Frost control in AUS
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: In the hills
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Frost control in AUS
Any privates or operators still using choppers for frost control in Australian vineyards/orchards.
What regions, seasons, aircraft types and techniques used.
Cheers.
What regions, seasons, aircraft types and techniques used.
Cheers.
You guys have Cherry orchards down there that have rain problems as the crop ripens? Interesting business for cherry drying in this part of the world.
Yes: mostly grapes (vineyards) and stone fruit. Dispensations etc required, mostly standby until 0200: or a good night's sleep 
JetRanger tends to be favourite, BK has also been used.
JetRanger tends to be favourite, BK has also been used.
More fun when you have a big chopper....prefer doing mine in a Huey. Whole lot of shaking going on!
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Tasmania and High Wollemi
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helo frost control
Yoobee
there was a frost control B206 operating from Tumut on apples a few years ago. Not sure if it is still there .
Pilot and customer seemed fairly happy with the arrangement
For those not aware Tumut is SW of Canberra in the hills on the western side of the ranges.
The Eye.
there was a frost control B206 operating from Tumut on apples a few years ago. Not sure if it is still there .
Pilot and customer seemed fairly happy with the arrangement
For those not aware Tumut is SW of Canberra in the hills on the western side of the ranges.
The Eye.
Cool as a moosp
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Mostly Hong Kong
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Using a B206 or BK for cherries sounds expensive. I have heard of someone using a B47 and it moves enough air to be effective and cheaper.
Make sure you get a good rest beforehand. Flogging up and down an orchard at Oh Gawd double O can soon bring on the nods.
Make sure you get a good rest beforehand. Flogging up and down an orchard at Oh Gawd double O can soon bring on the nods.
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: WHERE POLUTION IS RIFE AND THE SUN DON'T SHINE
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Hi,
A few guys at Mangalore airport Victoria were doing this last winter in oz in a B47.
Not sure if they are still doing it, One of the guys was the airport manager.
Call the airport to find out more
A few guys at Mangalore airport Victoria were doing this last winter in oz in a B47.
Not sure if they are still doing it, One of the guys was the airport manager.
Call the airport to find out more
I used to do frost at Tumut and there were some nights you would start before midnight and others where you did not fire it up until 4am.
Used a Longranger / Jetranger combo, others used B47/KH4 and even R22 combo’s.
What you had to do was walk the fields the day before, find your safe areas, wires and other hidden traps.
We always had a lit safe area (too far from the airport) should we lose vis ref due excessively smokey pots or as in some cases the fog rolled in too thick.
Generally a good bunch of people you work for but there aint much to do in Tumut at night.
Used a Longranger / Jetranger combo, others used B47/KH4 and even R22 combo’s.
What you had to do was walk the fields the day before, find your safe areas, wires and other hidden traps.
We always had a lit safe area (too far from the airport) should we lose vis ref due excessively smokey pots or as in some cases the fog rolled in too thick.
Generally a good bunch of people you work for but there aint much to do in Tumut at night.
Tumut was the first spot I got involved in frost control, about 15 years ago: the orchard that we operated for reckoned that the finance costs on his neighbour's windmills were twice what he paid for helicopter standby and operation!
Similarly, the wine grapes that we look after in Victoria are multi million $$ crops, and helicopters are a cheap insurance. One vineyard booked our BK as the last available machine, then cancelled at the last moment. That night they lost $A5 million worth of grapes: what you might label a bad judgement call
Similarly, the wine grapes that we look after in Victoria are multi million $$ crops, and helicopters are a cheap insurance. One vineyard booked our BK as the last available machine, then cancelled at the last moment. That night they lost $A5 million worth of grapes: what you might label a bad judgement call
Join Date: Sep 2003
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I did frost control in Tumut town from 97' Till 2000'. after they did away with us due to the Rotating fans powered by V8's were introduced....was loads of fun...i think one year we go hats made up with FROSTY BOYS on them!
There were 7 of us living in the cottage next to the orchard so you can imagine there was a lot of B@#LS@$T flying around most of the time....and Sticken berger if you read this ive never forgiven you for those fire crackers either ya bugger!!...
There were 7 of us living in the cottage next to the orchard so you can imagine there was a lot of B@#LS@$T flying around most of the time....and Sticken berger if you read this ive never forgiven you for those fire crackers either ya bugger!!...
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Tumut was good fun in those days, at least we got the golf handicap down a bit. Flying down towards town and over the hump with Baz as pilot in command of the skyline was life threatening if anything.....
Drinking early in the morning was something no other Pilot would ever have had the opertunity to do I'm sure.........
Slippengrubber was a real bastard with those fireworks, nothing like being in the shower and seeing a lit bunger come sliding under the door.
We should have some kind of reunion so we can all get together and drive each other nuts with war stories.
Drinking early in the morning was something no other Pilot would ever have had the opertunity to do I'm sure.........
Slippengrubber was a real bastard with those fireworks, nothing like being in the shower and seeing a lit bunger come sliding under the door.
We should have some kind of reunion so we can all get together and drive each other nuts with war stories.
