United States

There is an agenda driven sector who know nothing of ag flying, are directly opposed and even hostile to aerial application. Agricultural aviation isn’t only how we make our living. It’s much bigger than that. It’s how we live. Left to their own accord, our opponents would regulate and tax...

What is a temperature inversion, and how does it affect drift? There are many misconceptions and erroneous opinions. Without an inversion, or under normal conditions, the temperature is highest near the ground and decreases as the elevation or altitude increases. With a temperature inversion, a warm layer of air is...

As we lined up on the centerline and started bringing the torque up to redline, our journey from Harlingen, Texas (KHRL) to San Jose, Costa Rica (MRPV) in a brand new AT-504 was underway. While acting as PIC, I was accompanied by ag/ferry pilot Pat Kornegay, as it was my...

NAAA ‘Ag Wings of Tomorrow’ Scholarship Program Spreads the Wealth Up to five scholarships, $22,500 in training money available under new scholarship program NAAA is pleased to announce its scholarship program has expanded and will now award up to five flight training scholarships a year under the new NAAA “Ag...

In this month’s edition of AgAir Update, the cover story is about my evaluation flight of Embraer’s redesigned Ipanema EMB203 aircraft. Without hesitation, I can say I enjoyed flying it. The last 20 years of my active career in ag-flying was in a turbine Thrush. Anytime I have the opportunity...

Good community relations for an ag-operation can often be the means to spelling success. It takes a special effort outside the daily tasks of running a flying service to be involved with the local community. But, the rewards can be very satisfying, while at the same time promoting goodwill for...

Mitigating spray drift is a major issue today for the ag aviation industry. Proper equipment setup and application technique are essential and help greatly, but only get you so far because they do not control how common tank-mix ingredients change the properties of the spray water. Oils and surfactants in...

Husband and wife team Justin and Ashley Houston (pronounced House-ton) build an aerial application business from the ground up. There are many aerial application businesses around the world that are operated by families. Father and son, husband and wife, daughters, cousins and siblings; the combinations are endless. For one husband...

On Friday, February 3, 2017 members of the Arkansas Agricultural Aviation Association's Ag Aviation Golf Tournament Committee presented a check to Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH) for $3,000. The proceeds were raised during the 2nd Annual Ag Aviation Golf Tournament, a 2-man scramble that was held at the Red Apple Inn...

A little shy of 20 years ago, Ron Wolf found himself at a crossroads. Ron had built a successful career in the helicopter industry, starting with PHI Helicopters as an A&P/IA mechanic. PHI had instituted a mechanic to pilot transition program and Ron completed the training to earn his commercial...