Ag Flying Tales...
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Gone.........for good this time.
Posts: 510
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ag Flying Tales...
Now that we at last have Ag flying included, does anyone have any 'interesting' tales from the ag world..?
Tales like how the chemicals used in the 1950s and 60s were so corrosive that the port flap of a Super Cub fell off in flight......
Tales like how the chemicals used in the 1950s and 60s were so corrosive that the port flap of a Super Cub fell off in flight......
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,082
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Saw a good DVD/Video recently - included night spraying sequences. Very good quality.
Produced by a largish operator in Western Queensland.
Anyone from those parts able to get hold of a copy and post it here?
Think it would be of some interest - now we have somewhere to put it.
Produced by a largish operator in Western Queensland.
Anyone from those parts able to get hold of a copy and post it here?
Think it would be of some interest - now we have somewhere to put it.
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Where ever there is sprayin'
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The DVD is 'These Days' done by Jones Air in St. George. Very good footage. There are a few more floating around too. The others ones are no longer in 'production'.
ST
ST
Gnome de PPRuNe
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Age: 60
Posts: 12,647
Received 305 Likes
on
170 Posts
I've seen some good pics of Thrush Commanders water skiing along irrigation ditches (ditches? more like canals) in the Sudan or somewhere - think they had to explain a soggy one eventually.
Anyone able to post 'em here?
Another good one was a US Thrush with a road sign embedded in the leading edge, presumably wedged up against the spar...
Used to live in Kenya, and remember one of those extraordinary Transavia Airtruks there - the old man told me it pranged during an air display at Wilson and rolled itself into a ball.
Anyone able to post 'em here?
Another good one was a US Thrush with a road sign embedded in the leading edge, presumably wedged up against the spar...
Used to live in Kenya, and remember one of those extraordinary Transavia Airtruks there - the old man told me it pranged during an air display at Wilson and rolled itself into a ball.
For Sale - Jones Air??
Speaking of Jones Air. Anybody else hear around the ridges they are considering selling up? A well known operator obviously. Also, any ideas as to which way the Ag Industry is headed within the next few years? The last year has brought a lot of accidents which will no doubt push premiums up. Obviously the fact that much of the work can be done on the ground now is not much help either? What will be the saving grace for the Aussie Ag Industry? Interested to hear your opinions, thats what the new forum is for folks.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Oz. Mahgni
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Think the Jones Air rumour is just that at this stage. Besides, what isn't for sale at a price? Its hard to think of anybody who'd be in a position to buy that company outright though.
The future of the Aussie Ag Industry?
Drought years have never been good for us. And even though there was enough water to grow this seasons crop you couldn't actually call it 'wet'.
The accident rate this year is definitely something to be alarmed about. The fact that the majority of them were pilot error type by reasonably high time pilots (yours truly included
) gives us all cause for a bit of fair dinkum 'soul searching'. Think some kind of pertinent recurrent training might be of some use there!
Ground rigs are capable of doing great work. But they don't work well in the wet years which is usually when farmers are having their best seasons.
I believe that the time will come when Aussie farmers are going to really need ag aviation and the planes are simply not going to be there. That capability having been taken over by ground-rigs.
The new GM cottons have performed especially well this season and as a result our income was well down on what we would expect from such a great growing season. Some growers spent a lot more on foliar fert applications which helped to make up for fewer insecticide ones but the jury is still out on just how effective foliar fert treatments actually are. There's no doubt though that without them things would have been pretty dismal in north west NSW. We had a number of fields that didn't see any applications of anything at all for the whole season until defoliation.
I think it's fair to say that we still have a future but that the 'boom' years are behind us and some change is in the wind.
The future of the Aussie Ag Industry?
Drought years have never been good for us. And even though there was enough water to grow this seasons crop you couldn't actually call it 'wet'.
The accident rate this year is definitely something to be alarmed about. The fact that the majority of them were pilot error type by reasonably high time pilots (yours truly included
) gives us all cause for a bit of fair dinkum 'soul searching'. Think some kind of pertinent recurrent training might be of some use there!Ground rigs are capable of doing great work. But they don't work well in the wet years which is usually when farmers are having their best seasons.
I believe that the time will come when Aussie farmers are going to really need ag aviation and the planes are simply not going to be there. That capability having been taken over by ground-rigs.
The new GM cottons have performed especially well this season and as a result our income was well down on what we would expect from such a great growing season. Some growers spent a lot more on foliar fert applications which helped to make up for fewer insecticide ones but the jury is still out on just how effective foliar fert treatments actually are. There's no doubt though that without them things would have been pretty dismal in north west NSW. We had a number of fields that didn't see any applications of anything at all for the whole season until defoliation.
I think it's fair to say that we still have a future but that the 'boom' years are behind us and some change is in the wind.
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,082
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lets face it, the industry has been getting smaller since the introduction of high capacity aircraft. So its not a new thing.
I for one think it will continue, smaller and more specialised than before. Smart farmers(!) realise this and support aircraft when they do not really need to. Some even invest in their own.
Still possible to earn a living, still people retiring, new ones coming in, innovation etc
I for one think it will continue, smaller and more specialised than before. Smart farmers(!) realise this and support aircraft when they do not really need to. Some even invest in their own.
Still possible to earn a living, still people retiring, new ones coming in, innovation etc
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Theres a great Vid that has been done here in NZ called " The Super Pilots " which covers the Ag industry from the early years to modern times.
Has some very rare footage, great Tiger flying, Beaver, Cess 180, DC3, through to Fletchers, Crescos and other turbines.
Good vid with some great stories from the loaders and pilots.
Has some very rare footage, great Tiger flying, Beaver, Cess 180, DC3, through to Fletchers, Crescos and other turbines.
Good vid with some great stories from the loaders and pilots.
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Where ever there is sprayin'
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm Back......................
Howdy all,
Still out of habit going straight to our old home!
Heard the Jones Air rumour a while ago. I think you would find any business for sale at the right price.
We had a reasobable season, Dec & Jan were flat out, then in Feb it just died in the arse. We have very little defoliation left now. And winter in NW NSW is not looking good unless we get some rain.
I think with cotton, we will not see much more development, so it will be a matter of operators trying to get the biggest slice of the pie and maintaining it. There are still plenty of operators out there working in the wrong conditions and not helping the image of our industry. But then there are the good ones who are trying to show the farmers that the aircraft is still the best tool for the job.
We need to get smarter!
And we all need to put our prices up!
Had another thread running asking if anyone was off to the AAAA conference. I'll be there to support our association and Phil.
Phil has a physcologist talking to some of the pilots that crashed this year to try to help with the very big problem our industry is facing.............accidents & why they are happening. I am very interested in this and will be looking forward to hearing what this physc. has to say.
Cheers,
ST
Still out of habit going straight to our old home!
Heard the Jones Air rumour a while ago. I think you would find any business for sale at the right price.
We had a reasobable season, Dec & Jan were flat out, then in Feb it just died in the arse. We have very little defoliation left now. And winter in NW NSW is not looking good unless we get some rain.
I think with cotton, we will not see much more development, so it will be a matter of operators trying to get the biggest slice of the pie and maintaining it. There are still plenty of operators out there working in the wrong conditions and not helping the image of our industry. But then there are the good ones who are trying to show the farmers that the aircraft is still the best tool for the job.
We need to get smarter!
And we all need to put our prices up!
Had another thread running asking if anyone was off to the AAAA conference. I'll be there to support our association and Phil.
Phil has a physcologist talking to some of the pilots that crashed this year to try to help with the very big problem our industry is facing.............accidents & why they are happening. I am very interested in this and will be looking forward to hearing what this physc. has to say.
Cheers,
ST
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 760
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A run of accidents usually happen after a quiet time then into an extra busy season, we all need to take a step back when it gets busy and reaccess the rip, tare and bust mentality.
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 760
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
.....who nose?
Cost of chemical is a subliminal barrier to dumping. Your also considered a big girl if you don't cart "full cans". That attitude is changing thank goodness, just because Onan the brave has taken a full load off here before has nothing to do with your conditions and Aircraft, we all know 2 identical Aircraft can have markedly different load capacities.
The 3 reasons for a lot of accidents are still valid
Rip
Tare
and Bust
The 3 reasons for a lot of accidents are still valid
Rip
Tare
and Bust
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Where ever there is sprayin'
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another thing is we are using more foliar fert - very heavy. I wonder if people are really taking weights seriously with their load types
Still no excuse for any of these accidents!
ST
Still no excuse for any of these accidents!
ST
