The low level bible

For those pilots who might be tempted do dabble in low flying without any training, the manual provides a sobering reminder of all the reasons you shouldn’t – and the hazards faced by the trained aerial applicator. And if you are still unsure, read a few of the ATSB reports about pilots caught out in the low-level environment, and especially the consequences if you are not flying a purpose built aircraft.

The Manual, first published by DCA in 1961, underwent a major update and facelift in 2004 by AAAA and CASA, and is again under review to ensure it remains relevant and up to date with rapidly evolving aviation safety.

As professional application pilots understand, no-one has a monopoly on knowledge and the sound advice in the Aerial Application Pilots Manual can easily make sense for any low-level pilots – even if they are not spraying a paddock.

The manual covers everything from key legal principles, to practical low-level planning and hazard management, to low level met. to human factors.

A key issue that should concern any aviator needing to go into the low-level environment is the importance of safely managing wires. The manual has an entire chapter dedicated to this subject, covering the importance of pre-application surveys from a safe height, tips on identifying wire runs by checking pole cross arms, and traps such as wires strung across valleys and oblique crossing wires.

The human factors chapters highlight the importance of culture and attitudes to safety and the role of memory, attending and forgetting, especially in wire accidents. Practical guidance for making the most of what we have been given is also available, including moving the head to manage the eye’s blind spot, the importance of sound nutrition to blood glucose and brain functioning, and the relationship between fatigue and diminished risk management capacity.

While the original manual included now-quaint references to the author’s preference for towing an ag aircraft with a horse rather than the unreliable clutches often found in farm tractors, it also included valuable and very practical information to keep ag pilots alive.

The 2004 Edition built on these strengths, and the 2011 Edition will make the manual even more comprehensive, adding a new chapter on professional, system based thinking to ensure safe and profitable outcomes. Case studies from ATSB will also be added.

AAAA has been instrumental in developing safety programs that underpin aerial application safety and the professionalism of the industry. The Agricultural Pilot Safety Awareness Course was developed by AAAA in cooperation with QBE (then ‘the Pool’) and BAE Systems at Tamworth and delivered throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. That course introduced human factors to aerial applicators and was instrumental in driving down the accident rate.

Since then, AAAA has taken on the roles of safety research and delivering safety training courses and tools, achieving participation rates that demonstrate the credibility and practical focus of the organisation.

To date, AAAA has developed and delivered training courses for Chief Pilots, basic safety awareness and human factors, wire risk management, drift management, spray nozzle selection and the latest course on Turns, Take-offs and Wires.

AAAA has also introduced professional development into the industry through its Professional Pilot Program, linking that to renewal of pilots’ Spraysafe accreditations which they need for State issues chemical distribution licences. This has created a ready market for learning opportunities and greater interest in attending training to keep up with developments.

AAAA views the latest update of the manual as a chance to further support new pilots coming into the industry and to ensure they receive a rock solid induction into a safety culture that is based on learning and a commitment to professionalism.

The new edition has been made possible with the support of CASA and generous contributions of material by Tony Kern, author of the seminal aviation safety reference – “Redefining Airmanship”.

It is anticipated that the new edition of the manual will be launched at the AAAA Convention in Adelaide in June.