Low time Crop Duster?

[TWA]

The timing of this is kind of dumb luck. This next week there is going to be an ag plane (not sure what type) working out of my FBO. I heard from one of the locals that there is a new anti fungal chemical for corn the doubles the yield and can pretty much only be applied by air. Because it only effects this one specific kind of fungus, drift is not a problem. I also heard that because of all this Ethanol stuff, this year has the most corn planted since 1944. This could bring a comeback to crop dusting. Know anything about this Avbug? I'm just goin off what I heard over morning coffee.

 

[avbug]

We were just having a talk about it this afternoon. Some of the AT-802's have been pulled off fire to do Fungicide, and we just had an 802 show up that got pulled off the corn to come do fires.

Doubles the yield would be a stretch, but increases it, definitely. By a considerable margin.

Ethanol is more of a pipe dream; the energy required to produce it makes it a low margin item...not that attractive. Rape seed (canola) and other products, however, do show some promise.

Ag won't go back to what it was. Bigger airplanes requiring more experienced pilots mean less employed pilots because they're doing more acres and using less aircraft. There's enough of a challenge for an inexperienced pilot to get into an AgWagon or other entry level piston sprayer, but really no chance for someone starting out to get into an 802 or turbine thrush.

 

[Princedietrich]

Know of anyone still spraying in Ohio?

The only spray operation I know of in Ohio is Trump Aviation, north of Dayton. But I think it's a one man owner/op show.

 

[TWA]

The only spray operation I know of in Ohio is Trump Aviation, north of Dayton. But I think it's a one man owner/op show.

I kind of inadvertently ran across his website the other day. Not much on it, but he is selling a Pawnee on Trade a Plane.

 

[TWA]

Ok, I'm not sure how this works out, but I'm going to pass on what I just heard anyway.

Right now there is an AT-502 from Evergreen Flying Services out of Louisiana dusting out of my FBO in Ohio. I just spoke with the pilot, and he said he started spraying with 250 hours right when he got his commercial. Except for spraying, I don't think this guy got a whole lot of formal training. He has had the hardest time talking with towers, needed the exact coordinates of the airport for his gps, and wasn't too sure on the use of sectionals. Definitely a country boy used to country flying.

 

[avbug]

Evergreen is a good company, and very careful about who they hire. There are pilots out there who hire on with low experience (more so in former times)...but those who do that have generally gone the traditional route of loading, flagging, and working into a seat, have been trained by the company, and the opportunities to do that are few and far between.

I began spraying in high school when I had a fresh commercial and the same time, but my flying at that point had been mostly all tailwheel, a lot of it putting out water or chemical, almost all in mountainous terrain, and at low level, and I did a dedicated six month ag school, and still had to work into the position, plus have the ability to work on the airplanes as well as fly them, operate on and repair all the farm equipment, farm, etc. Just like most operators out there today.

The flying is the smallest part of the business.

 

[stearmann4]

Bug,

you're inputs are always invaluable.

 

[phr8dawg]

Bug: please write a book!