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Shot In The Dark

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John Wayne

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Posts
19
:confused:

Alright,
I ran a quick search for this before you guys ask. I am looking for any information on Agricultural aviation. I am a low time pilot who is looking into his options other than airlines. I ran several searches for operators, associations, and training. There is some info out there, but I was hoping that some one out there could turn me on to a site for arieal applicators like this one. Any takers out there?

Thanks
 
Good comeback Speedbug, let me clean the screen off now.

But seriously.

I did this a few years back with a friend that went through Ag school, I did not do the school, I was just going to see what I could land, I was also just out of A&P school with a little flight time as well, I guess around 400 hours with about 50 or so tailwheel.

My friend and I took a week and traveled throughout Texas and Louisana with a huge list of ag operators, and what I found was that I needed about 3000 hours and about 1000 ag time.

My friend who had done the ag school got a job loading chemicals and whatever else before he even got near an ag seat, and that was just to ferry airplanes and eventually do a little spraying.

In other words, I think its pretty tough to break into the business, I might be wrong, but thats what I found, and my big ag road trip was about 10 years ago, so things might be different now.

A side note that I just remembered from out trip:

We were sitting in a hanger in the middle of Texas far away from any major town talking to an owner operator looking at his Agcats when we could hear a round engine getting closer.

Anyway, this Agcat lands and pulls up to the hanger and a young kid gets out. The owner introduced us to his son who got out of the airplane who just came in off the fields, he was 15. I was only 19 but I still got jealous.

Also, "Avbug" is on the board here, he has been in the ag business I believe, you might want to send him a message.

Good luck.
 
I to have had a desire to get into ag flying for a long time. It is a long and hard road to a seat, unless of course you know someone, like Daddy.

There are a few schools out there. Although some beleive it's a waist of money. School is a good way for a crash course on the business. You'll get around 50 hours in a few ag-planes, but it will not guarantee you a working seat.

Most insurance company's require 1000 ag time. I'm told there are a few ways to obtain this. First you need some good tail wheel training. You could then purchase yourself an ag-airplane. There are some Cessna's (preferable with GPS) out there in the $20 to $30,000 range (Beware). Hire on with an operator as ground crew and get him, or one of his pilots to spend some time with you. As you can see, with a lot of money and time, and more money, you might get to spray in a few years, with a lot of money.
Another way is go to school, then one Saturday set down and fly that 1000 hours. I read an NTSB final report the other day about a guy that finished ag-school with 500tt. Got killed in a cessna the next month by tearing the left wing off trying to climb through some pine trees. This was his first load for revenue. The report said he had logged 1087 hours within the last 30 day prior to the accident.

I was talking with the operator my brother flys for one day. He says, so you want to be a crop duster huh? Yes sir I say. You been studying them book's he ask. Yes sir I say. He goes away and returns with the upper 1/3 of a cessna rudder that my brother took off with a wire. He says here take this, go home and throw all them book away, study this piece of rudder for a while, and if you really want to be a crop duster, you come back next week with a 1000 hours ag time in your log book and I'll give you a job.

I started a thread here last week titled Aerial Application. I thought there would be a lot of response, but only Avbug and one other guy replyed.

The bowl weevil eradication program is about the best way in, but this is starting to phase down. This BWEP has started a lot of new pilots. The down side to this is they are for sure to garnish you wage to cover things you might break, and insurance. The bad thing is that all these contracts are for the most part just maintenance now, and most pilots don't get much over a 100 hours in the season, if that.

You could visit www.ag-aviation-online.com. or www.agairupdate.com and learn a lot. There is always conversation about this subject at AAO. AAU requires you to subscribe to post on the bulletin board though.

This industry is faced with a lot of hardships right now. It's a hard way to make a living but can be very rewarding also. The good thing about this good old USA is that a man can do just about anything he puts his mind to. With a well made plan, diligence, and sacrifice you can do it.

Good Luck!
 
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The report said he had logged 1087 hours within the last 30 day prior to the accident.

Hmm, by my math that means he was logging 36.2 hours per day. Musta been daylight savings time.:rolleyes:

Z
 
My question is do you put it all on one line or use the entire page.:p
 
ag flying

I have been in the Ag flying business for about 11 years now. Would be glad to answer any questions that I can. Like the other posters said, it is pretty tough to break into. Like all of aviation there are more pilots looking than jobs. However, if you are lucky enough to find the right opportunity, it can be very rewarding. I am flying a new turbine Air Tractor and should be able to make well over 70k this next season. My boss also owns an Aztec that I can fly for fuel anytime. I still have dreams about flying for SW etc some day but right now the money and the fun of the job keeps me in ag.:cool:
 
bugchaser,

hook me up and show me the way...you must have a year round rice seat somewhere to be making seventy grand.

I made fifteen grand in a Turbine dromader this year (fire)...never ever made remotely close to that doing ag.
 
First: I am a simple white bread cracker-a$$-cracker from Colorado. I am about as American as they get. I even bleed red white and blue so no worries!

Second: Thank you all for the info and insight. I will attempt to contact those that offered. Keep on pluggin guys...Its got to get better sometime.
 
Well Avbug, I have been at this for quite a while. I said I hope to make that this next season. As you know this can be a feast or famine occupation. Don't know your background, but I grew up on a farm and got a degree in Ag Economics from Texas A&M. I am also a Certified Crop Advisor. I'm not telling you all this to brag, but to say that it is important to be able to do other things for your employer. It is worth something to be able to make chemical recomendations, handle customers, sales, etc. I make a little more than some because of these other things that I can do. As for the flying, no I am not flying rice. (did that for a while) I will fly about 500 hrs next season in a turbine. We are in a very productive area and can expect to spray between 70,000 and 100,000 acres each season with each airplane. Don't know what kind of experience you have, but there are still some opportunities for the right kind of person. Heard about a seat last week that paid around 55k last season. Once you are in the club, you seem to hear about these jobs more often. I know it can be frustrating in the beginning, but hang in there and keep working and it will happen.
 
I'm happy to hear it. However, every ag operator I know was hurting last year. And the year before, and the year before that.

Those interested in the business should know that most operators can't afford turbine equipment, and most ag pilots don't make nearly that amount.

Additionally, most seasons are relatively short. Those wishing to extend from their local operation can sometimes get fire work, if qualified, or find a seat on the BWEP programs. Forestry work doing seeding or treatment can add to that, but it doesn't pay well, and it's typically for an operator you don't know, with equipment you may not know.

One operator for whom I do some work did less than 100 hours of spray work this year (row crop). Between drought, economy, and other issues, a lot of operators are hurting, no two ways about it.
 

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