Each year, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) offers a range of valuable benefits designed to support operators and pilots throughout the season.
These benefits are designed to enhance the safety, efficiency, and success of those in agricultural aviation and are made available to all those in the industry to glean. Below are reminders to review before you begin your busy 2025 season.
Pre-Season Maintenance
Ensure your pre-season maintenance is complete on aircraft and other operation equipment before your season begins. When inspections are skipped or delayed, undetected issues can lead to mechanical accidents. A review of NTSB accident reports underscores the risks of neglecting required inspections and maintenance. According to the agricultural aviation accidents article in the Winter 2025 issue of Agricultural Aviation, during the 10-year period from 2014 to 2023, mechanical failures caused 28% of all agricultural accidents and 7% of fatal ones, with power loss and airframe issues being the most common types. Many accidents could have been prevented with proper, timely maintenance.
Pilots should stay updated on service bulletins, airworthiness directives, and manufacturer recommendations, as they help address known maintenance issues. In the agricultural environment, inspection intervals may need to be shortened. After maintenance or overhaul, pilots should be extra vigilant with preflight checks and run-ups to catch potential problems. Lastly, pilots should avoid "normalization of deviance"—just because problems haven’t caused issues before doesn’t mean they won’t in the future. Proper, timely maintenance and adherence to best practices are key to safety.
NAAA Membership Benefits
While you are conducting your pre-season work, keep NAAA membership in mind if you haven’t renewed or if you haven’t been a member. Consider why you should remain/be a member from the following key benefits that NAAA provides:
Fly Safe Messages
Fly Safe messages are shared with NAAA members and non-members, specifically, all operators and pilots with a valid email address on file with NAAA. These important safety alerts are sent every other Monday in April and May, and every Monday in June, July, and August. Additional safety reminders are issued whenever aviation activity warrants them. If you are a Part 137 operator or ag pilot who has not been getting Fly Safe messages, please contact NAAA’s Scott Bretthauer at (202) 546-5722 or sbretthauer@agaviation.org to be added to the recipient list. Review past Fly Safe messages online at AgAviation.org/flysafe.
PAASS
The Professional Aerial Applicators’ Support System (PAASS) is an annual education program created and presented by professionally trained ag pilots. New content on relevant topics each year covers key safety and drift mitigation issues important to flying, modern agriculture, and targeted application of crop inputs. This educational program enhances aerial applicators’ profession by improving critical aeronautical decision-making skills, resulting in fewer drift incidents and aircraft accidents.
A comprehensive review of the 2024-2025 PAASS Program can be read in the Spring 2025 Agricultural Aviation magazine, which will be available in mid-March at AgAviationMagazine.org. Past PAASS program synopses may also be found in spring issues of the magazine at the same website.
C-PAASS and NAAA Education Center
NAAA and NAAREF jointly launched the Certified-Professional Aerial Applicator Safety Steward (C-PAASS) program in 2023 to serve as the industry’s flagship certification and as a roadmap for the pursuit of the best educational opportunities currently available.
C-PAASS-certified aerial applicators can highlight their certification to regulatory officials, insurance agents, and customers, demonstrating that they’ve received advanced training to ensure safe, high-quality aerial application service. The NAAA Education Center is available to members at education.agaviation.org, providing access to on-demand online courses relevant to aerial applicators. Previous PAASS programs are available for a fee, while a growing list of other courses is free for NAAA members.
The Education Center also offers Safety and Education videos. Over the years, NAAA and NAAREF have produced several high-quality educational, safety, and training videos to further their goal of providing education to the aerial application industry. These videos are available for on-demand viewing.
NAAA’s Recent Accomplishments
NAAA has had many recent accomplishments advocating for the safety and benefit of the aerial application industry, including:
- NAAA now offers health and life insurance options for members. Visit AgAviation.org/membership for details and to compare rates.
- Due to NAAA’s advocacy, the FAA issued a proposed rule to mark and log into a central database meteorological towers between 50 and 200 feet.
- DOT’s FMCSA issued a proposed rule allowing states to waive the HazMat requirement for Class A CDL holders hauling no more than 1,000 gallons of aviation-grade jet fuel for agricultural aircraft operations, increasing the supply of available drivers.
- After years of effort, the EPA accepted NAAA’s recommendations to improve the accuracy of the models used to estimate drift from aerial applications, mitigating aerial buffers and preserving aerial use language on pesticide labels.
- NAAA worked with the FAA to secure the use of radio frequency 122.925 for radio communications between agricultural aircraft to operate safely.
- NAAA successfully advocated for the enacted FAA Reauthorization Bill to ensure airspace safety for crewed aircraft as part of its upcoming policy for uncrewed aircraft to operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).
- Since 2017, NAAA has submitted over 300 comments to the EPA to keep aerial application use language on pesticide labels.
Strength in Numbers: Join NAAA
NAAA is fortunate to have a dedicated group of officers and volunteer leaders serving on its board of directors, but there is strength in numbers. If you don’t think your membership matters, it does! With this year’s change in the presidency and Congress, NAAA is actively meeting with and informing all the new policymakers and lawmakers about the importance of ensuring rules and laws that facilitate a healthy U.S. aerial application industry. This requires membership resources. The more members we have supporting NAAA and the industry, the better positioned we will be.
If you aren’t a member, the most effective way to address the critical issues facing your business is by joining NAAA. The payoff far exceeds what you will spend on dues in the form of effective advocacy, national representation, education and safety programs, and personal connections within the industry. To join, call (202) 546-5722 or visit AgAviation.org/membership.
