PAASS Update
Since its release in January the PAASS program has distributed 1,300 copies of the NAAREF video titled, “Drifting Towards Extinction, Or...?” The video is currently being used in four countries, including the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. USAD-CREES the Extension Service has distributed copies of the video to university pesticide applicator trainers; the EPA mailed copies to its regional offices and provided a showing of the video for personnel at the national headquarters. At the request of the AAPCO state lead agencies were mailed copies and numerous department of ag employees viewed the video and phoned or wrote the NAAA office to comment upon it. Rep. of the chemical manufacturers participating in the SDTF, 33 companies in total, received copies of the video. Over 800 requests for copies were received from operators and pilots, while a major insurance provide is continuing to mail a copy to is ag aircraft policyholders as policies are renewed. The video was utilized during a series of meetings with growers, PCA’s and ground applicators in the Pacific Northwest, too.
It is estimated over 20,000 individuals have watched the NAAREF sponsored video during the preceding six months. Written comments sent to NAAREF regarding the video praise its content, quality of production and approve of the primary messages contained within it. Furthermore, the comments received from operators and pilots, state and federal regulators, chemical company employees, university researchers and the academic community have ranged from an excellent and timely production, to several individuals stating that it is a must see tape for today’s pilots, while other viewers expressed a concern about individuals outside the industry being shown the tape.
So far in 1998, the PAASS program has sponsored four events. One in CA, LA, AZ and Australia, where over 800 people attended the sessions and provided an evaluation of the program;s content. Eight more events are planned for the remainder of the fiscal year and will take place in the following locations: CO, MI, KS, OR, IL and CA, SD and at the NAAA convention in Las Vegas. PAASS sessions which are scheduled to begin in Jan. of 1999 will be held in conjunction with state or regional agricultural aircraft association annual conventions. State lead agencies have accredited all PAASS events scheduled for the coming year with pesticide license recertification credits. The implementation phase of the program began at Phoenix, AZ in mid June, where not only ag pilots, but growers, PCA’s and regulators were in attendance. Additional request for help in dealing with human factors affecting drift have come into the foundation by state agencies, university personnel and by individuals representing various members of the NSDMC.
During the first part of this year, PAASS reached out to a variety of organizations to update them on the progress of the program. During this outreach effort the substantial contributions in both time an money being made to PAASS by pilots, operator and NAAREF volunteers is being recognized. Curious groups ranging from the AAPCO , ACPA’s board of directors, the NSDMC, and the NADC have received briefings regarding the activities of the PAASS program, while taking the opportunity these occasions provided to show NAAREF’s drift video.
In April, a professional instructor, Dr. Jerry Cockrell, was hired to assist PAASS after the approval of the NAAREF Board of Directors. Dr. Cockrell is contracted to direct instructional activities of the PAASS events this coming fall and winter, while assisting with the ongoing development of training materials. Dr. Cockrell’s performance at workshops in the spring showed him to be an entertaining instructor that has an excellent aviation background, coupled with years of experience working for AOPA’s Flight Safety Foundation and aeronautical decision making programs. Currently a search is ongoing to identify and locate operators and pilots to volunteer and assist in the classroom. A meeting of individuals interested in fulfilling a role as a PASS presenter is scheduled for September in Colorado. This get together of classroom presenters will allow additional time to prepare for this year’s programs by: developing the final agenda for the sessions; to schedule instructors/presenters for each event; and, to become familiar with the proposed curriculum and interactive classroom exercises.
NAAREF’s contract with Advanced Aviation Concepts, Inc. (AAC) will be completed by the middle of August and shall provide the Foundation with seven training modules with accompanying instructors handbooks which include graphics and a slide set. As part of AAC’s contract NAAREF requested several program content workshops to be help in Louisiana and California during the spring of the year and the material contained in these contninuing education programs is based upon the operator pilot input. Theses instructional materials will provide many years of content for future PAASS sessions and the life of the material can be extended by an interactive style of instruction, rather than being delivered with a standard lecture series.
The training materials developed by AAC are to be stored on computer allowing fore greater flexibility in the program and providing a means to continually revise the curriculum as the training season progresses. NAAREF will have the capability of delivering customized programs for various geographic locations of the country and to revise its program content as necessary. A final management report from AAC is meant to identify training gaps in the program, while suggesting other areas for improvement in the curriculum. Rich Adam;’s final report detailing the management recommendations will be distriubuted to the members of the NAAREF Board o Directors.
Dr. Richard Jensen’s company, Aviation Research Associated, (ARA) has partially completed its work for surveying and holding focus groups with ag pilots and operator from around the country. As the spray season progressed, a contract modification was written to extend ARA’s contract until December 1, 1998. Dr. Jensen’s preliminary report was extremely helpful in developing content for this year’s PAASS events. In the draft report which summarized Dr. Jensen’s finding, after focus groups in Minnesota, California, and Mississippi and with the help of the operators and pilots in those area, Dr. Jensen identified the major human factors or attitudes affecting drift and accidents in the industry. None of theses human factors were a surprise, but confirming them in the field through Dr. Jensesn’s work allows NAAREF to publicly display these contributing factors, since they were identified by the experts in the business, the operators and pilots themselves.