Keeping busy in the holiday season

Modern crop protection from yield-stripping insects and fungus is based on science and includes the latest ‘soft’ chemistry, such as organic products like naturally occurring BT sprays. Integrated pest management techniques – where ‘beneficial’ insect populations are balanced against those that cause damage – have also contributed to much better environmental outcomes to help make the industry more sustainable.

Of course, this means aerial application pilots have to keep up to speed with new products and techniques, something that AAAA facilitates through regular learning opportunities. Recent training days at Moree (NSW), Goondiwindi (Qld) and Bunbury (WA) variously featured excellent agronomy updates and resistance management advice from CSIRO personnel, spray nozzle and drift management analysis and AAAA’s new safety course on ‘Turns, Takeoffs and Wires’.

Professional development takes time and may mean difficult choices between making money and learning something that may save your life – so it was very gratifying to see over sixty pilots and business owners in total attending the three days. Squeezing in professional development can be challenging in busy times, but clearly those attending value the information they receive.

Both fixed wing and rotary wing firebombing pilots have already been on standby in many parts of the country, while the Margaret River fires of November saw a number of aviation assets deployed to try and gain the upper hand.

The widespread availability of aircraft for agricultural and fire fighting activities seems to be taken for granted by many, as is the willingness of professional pilots and crews to put themselves at risk to ensure others’ livelihoods and even lives are protected.

But multi-million dollar investments don’t just ‘happen’ – there needs to be a sustainable and hopefully predictable market over the medium term, realistic returns on investment and the efficient use of the aviation asset to the best of its capabilities. There is nothing worse than seeing expertise and assets squandered by excessive bureaucracy or a poor understanding by ‘gatekeepers’ of the potential of the assets they control or could access.

Aircraft, the pilots that fly them and the LAMEs that maintain them are fantastic assets for Australian agriculture and the wider community, but there remains little by way of government policy to encourage this sector.

The almost complete absence of sensible policies from either side of politics (or the cross benches) to foster and promote aviation is a condemnation of what little imagination and innovation there is in modern politics. The ‘small target’ concept of managing the news cycle, as distinct from bold and meaningful plans to build a better nation, means that well researched and consulted policy plays little role in aviation.

The fact that this malaise is consistent across portfolios ranging from tourism to manufacturing to regional development as well as ‘infrastructure’ shows what little impact the ‘white paper’ had on advancing aviation.

The ongoing skills shortage amongst pilots, LAMEs and other staff continues to be ignored. Perhaps if it was another sector, such as automobile manufacturing, there would be a more concentrated government response, but it appears that aviation remains a milch cow, with plenty of taking and taxing but not a lot of government investment in policy or answers.

The amazing thing is that despite the policy indifference from parties of all persuasions, the industry is making progress.

After last year’s bumper season, application companies are well positioned to make another significant contribution to agriculture, firefighting and plague control, and to human health through mosquito spraying. New pilots are entering the industry and are being trained in greater numbers than the last decade, new aircraft are being imported and support equipment is being upgraded.

And AAAA continues to deliver for our members. Safety courses, publications like the new high quality Aerial Application Pilots Manual, trying to improve regulations, policies on windfarms and coal-seam gas and work on maintaining access to chemicals all go to making membership of AAAA a simple question of value for money.

However, the most important feature of our industry is people. Skilful, professional and switched-on pilots, LAMEs, mixers, ops managers and office staff make aerial application a vibrant contributor to communities and economies across the country, as well as a great place to work.

So over the Christmas break, raise a glass (in an appropriately DAMP-compliant manner) to all those pilots, LAMEs and crew who are sweating through another summer to ensure you have food on the table, fibre on your back and safety in the face of the annual Australian bushfire season.