Aerial Ag

Travel covered 13 States in the US and issues as diverse as new aircraft and equipment, current research, windfarms, safety, water management and environmentally sensitive areas including the management of the Florida Everglades.

One of the highlights of the tour was attending the NAAA (National Aerial Agricultural Association) Convention in Reno, where everything that is aerial agriculture was on display – aircraft, nozzles, GPS and everything in between. With over 1000 delegates and aircraft being taxied along main roads to get to the Expo Centre, this is the world’s biggest air ag event.

Snow was also a feature of the tour with some of the largest snow storms for that time of the year ever recorded.

A key finding of the trip was that all levels of the wider industry – regulators, business owners, pilots, academics, catchment managers, chemical companies and farmers – the culture was to recognise aerial application as vital to food security, which in turn was accepted as just as important as security in terms of the direct terrorism threat. This is a significant difference from Australia where there appears to be such a jarring delink between regulators, aviation, users and the consumer.

In many cases this leads to significant policy differences between the two countries – such as accelerated depreciation in the US for ag aircraft (60% in the first year), a complete exemption from fuel taxes for all fuel used in agricultural aircraft and significantly simpler regulations across a range of areas.

In terms of the many operators and pilots visited during the study tour, their concerns and problems often mirrored the Australian experience:

• Overregulation and red tape

• Negative effects of new regulations

• Need for ongoing professional training for pilots and more recruitment into the industry

• Changes in traditional farming, including a move to precision agriculture, new crops and markets and competition for use of land from non-farming activities.

It was this last point that provides a significant insight for Australia, as the US is more ‘advanced’ in the establishment of windfarms on valuable agricultural land, with significant safety and economic impacts for aerial application and aviation in general.

Mark and Kerry noted that the efforts of one particular operator in Wisconsin provided a model of local action and awareness. To protect their livelihood they developed a very successful campaign of client (farmer) education as to the full life cycle of windfarms, the implications for surrounding land use and the longer term economic impacts on farmers, as distinct from the quick buck.

A key recommendation for Australia in Mark’s report is for government to establish a national footprint exercise for zoning of low value agricultural land for windfarms and other activities so that low level aviation, farming and windfarms can happily co-exist. Another key element in Mark’s report was the need for aviation company owners to get active and get involved, rather than rely on someone else to fix their problems.

Mark and Kerry advised that the National Aerial Agricultural Association (the US equivalent of AAAA) was working hard to provide a wide range of programs including lobbying and education, and that because of the much larger numbers of applicators and pilots in the US, their resources were significant. However, they still relied heavily on individuals getting involved and making a difference.

A feature of the US industry is the strong involvement and leadership of women who are directly involved in running businesses, representing their industry and contributing to programs run through their own Association.

The Churchill Fellowship Mark McDonald was awarded was sponsored by the Swire Group (owners of Cathay Pacific and many agricultural pursuits in Australia) and so the awarding of such a prestigious Fellowship to one of Australia’s professional aerial applicators was very appropriate.

Take home message for all aviators regardless of the issue – airports, airspace, regulatory reform, industry sector?
Get involved.

AAMS to be launched at Convention 2010

The Aerial Application Management System, developed by AAAA over the last three years will be launched at the AAAA Nation Convention at the Holiday Inn, Surfers Paradise on the 8th and 9th of June.

The AAMS programs will provide AAAA Members with a comprehensive safety and risk management system, quality assurance, and compliance with all key regulatory requirements. The modules will cover flying safety, product stewardship, logistics, OH&S, human resources and management. A range of electronic tools and guide will simplify implementation and maintenance and four days of mandatory training is included in the price.

If you are a small business struggling with compliance and distraction from doing the ’real’ job, or you are a larger company struggling with managing complex mixes of people and operations, then AAMS is ready to revolutionise your business.

Registration forms and booking accommodation forms for the Convention are available from the AAAA website on www.aerialag.com.au