by Bill Lavender

It has been a tradition of AgAir Update to reserve its December cover for a recap of the year. In doing so, when the year is looked back upon, it becomes evident how fast time passes. It also becomes evident the ag-aviation industry is diverse and global.

The January edition of 2004 kicks off the year with Ag-Viation’s Toy Cat on the cover. This beautiful aircraft once lived its life flying over rice and cotton fields as a 450 hp Ag-Cat. The skilled folks at Ag-Viation have converted it into a sophisticated, general aviation bi-plane that every ag pilot would love to fly, and probably could with a visit to Ag-Viation. Early, in November of this year, I thought I was going to have the opportunity to fly the Toy Cat while attending the CaAAA convention in Napa. But, weather and other factors interceded and the flight did not come to pass. I’m sure there will be another opportunity. Besides, I am thinking about another session with Wayne Handley to sharpen my upside down skills, maybe then!

The February edition of AgAir Update crosses the equator into the Southern Hemisphere to the east coast of New Zealand. Here, Bob Monds tells of operating the Gippsland Fat Man. In New Zealand the Fat Man is a top dressing fertilizer and spraying machine. Although the Fat Man, at first glance, may look like a Pawnee with its white fabric cover and low wing, it has gone through many aero modifications that permit it to out perform any Pawnee.

In March, AgAir Update’s cover is of an unusual event at Air Tractor. Frost Flying Service set up a six-plane delivery from the factory in Olney, Texas. It is quite an impressive site, with six yellow Air Tractors lined up with their pilots in front of Plant #2 at the factory. Actually, these six ag-planes represent more than just six more aircraft heading for the field. They represent an upturn in the ag-aviation industry. For the first time in several years, 2004 offered a bright picture for pilots and owners, as well as the associated companies that serve the industry. Air Tractor sales have increase to pre-late 1990s figures and the Thrush Aircraft Company is in full swing manufacturing new Thrush aircraft while Embrear in Brazil is currently the world’s largest ag-plane producer with its Ipanema.

With the April edition, AgAir Update covers the delivery of the first Thrush from the all-new Thrush Aircraft Company. The Thrush 660 was delivered to Farmers Aerial Seeders in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Since then, several more Thrush aircraft have been delivered, offering the large ag-plane operator multiple choices of equipment. The folks at Farmers Aerial Seeding were kind enough to allow me to fly their Thrush 660 with its PT6A-67 engine. To me, it was a wonderful flying machine with its many improvements from the 660 of the past.

“It’s time to go west, young man”, as the saying goes. AgAir Update ventures to Yuma, Arizona for May’s cover for a visit with Larry Smith’s Tri-Rotor Ag Services, who also operates in Kansas. The company is versatile, using fixed and rotary wing aircraft, flying night and daytime operations. I was honored to be the guest on a “simulated” night spraying operation with helicopter pilot, Lou Dinnon, in an OH58 (Bell Jet Ranger). It’s a whole different world out there in the dark!

While in Arizona, a visit to Executive Aircraft Maintenance in Scottsdale, sets the stage for June’s cover, “Life after Honeywell”. With the good graces of Honeywell, the three principals of EAM have put together a top notch TPE331 engine shop, one of the few that are S.T.A.A.R. certified by Honeywell.

July is a hot month, and nothing warms the heart better than a cover story on a modest man, who is respected throughout the aviation industry, Zoren O’Brien. AgAir Update representatives, Jim and Pam Jeffries of Jeffries Airworks, interviewed Zoren while balancing his fleet of Ag-Cat Hamilton Standard props on R-1340 engines. Not only has Zoren set an example for many to follow through his work with the LaAAA and the NAAA, he also reminds operators there are profits to be made in ag-aviationwith the piston engine. With his fleet of seven radial engine Ag-Cats, O’Brien Flying Service is an efficient rice operation in southern Louisiana.

Traveling again below the equator and into our Latin American ag-pilots’ part of the world, AgAir Update’s August edition features one of the leading ag operations in Brazil, AeroTex, owned and operated by Rui (Beto) Textor in the state of Goias. I first met Beto about ten years ago at a convention in Campinas, Brazil. He insisted on taking me for a ride in the RV-6 he built. It was an enlightening experience for me, riding in an unknown aircraft with an unknown pilot in Brazil doing snap rolls. Since then, Beto and I have remained close friends and he still flies a perfect aerobatic routine at the Brazilian conventions in that same RV-6! Beto keeps the soy bean acres caught up with five Cessna-188s, an AT-401 and an AT-502 with a Walter’s engine.

Is it possible to treat a million acres in one year? That’s the goal of September’s cover featured company, Ken Kane of Canada. Again, AgAir Update’s representatives, Jim and Pam Jeffries visit with Ken Kane’s Aerial Spray while balancing Kane’s props on his fleet of 17 aircraft, ranging from Cessna-188s to turbine Air Tractors with radial Air Tractors and Thrush aircraft in between. Kane has been methodically converting his radial powered Air Tractors to the Walter turbine engine. Already, progress is being made towards Kane’s goal with over 500,000 acres of row cropland being treated each year.

It’s the end of the season in October for many Northern Hemisphere operators. In a pictorial story, the October cover of AgAir Update comes from a photo taken by Mississippian Lin Stanton of Sunnyside Aero, based in Schlater, Mississippi. Lin is flying his AT-502 on a late afternoon when his camera catches his shadow, as it appears to pass him, “Catching up or getting behind”. Every ag-pilot has been there and knows the feeling.

November’s cover touches on a subject not often discussed among ag-pilots, a woman-run operation. In Watson, Arkansas AgAir Update had the pleasure of meeting Brenda Watts of K & P Flying Service. Brenda spearheads this one-plane (AT-602) operation very successfully. Besides taking care of the business end of the operation, Brenda also takes time to cook for her pilots and ground crew at lunchtime. But, her experience brings to light that many ag-operators really work as husband and wife teams, where the woman plays just as important role as the husband. Brenda is not alone in this respect.

Now, it is December 2004. You see a collage of all of 2004 AgAir Update covers on this cover. For some, it will be a year to forget, but for most, it will be considered a good year in the ag-spraying business. It was another relatively safe year for flying, although losing even one ag-plane is one too many. This year, the industry lost two individuals that had a very positive impact, Conrad Barlow and Harold Miller. There were others who have passed on in 2004, but both of these men’s efforts were far reaching. They, and all the rest, will be remembered and missed.

What about 2005? It’s going to be a great year. The stage is set for more applications by air than ever before. Not to be wishing any hard times on our customers, the farmers, it looks like there are going to be problems with soybean rust with already four outbreaks in the U.S. Aerial firefighting is growing in leaps and bounds, with a huge demand for SEAT aircraft, our aircraft, the ag-plane. AgAir Update’s AirFire & Forestry has just completed its first year, with the first edition of its second year in this December edition of AgAir Update.

If the new technology and techniques of ag-aviation are embraced, the old ways of doing business are just that, old. Ag-aviation is taking on a new face, and yet still retaining some of its old one. Change is inevitable. It should be viewed as an opportunity. For many ag-operators, change is welcomed. 2005 promises to bring more of these changes.
Fly safe, think positive and take an extra minute to enjoy a lifetime.