Our busy seasons
If you have not noticed by now, then you must have not “flipped” through the pages of this month’s edition of AgAir Update! Believe me when I say, “We didn’t plan it this way.” There is an overwhelming number of Canadian-related articles in this February edition. However, it could have not worked out any better with the Canadian Aerial Applicators Association’s annual conference being held in Montreal this month. Of course, AgAir Update will attend with an exhibit booth. Please be sure to stop by for a visit.
This month’s feature cover story is about Portage Aircraft and Jonair; based in (you guessed it) Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. Graham flew the Baron to Canada for this article about Portage Aircraft becoming the exclusive Air Tractor dealer for Canada. I know you’ll find it interesting reading.
To add to the Canadian flavor, you’ll read about probably the only (not really sure about that) active Canadian female ag-pilot, Laura Lawrence. Uniquely enough, AgAir Update’s columnist, Juliana Coppick, a female ag-pilot that flies both in Brazil and the U.S., wrote the article and made a long distant friend at the same time!
Another Canadian-based article in this month’s edition is about precision aerial applications. Charlie Steele of Mississippi wrote a Letter to the Editor about his satisfaction with his Air Repair hydraulic variable and constant rate hopper gate. In my reply, I commented that variable rate would one day be the norm. When you read about xarvio Field Manager, you will be convinced that variable rate has arrived, at least in Canada.
But, this inundation of Canadian articles does not stop, be sure to read all about Ag-Nav, Inc., a GPS company based in Barre Ontario. This time, I made the trip to Canada to visit with my 20+ year friend Fred Ramirez, president of Ag-Nav. I left very pleasant 70°F weather in Georgia to be greeted by Canadian snow, ugh! There’s a lot to read about Ag-Nav. It is not your “run of the mill” company.
As I write this, I am about halfway through AgAir Update’s winter state trade show circuit. As if I can’t get enough of traveling, I had a 15-day break after the Mississippi convention before the SEAF convention and I booked a week of travel in Brazil! Oh well, so much for taking a break.
I can’t complain too much about all the travel Graham and I do in January and February. It is a lot; 22 days away from home in the 31 days of January and almost that many in February. For us, it is our “busy season”, not unlike yours during the peak months of your season. We all have to “get it while we can” and this is the time of year for AgAir Update.
The good thing about all this is that I get to renew old friendships and make new ones. That becomes more important to me as the years literally fly by (44 years since I started in ag-aviation). Seeing people and remembering just how long I’ve known them and the memories this brings back is very rewarding. I can honestly say I have many more friends away from home than at it. I often joke, “Where can you enjoy a beer while on the job?” However, all the restaurant eating and convention hall beers really take a toll on the diet!
Until next month, Keep Turning…
