how to fly. Most of his pilots flew less than a hundred hours last season. I wish I could, but I can't live on that, so I'll keep my 8 to 5 job for now.
BWEP was the best thing going for a new pilot to get into the business. It's all light load, low volume work. It didn't pay very much either. I wish ag-aviation would become active again, it's about the only thing in life I want to do.

 

[bugchaser]

You will be a more effective ag-pilot if you think of yourself as a farm worker whose equipment happens to fly rather than as a pilot that does ag flying.

Thats the best statement in this thread. The flying is rewarding and you learn a lot about flying, but it is absolutely the hardest work that you will ever do in an airplane. There are many, many ways to kill yourself doing this type of work. You have to be on your game all day every day. After 12+ hrs the fun is long gone. Regarding the insurance, there is always a way around the requirements. It can be done if you really want to. Just make sure that you are comfortable in the airplane before starting to work it. You are an applicator at that point who happens to be in an airplane. Flying the airplane is something that you do while you do your primary job which is deliver the product to the right place.

As for the money, it can be pretty good in the right circumstances. Like the others said there is lots of consolidation going on. If you happen to be the guy left driving the big turbine, you can do pretty well. The last few years that I sprayed full time, I made over 100k each season. That was for about 8 months and about 800 hrs per year. But remember, no benifits, etc.

Having said all that, I really enjoyed most of my 6000+ hrs of ag flying.

 

[big_al]

I just want to give a shout-out to the low flying crop duster who plays chicken with the semis on route 5 around the bakersfield area in CA.

 

[ukaviator]

Seeing as the crop-dusting community is a close knit one, do you guys know James Stewart out of Arkansas?

Fly Safe you guys

 

[mcjohn]

Well then, does any one know J.D. Scarborough in S. Georgia? He's a good ol boy. Been doing it since he was like 16 or something. Pushing 60 by now. We have our family reunions at his house.

 

[Waldom]

One last comment, Mcjohn; Anyone who tells you that there is no difference between an upwind and a downwind turn would have a very brief career as a cropduster.

I will agree with the aerodynamic expert if the aircraft is flying within a block of stable air. When you come up out of a south Georgia cotton field in the process of starting your 90 downwind/270 upwind procedure turn though, the airplane isn't in that steady-state atmoshere.

You're coming off a swath run at ground level, often downwind of a parallel hedgerow where there isn't much air moving. As you come up over the treeline, rolling into your downwind turn, you are essentially flying into a windshear because the air above the trees is moving faster than the air in the field. The aircraft just picked up a sudden tailwind. This is a loss of airspeed, decreasing performance type wind shear.

Even a few knots of tailwind makes a difference because every turn you make all day every day is a maximum performance turn. This is necessitated by the fact that anytime the airplane is in the air with the spray valve closed, you are losing money. That's why at least at an airstrip dedicated to cropdusting you won't see anyone flying rectangular patterns.

All this is not meant to be dramatic, Mcjohn. I only mention it to try to keep you alive during your first few weeks. After that, the seat of your pants will be a finely tuned instrument.

 

[mcjohn]

Very interesting thanks. I recall a while back (here on FI) someone raised hell about a crop duster coming into an airport like that and said they should have their license yanked or something.
And then along comes the bug. Yeah that's right AvBug. I'm sure you can imagine his response. Had something to do with the Ag. pilot putting food on his table, etc.,etc.,etc......

 

[avbug]

Ag aviaton is more of a shrinking industry than a dying one, but dying is still a good discription. Between the massive chemigation and pervasive use of ground rigs, as well as many operators who reduced numbers of aircraft in favor of larger turbine equipment (and then went out of business because the turbine equipment was too expensive)...the opportunities are fewer and fewer.

Some year round seats exist, often in warmer climes doing year round crops such as citrus or rice...but it's mostly seasonal, and you never know what you're going to make from year to year. Some years are very lean, some are not so bad.

The claims of six digit figures are mostly exaggerated, especially today. Forestry work such as seeding and fertilization doesn't pay as good as you might think; many consider it a lot more work for a lot less pay, when you average out the hours. Most who do it get burned out on it fairly quickly.

As others have said, you can go to one of the schools (Bainbridge where you were looking, by chance?), but being employable is another matter. The magic number is a thousand hours of ag; until then you may find yourself paying the difference on insurance, working for lesser pay, etc. You may also find yourself relegated to equipment in which you're less likely to hurt yourself, such as an agtruck or an agcat.

A few states have some very tough tests, with high failure rates for your ag certs. Not rocket science, but don't enter the business thinking that it's an hours-building experience. It's not. Enter planning on knowing crops, insects, diseases, practices, etc. You're not so much a pilot that flies low as a farmer that works a little above the crop.

Plan on having a lot of difficulty getting life insurance in the future.

 

[mcjohn]

Good info. Thanks. Welcome back.

 

[agpilot34]

If you are looking at ag schools, by chance, stay away... I repeat, STAY AWAY from Sam Riggs' operation. That place will get you killed quickly. And that's not just some statement made out of the blue, I have first hand knowledge of his operation. I have heard the outfit in Bainbridge is decent, but dont expect ANY of the schools to be an instant in for a job. All they basically get you is some tailwheel time and a little experience spraying water. There's ALOT more to it than that.