Attention Ag Pilots

[AT502]

G'day,

I am just interested to know how many other Ag pilots browse through here.

Cheers

Super Trouper

Enjoy your lunch? Thank an Ag Pilot!

[currawong]

Guilty.

Now stop slacking off:E

[airag3]

That makes three.

[TomOz]

Does anybody know of a good ag forum?

[AT502]

There is one on the AAAA's website, however it is not anonymous and it is not used a lot.

So this is probably it!

Thats why I am interested to find out how many Aggies browse Pprune.

Cheers,

Super Trouper

[the wizard of auz]

What about us ex aggies?. some of us still browse in the hope that something aggie like will be produced on the forums sometimes.

[AT502]

So there are five of us!!!!!!!

Cheers,

Troup!:cool:

[AT502]

Surely there are more of us browsing?????

:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

[185skywagon]

me too, although i am just a lowly ag2.

[tinpis]

Best ag-flyin boots ever made: :p

Just get rid of the sissy laces and bend up a piece a # 8 wire to close em.


http://www.skellerup.co.nz/product/frb1.jpg

[currawong]

185 stand up and be counted:ok:

I have seen Ag 2 types that are miles ahead of some Ag 1's.

Great boots tinpis. Where is the sheep meant to stand?

:E :E :E

[AT502]

I was happy to see more posts this morning!

In regards to footwear, I know of an Ag Pilot who only ever wore thongs when flying in a certain part of Asia, plus no helmet, it was too hot! So those boots would surely scare the pants of this guy!

Of those browsing, who is turbine/piston? and who is rice/cotton or other?

Cheers,

Troup

[tinpis]

currawong back in my day the sheilas were tops but I guess most of them bugger off to Oz leavin the sheep to fend for themselves.

[185skywagon]

have any of you blokes tried the MSA Gallet helmet?
i have not long bought one. nice and light but the passive noise reduction isn't what i thought it would be.
any comments.

[currawong]

185,

There was a thread over on Rotorheads recently re helmets, ran for several pages so quite a bit of good info.

:ok:

Have not tried a Gallet myself, but for that kind of money I would expect to be able to drive to work in it.

:E

[currawong]

Talking to myself again...

Anyhow, anyone tangled up in the herbicide debacle going on in the cotton country at the moment? (carefully avoiding naming said popular chemical or locations)

Anyone learning about being a safe pilot in Wee Waa tomorrow?

185, have you tried using earplugs with your helmet - the yellow ones that work well out of a blowpipe are pretty good. Pretty common for those without ANR.:ok:

[AT502]

Hi Currawong,

I have heard one story about round up ready cotton, haven't heard any reports about any other problems. Have been quite busy over the last few weeks, so have not caught up on all the goss. Tell me more..........?

Troup:cool:

[poteroo]

RR 'anycrop' poses huge future drift risks to every spray operator - ground or air. Don't expect the manufacturers to help either - the same old stock standard label statement of 'avoid drift onto sensitive crops' will protect them - but not you.

In WA, the majority of spray drift damage cases are in May-June, and most involve knockdown herbicides such as glyphosate and Spray-Seed. As well, night spraying, or late pm spraying into the developing temperature inversion, is one of the causes. What price a huge increase in this stuff once everyone decides to grow RR crops?

Back in the late 80's there was a monster drift damage problem out near Condobolin NSW - if I remember rightly. It involved glyphosate + 2,4-D ester, aerial sprayed late in the day. I did hear that the area involved ran into many 10's of sq. kms - so much in fact, that the Ministers for Land & Ag were up there to inspect.

Dwell on this bit of history - or you'll be rewriting it in your own name.

An aggie section might be workable, as there's a lot more to discuss than just the flying side of it.

I'm in the chemicals development game - since 1970, but hopefully 'qualify' with an Ag2 from Max Hazelton's in 1972.

happy days,

[currawong]

Thanks RV6-VNE.

We are hearing over here particular formulations are causing problems - even from shielded ground equipment.

No, not ester. But the problem resembles it.

With that in mind, I would suggest that the main problem will not be in applying the product but in convincing people to buy it in the first place, regardless of what the label says.

With your background, you may be able to help - the two glyphosate formulations I am talking about have a wetter built in. This is raising some suspicion here. The formulations that do not are no problem. What is your opinion? I'm sure the manufacturer is pretty interested.

[poteroo]

Currawong,

Surfactant addition usually creates smaller droplet sizes - due the lower surface tension of the mix- and this also varies with the type of surfactant. Our general advice in the past has been to add a couple% of spraying oil, rather than surfactant - but this has become less effective since many formulations come with added surfactant anyway.

With ground rigs you can change over to air inducted jets which will eliminate about 90% of the driftable fines - but then you have the problem of not collecting enough droplets on the 1 - 1.5 leaf grasses. A 100 micron droplet is about 4x more likely to adhere to a thin vertical target as a 250 mu droplet. This has been the only real obstacle to blanket advising to use AI jets for all the knockdown work.

Another concept is the OhioSU 'smart' system, ( see www.spray-redux.com ), where a fine droplet producing sprayline is followed closely by a coarse droplet line. Smaller droplets are entrained behind the larger - but do not coalesce-and after the larger droplet makes contact and shatters, the smallies land elsewhere - hopefully on vertical foliage missed by the larger droplets. The Yanks have fiddled with clean water in the big droplet line and high concentrate herbicide in the small droplet line. We have some trials under way with our own concept - based on this.

There is an operating aerial electrostatic system in the USA - developed by the USDA in Texas, and commercialised already. (can't locate my references on it right now).

The other agav modification is the so called 'drop-boom' which is being used by several US operators and must surely be out here by now - 6 years old! (again - can't find my refs on this).

However, you don't need much glyphosate over the fence to kill an emerging wheat crop - unless it's RR too!! A few years back I saw a wheat crop 100% killed when the farmer mistakenly used 50 mls of glyphosate 480CT instead of dimethoate. This is 5% of the current label rate, and probably 3% of the RR rates to be used in cotton. It doesn't take much to lose that over the fence!

All herbicide 'resistant' crops bring new problems with them - off target drift, volunteer crops as next years 'weeds', and development of resistance, being a few that come to mind.

RR crops are not the silver bullet that some scientists and salesmen make them out to be.

In the USA, some 2-3% of the total corn crop is being lost to edge drift kill, and they have already several million hectares of 'new' weeds which have taken over from the RR susceptible weeds.

The problems of 'GM' have bugger all to do with food value or the development of super weeds - it's about very simple agronomic changes or needs, which are being overlooked in the headlong rush into new technology.

Anyway, enough chemical rant & rave.

happy days,

[AT502]

I have only just been back in front of the computer this morning, have been very busy.

The cotton season is of to a very busy start (well in NW NSW at least).

I would really like to see a forum for ag pilots........ and I am sure it would be supported if everyone new about it. What does everyone else think??????

Cheers,

Troup:cool:

[TomOz]

Sounds like a good idea Troup. I wonder if PPRuNe would consider setting up an ag specific forum??? Can anybody think of a creative name for said forum?

[AT502]

It's not too original, but 'Back'n'forthers' ??????

Have been very busy with cotton work, so my brain is not too creative today, so I am hoping someone comes up with something better.

I am sure if other industry crew knew there was a forum it would be used. i am still surprised how many pilots don't know about PPRuNe!!!!!

Cheers,

Troup:cool:

[Woomera]

I'll mention it to those who should be obeyed, but I know they would like to limit the number of forums and have deleted a couple of inactive forums recently.

However, if there was enough interest, I am sure they will consider your request.

Woomera

[AT502]

A very BIG thank you for at least considering the idea!!!!

Troup:ok: :ok: :ok: :ok: :ok:

OK peoples, tell all your mates and lets see if we can do this!

Cheers,

Troup:ok:

[Horatio Leafblower]

DAG Pilots?

Weed whackers?

Croppies?

Super Troopers?

Chemical weapons?

The Batsh!t forum?

... or how about 'the round-up'?

...or 'the low-down'?

Will have a few refreshments and think some more :}

[828a]

Super Trouper;

I look for Ag news all the time even though my memories were made back in the 1950s. If I tell you that I always had a piece of stout wire wrapped around the cockpit on/off fuel cock to keep it on [ so that I could not inadvertently turn it off ] would that surprize you ? Would you modern Ag pilots approve of such ? Regards 828a.

[catseye]

bugs and weeds department.......

[Deaf]

RV6-VNE

Interesting article on resistance:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.11/columbia.html

According to this naturally rr cocaine is spreading throughout South America and all the US spraying is doing is wiping out alternative crops leaving the locals with two options:

Spend a (relative) fortune for GM seeds for low value tomatos etc

Grow a high value naturally resistant crop.

[AT502]

NOTHING would surprise me anymore about this industry!

Come on, surely there are more of you out there...............????

Cheers,

Troup
:{ :\ :( :* :sad: :bored: :oh: :uhoh: :confused:

[poteroo]

Resistance

Deaf:

thanks for the reference - verrry interesting. They appear to have fluked the selection of a resistant species of coca from within the jungles. Similar occurrence here in Oz - annual ryegrass is already resistant to glyphosate in more than 20 locations - and probably this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, because the presence of resistant weeds has very negative effect on property price. But, it appears to need about 15 sprayings for this to show up.

The biggest problem here and in the US is that weeds which were always difficult to kill with the lowish rates of glyphosate used 'selectively' in RR crops, will expand to fill the void left by weeds killed out. You can already see this in the southern WA wheatbelt, where there are at least 5 weeds on the increase, and they will not be killable in RR crops. These are not 'superweeds - just those with natural glyphosate tolerance.

When you read stuff like this, it's Operation Ranchhand,Nam 65-70 all over again. Yanks always seem to get the story wrong with supply and demand.

happy days,

[Pinky the pilot]

Horatio; How 'bout Bug Bombers.

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

[currawong]

It always struck me as odd - targeting a broadleaf with glyphosate. It will do the job, but there are far more effective tools available. Although, intensive growing, intensive spraying inevitably will lead to something like this.

Especially liked the picture of the Thrush using it's smoker though...

I think an Ag Forum would work, if not limited to D & G. Worldwide, including the Firefighting, Pollution control and other Aerial Work communities. Perhaps a sticky in another Forum on a trial basis.

[Woomera]

Still raising your case for a dedicated forum, but I think the PPRuNe Moderators and Administrators are suffering the after effects of last the annual Gat Bash week-end.....

Woomera

[airag3]

I s'pose you could use the old Back 'n Forthers.

[maxspeed]

Good to see there are some computerized Aggies' out there.
Whats the rain/bug pressure situation at the moment, should be back in oz next week, hopefully going to be a good season for all!!

[Howard Hughes]

I gotta name, how bout 'temporary insanity'? ;)

Cheers, HH.

:ok:

[currawong]

Max, it is all on at present. NSW/QLD border areas have seen "usefull" rain, in the form of Cb, generally at night.

Ground based equipment not likely to get a run for some time.:E

Bugs are eating, bollguard is doing it's job by and large, still herbicide work around and there is increasing interest in foliar sprays.:ok:

So take your pick.

Evidently Super Trouper is too busy making money to post this week.:E

[AT502]

It is very very wet here in Nth NSW. It is flooding at Narrabri / Moree / Wee Waa area. Choppers flat out with rescue work etc. We have been extremely busy. Lots of bug pressure, and it looks like been a big year for it.

The weather has been holding us up, too many storms to keep things moving along nicely.

Will have more time soon to catch up!

Cheers,

Troup:cool:

[Super Cecil]

Here's anothery who makes a living with AG. These days I fly mainly Super. In the past I have done a bit of cotton, rice, broadacre and anything else that paid. Worked anything from a 180 through to a 502 with a fair bit of time on Beavers. At the moment things are a bit quiet, hopefully it will pick up next year.

[AT502]

Welcome Super Cecil,

Things are going to be very busy on the cotton once this water moves west.

Don't forget I am trying to get more Ag pilots interested, so please pass on the word about this thread!

Not much goss at the moment, we are a bit too busy to make any up at the moment!

Cheers,

Troup:cool:

[maxspeed]

Dose any one have any info about this ad that was posted by windy late last year??? Has any one being there or know someone who has????

MAX


PAE GOVERNMENT SVC. INC (Crop Dusters)
PO Box 273385, Ft. Collins, Co 80527
Tel: no calls
Fax: none
Web Site: none
Looking for candidates who would be interested in working in Colombia. Position is spraying coca plants as part of the DOS eradication effort under Plan Colombia. Position contingent upon contract award from USG. If interested in placing your name on our call list to be contacted after contract award, please forward your resume. You MUST be an experienced crop duster to apply. Will provide all details on pay/benefits during initial call after contract award. Expect to start interviews March/April 04.

[AT502]

I will take a guess and go with the stories I have heard about the spraying in Columbia. Firstly you would be flying a turbine which has been modified with a bullet proof cockpit etc. Then you would be 24-Ding the cocaine and you only have about one run then your out of there because the drug guys on the ground will start shooting at you.

The money is apparently very good, you would be based in Florida and live a very low profile life for a while. The chances of been shot are very high.

I am not exaggerating either. The Snow family (manufaturers of Air Tractor) have even told me some of the very wild stories of what goes on down there.

currawong, maybe you could back me up on this?

Cheers,

Troup

[currawong]

Maxspeed - apologies PM trouble due poor keyboard skills. Would try again but your answers may be here.

I heard $125,000 USD for a 12 month contract, renewable.

Crap coin given the tasking. So like anything aviation, one for "enthusiasts".

2000 hrs AG, IFR, Spanish preferred, background etc

Multi time may help, OV - 10 airframes were being trialled operationally.

Not sure Dyncorp still involved as Max pointed out. They have pulled all recruiting info on this one from their website.

Heard this work might be about to run out. For my money there might be more, somewhere less green but just as rough.

Almost forgot.

AAAA is looking at generating our own Crash Comic, given the total irrelivance of the current publication. Suitably de - identified, so we can all get something out of it - except the G - men of course.

Back it if you like photos and first hand accounts of what went wrong.

:ok:

[AT502]

G'day currawong,

can you tell me more about the Crash Comic? Like where, when etc. Is it going in the newsletter or on the website????

Cheers,

Troup

[currawong]

Super Trouper,

Phil Hurst, "Mr AAAA's", turned the scheme loose at a safety seminar recently.

I think it is a good idea, given that probably two thirds of the mishaps in this caper get pushed into the shed with nothing being said, for obvious reasons. Nothing for the new men to learn from.

Not sure if it will be stand - alone or part of the newsletter. Protocol for de - identification still being worked out last time I heard. (should be optional - if you want to put your name to it you should be able to)




:ok:

[185skywagon]

does anyone know how wide the spread is out of the old tetrahedron spreaders fitted to C180/185's in the early days??
did 2 ton of coated buffel yesterday through my 6.5" baiting chute in the 185. haven't done any tests to see how wide the spread actually is.
i have been running a 1kg/ha(11kg/min) 30m swath on the agnav otherwise i would be there forever.
anyone got any helpfull ideas.

[currawong]

Thats a really good question.

What is the objective?

Sowing pasture is way different to sowing a crop. Crops want good coverage, pasture swaths can go out to 200 m.

So take you pick.

If you are wanting coverage would recommend a pattern test though, nothing like seeing it for yourself.

:ok:

[Super Cecil]

Out of a baiting shute your prolly getting a swath of about 8 metres.

On rice with a heavier seed and a good transland your only looking at 12 to 15 metres depending on machine, and you only have to wait a couple of months and see what sort of job you did.

With Buffel the idea is just to get some on the ground somewhere isn't it? With a lighter seed you won't get much width no mater what you do, the old trouser leg shutes might be the best you'll get. I take it your not using a hopper but just pouring it out the hole in the floor?

[185skywagon]

we are just using bags with both hairy(100kg) and coated seed(350kg). we try to make sure there is a good strong wind so we can work across it. i think this helps the spread a fair bit with hairy seed.
some blokes prefer the fit and turn method. don't care where it goes, just as long as it is in the pdk.
using the agnav means i can at least see where i have been in the pdk, and avoid the sub-concious tendency to fly the same path.
thanks for the advice. if i manage a test pattern i will let you know how it ends up. i was thinking of a row of containers at certain spacings across the swath. or fly paper. any ideas on this?

[Super Cecil]

If you have them a couple of tarps laid out will give you a good idea. Don't expect too much from just pouring it out, as I said you'll only get about 8 metres with the best part and about 12 from grain to grain. Don't worry about going too high, going higher in a cross wind just means the seed will go further downwind with the same swath.

Set up a line with the AGnav to do your trails, you'll be surprised at the drift with a lighter seed and any wind.

With the AGnav have you worked out a way to download the files without the floppy yet? They do have a new machine with a normal download port but The only thing wrong with the old one is the download system.

[185skywagon]

super,
i have had the agnav for ages. i only have the floppy drive.
the file transfer function is very unreliable. i use XTREE as the file manager (get out of menuag) and zip files in the crop directory then copy to A at least i know that all the n.t files have copied.
is there something else i should know??
with the baiting, i do a lot of preplanning in the office, then upload jobs to the unit. various clients email me their Esri SHP files of where they want me to go. makes life so much easier.
i have converted some digital cadastral boundary info to *.map as an underlay.
eg. this goes in line 0 mapfile z55se.map in the NO1 file.
very handy in a bigger scale thing such as baiting.
also have Cv 12/30 approach made up for shiite weather. i am not instrument rated and have never used it, but is there as a backup. in grid mode, you could join the centreline up to 1000km out.

[Super Cecil]

You got nothing to do Cracker? sitting around on the computor all day:E

If you just set another file up for YBCV with a line down the runway then use waypoint mode and you can use it as far out as you like.

Let us know how the trials go.

[185skywagon]

mate, just sitting at our travel agency trying to sell bus tickets.
is there something else i should know re file transfer??
until i got lai (the agnav programmer) to make the lightbar as fast in wpt mode, as it is in grid mode, it was hopeless. i use the agnav in transect survey in SA every year. it was only updating at maybe 1/sec. it is now 10/sec. very easy to follow. i am using the compact brightbar so i get xtrack cdi as well as heading cdi.
works a treat.
you need to have a start wpt for the xtrack guidance in wpt. in grid mode i think you get better xtrack guidance using the pilot indicator (LCD).

[airag3]

Hiya 185, I remember supering with another guy in a couple of Pawnees' fitted with Tetrahedrons and pulling in beside him as he flew a run then laughing my @rse off as not a single sceric was actually hitting the spreader , rather simply falling away ahead of it !

From memory we worked at 10m swaths.

Later worked an Agwagon supering sans spreader and measured 16m swath and worked at 14m with good results.

Uncoated buffel is ( almost ) impossible from conventional hopper unless thoroughly mixed with different seed , even then can clogg up the works giving you the jilly jits.
Never had the pleasure of seeding with kicker in the back surrounded by bags and snakes !

[AT502]

Howdy,

Have been busy amd have just jumped on and was very happy to see some chatting going on.

Bloody hot here, so am going back to the lounge to watch Dvds all day long!

Did anyone heard about a 502 going in on the rice?

Cheers,

Troup

[tinpis]

Wernt the old seed spreaders called Swathmasters?
Back when Pontius was a pilot.

[currawong]

About time you had a day off Super Trouper:E

Airag3 I too got conned into trying a buffel blend out of a hopper. Just about made myself chuck trying to shake it out:yuk:

Even standing on it in the hopper would not shift it.

[Super Cecil]

Bit like trying to sow rice that's been out of the water for 2 hot days.

[AT502]

Merry Christmas All

May the bugs keep biting and the weeds keep growing!

Ho Ho Bloody Ho

Troup

:ok: :p ;)

[maxspeed]

panic button hit, phone call, 15hr drive, ass in plane all xmas, isn't cotton spraying just tops!!:zzz:

[Super Cecil]

Don't forget the 24 hours straight stuff and living in places like Mungindi and Colly.

[AT502]

G'day maxspeed,

Don't know where your headed, but here in NW NSW it was madness the few days leading up to xmas, as usual. Still busy, but things have settled down a little more. We keep getting lots of storms so things are still very wet................keeps those dirty groundrigs off the cotton!!!!!!!

Beware of the lines. Last count I think was about 30 line strikes for 2004, majority was in the West & South during winter.

Cheers,

Troup:ok:

[Horatio Leafblower]

Pay refers to himself as a 'dungie'... as in a spreader of bat dung.

So how about "D & G Dungies"?

[AT502]

or..................

Biggest Maximus Sexiest Aviators!

[185skywagon]

have any of you blokes ever done any work in the 185 ag carryall with spray gear. i am thinking of selling my 185 A and trading up to a 1979 model ag carryall. it comes with the Sorensen spray gear. i am unlikely to use that in the near future. just looking for any experience you might have had with really big loads etc.

[currawong]

185,

Tony Pratt in Kingaroy uses one for training, he might be worth a try.

:ok:

Ha! You thought you were busy before.....

:E

[185skywagon]

yep, know that and did my initial 185 check out with him.

[Super Cecil]

Only worked a 180 with hopper for spraying, from memory 400 litres was a good load (that's up high 3,500+). It'd only be any good for ULV work, maybe hoppers. Does Col still use his on Hoppers? Your machine has a 520 in it now? I doubt there'd be any difference in yours and a later model performance wise. If you get the later model you should have all the bugs out of it by the time the next lot of hoppers start giving trouble in 2009.:E That would give you plenty of time to get fit if your going to spray with one.:}

[185skywagon]

found a section in the proposed regs (136)today that would put an end to using Cherokee 6 and other such aircraft, for buffel seeding. it is in the definitions part page A114 i think.
"Aircraft engaged on Ag ops must be Ag certified." i am surprised that no-one has picked it up. i have sent it on to Phil at AAAA.

[solowflyer]

Gidday all

About to start my 3rd season loading and wish to do ag rating afterwards as have been offered a seat on compleation of the rating. Can anyone recomend where to do this and an idear of the costs.

[AT502]

solowflyer,

Col Pay is the best, however he does not do many anymore. Depends on where you are? There are plenty of good guys around the country who do Ag ratings.

Lucky you don't need to pass any spelling tests to be an Ag pilot!!!

Back to work,

Cheers,

Troup

[185skywagon]

try barry foster at Woorayl Air in Leongatha Vic, or tony jones at Rebel Ag Trangie NSW or tony pratt at Kingaroy QLD.
cost me around $6000 but i used my 185 (plus $1000 extra insurance for that period) for a fair bit of it. would probably be around $10K-$13K if you don't have a tailwheel endorsement. make sure you have passed the CASA ag exam (useful but mostly old stuff) prior to training and do the AAAA spraysafe exam as well.

super troup,
this thread is rating pretty high. maybe we need a branch of our own.

[currawong]

Shop around Solo.

Some people really only offer a souped up tail dragger rating.

Aim for someone that predominantly does what you will do on completion.

A spreading outfit is not much chop if you will be mostly spraying and vice versa, initially.

And avoid the bloke they call 40, 30, 20.

Log forty, pay for thirty, do twenty.:yuk:

Not much to be gained there.

Good luck and congrats.

[185skywagon]

got anyone in mind currawong??
solo, dave burgis is still doing ratings for Pays, i think.

[AT502]

Before settling on anyone, ask around. I know one person who was very happy about his rating and then a few years down the track looked back and realised how little he really learn't and how lazy the instructor was, luckliy this pilot went on to work for good operators who polished him up, so to speak!

Check out how much experience the instructor has had on different areas of application, you will really want someone with lots of all round experience.

I believe the CASA exam has changed, but there is not a study manual for it, you use the old one??? Is this correct?

Dave Burgess is doing most of Pays ratings now.

185 - Am pushing for an Ag Pilot forum!!! Thats why i need word to get out so more people will use it! A lot won't use the AAAA one or Field Air, because it is not anonymous and I think a lot of Ag guys think Pprune is just for the airline guys.

Madness here on the cotton, very busy indeed.

Cheers,

Troup;)

[185skywagon]

troup, you are correct re the AAAA and field air forums. paricularly the AAAA, which i can never remember the corect username and password.
the UBB type forum format is bloody good, we use it on the International 180/185 site and the CPA forum site. i think the 4 A's need to have something more accessible. don't know about the new ag exam? i thought that the new AAAA ag pilots manual was supposed to cover that.
we would need to ask one of the trainers/examiners.

[185skywagon]

anyone know anything about the accident near st george??

[AT502]

The accident I know of happened somewhere near Dirranbandi. The pilot, Graham Bruce, was flying an 802 for Peter Smart at Bourke for the cotton season.

I personally don't know Graham, know guys who have worked with him. He had not been in the industry for long, and has a young family too. Very sad. He is orginally from WA.

Reason for the accident is not known by myself yet or anyone I have spoken to at this stage.

There was also another accident this morning, near Wee Waa. Once again don't know too much, only that the pilot walked away. This one involved a 502.

Will post more info if I find out more.

Super Trouper

[currawong]

Saddened to hear of todays casualties.

Had heard Wee Waa incident involved injuries - pleased to have that amended. Thanks Troup.

Thoughts to the families.

[AT502]

currawong,

I was told after making a call that the Wee Waa accident "did not happen"............ so now I am confused??????????????? What do you know?

Troup

[the wizard of auz]

Was that Graham from WA an ex muster pilot?. maybe about three in the industry, and was working for Repcholli in the west last season?

[Not_Another_Pot]

Wiz, more info Here (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158173)

NAP

[AT502]

currawong,

I have confirmation that a 502 went down whilst cotton spraying between Wee Waa & Moree. Spoke to someone that saw the plane after the accident occured. Have not heard of any injuries though.

Have also heard another plane went down cotton spraying north of Moree. Don't know anything further.
_______________________________________________

Further sad news about Graham Bruce, his wife has cancer. It is a very sad situation indeed, especially as they have a ten year old son.

Troup

[the wizard of auz]

Bugga!. It was the bloke I thought it was. :(
I got him his first seat in an ag job.
Thoughts with Anne and Bryon, as if she didn't have enought to contend with already.:{
R.I.P. Mate, it was good knowing you.:sad:

[Not_Another_Pot]

I will miss his head sticking up over the fence for a chat and the Bar-B-Q's that went on all night:{

[AT502]

Dearest Woomera,

As you can see there are now a few different topics been discussed on this one thread by us Aggies and interested persons. I really believe we would be able to support our own forum if given one. The question is, would Pprune allow us our own?

Cheers,

Super Trouper

[Paint The Sky Pink!]

Hi all,

My husband is an ag pilot and I come from an aviation family. I have been reading this thread with interest. I would love to see our own forum! I am guessing it would need to be an international one, not exclusive to D & G, that way it would be better supported.

I am sadden to have heard about the death of Graham Bruce, I did not know him, but I know one of his ex employers who only had good things to say about him. It is a tragedy for the Bruce family given the circumstance they were already dealing with.

Safe flying all, especially those busy on the cotton.

Paint The Sky Pink!

[Woomera]

Trouper. I hear you!! I raised the subject with The Boss and didn't get a very enthusiastic response.

I'm sympathetic to a PPRuNe international aerial agricultural forum - after all, as your trade is rather unique and some of the Ag guys are very "different" - however I also appreciate present PPRuNe management thinking that we maybe have too many forums, some being very poorly patronised.

Take it up with the boss direct. Email Danny [email protected] copy Rob [email protected] .

Woomera

[Horatio Leafblower]

Who was driving the AT502?

[AT502]

Unidentified Pilot! It has been kept rather quiet. The company owning the 502 was Cr@pj#t.

[828a]

Woomera:

I'm a retired crop duster from the days when it all started and I fully support Super Trouper's efforts to have a separate Ag pilots forum. Apart from the day to day interests of currently active Ag pilots I suspect there are others like me who could keep the forum active with tales of yesteryear. We are now out of the clutches of officialdom and believe me there is much to tell. Perhaps you would be kind enough to pass my sentiments onto your boss as a sign you support a new Ag pilots forum.

828a

[currawong]

Welcome aboard Pink and 828a!

Woomera - how about allocating us a sticky in an underutilised forum?

Or adding us to an existing forum?

Bizjets, GA and AG for example?

Thanks for your support.

[AT502]

The main reason for wanting a forum of our own is becuase our industry (the aerial ag industry) has so many issues which don't really fit into other areas, ie. firebombing, baiting, locust, spraying, application issues, aircraft types, hours, seasons, the list goes on. One of the hot topics in our industry at the moment is powerline strikes as we had a record number in 2004. This area needs plenty of discussion so we can all help each other to maybe save someones life.

Our aerial ag industry does not have an anonymous forum to use like Pprune so therefore feedback and exchange of information that other aviation sectors are given on pprune are not available to us. I believe this could be a valuable tool to newcomers also seeking information on entering our industry. I have found pprune to be very accomodating to all other areas of aviation, but just becuase our industry is small we are still a very important part of aviation, the broad community and agriculture.


Hello Oh Great Woomera,

I will send an e-mail to the powers that be when I feel comfortable that I have enough support to back up my proposal!!!

Cheers,

Troup:)

[currawong]

Saddened to hear of another loss to the industry today.

Thoughts to the family.

[Super Cecil]

Another loss? havn't heard anything today.:(

[Not_Another_Pot]

For those who are interested Graham's funeral is on Tuesday 25th Jan in SA. If anyone wants more details just PM me.

We are having a memorial service for Graham on Saturday 29th Jan at Murrayfield (YMUL) in Mandurah.

The service will start at 1700hrs sharp.

Again PM me for more details.

Regards


Mark

[AT502]

Very sad loss for our industry with the loss of Xavier Kennedy. Very sadly I was unable to attend the funeral, however other mates did.

My thoughts are with all of the family and the boys who are now left to carry on the business without the support of their father.

RIP

Super Trouper

[Super Cecil]

That's a bit of a shock Trouper, work related? Have heard of no accidents that way.

[currawong]

Non - operational loss, Cecil.

Causes - "other".

:(

[burnercan]

Yet another PPrune agpilot checking in. Will try to get back later. Flown 402 to 802 airtractor, Garret thrush, Fletcher, agwagon etc etc
CyaL8r

[Paint The Sky Pink!]

I would like to add my support to ST's argument for wanting an Ag pilot forum.

I agree with all your points and hope the powers of Pprune are listening with open minds!

This really is a very unique industry which is continually under a lot of threat from many different sources, however we keep battling on. I totally agree that powerlines are a major issue that needs to be dealt with before we say good bye to another one of our own, and I believe any sort of forum which allows for open communication must be supported.

Well done ST for your passion for this industry.

Happy Australia Day all,

Paint The Sky Pink!

[currawong]

Incident overnight in Moree.

Pilot OK :ok: :ok: :ok:

Which is a happy ending to a bad night, in my book.

[Super Cecil]

Went through Moree a couple of days ago, there wasn't an Ag machine to be seen, all out werkin? the amount of moisture that's been about you blokes out west should be busy all year.

[AT502]

Another one down.

Moree - accident on take off. Heard the plane is a mess and it is nothing short of a miracle he walked away.

I just hope we all get through this season in one piece.

Troup :sad:

[tinpis]

Ahhhh....love the smell of bird**** in the morning...


http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~av8or/GAPS/pictures/beaver-1.jpg

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~av8or/GAPS/pictures/zk-bjm.jpg http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~av8or/GAPS/pictures/zk-caw.jpg

[currawong]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Thanks tinpis.:ok:

[Super Cecil]

They be FieldAir NuZulund? Like the way those Kiwi's spread 10 cwt to acre on the lighter rates. :8

[tinpis]

Tin has been guilty of 15cwt in one spot a cuppla times in old 260HP Fletcher.
:}

[Super Cecil]

You can't be that bad Tinpiss if youv'e flown NuZulunds finest:8

[solowflyer]

Shame I have missed out on thoes days, would love to have been round to play with those toys.

Have been speaking to a few different pilots about doing my rating and there is a mixed view about Tail dragger time some say don't worry bout doing any as you will do plenty during my training and the other camp says I should have a bit of time under my belt befor starting my rating. What is the general consensus or is it depending on where I do my training??

[Super Cecil]

Do some time if you can in a tailwheel machine or for that matter anything, fly anything from a 150 up. Flying a low powered machine is like flying something with a good load on.
Any machine you can get into will help your general flying.