Full Scale Crop Duster
 

I don't know how many of you live here in the beautifull Hudson Valley, namely the Kingston/Hurley area. Maybe you are among the few that are entertained by this fella while driving along RT209 into Kingston, NY while he is dusting Mr. Gills' fields. Well I finally snaped a couple of photos this morning while he was doing his rutine. It's not like you can do anything eles because it's soooo loud and distarcting, but in a nice mechanicly poetic kinda way. When viewed from the side, it seems like the prop is almost 20 feet in diameter and did I mention loud? Here are a couple shots. One is the low approach and the next is the low pass. The pilot saw I was following him around the field for a better angle so I believe this shot will be thanks to him and his "pose" for the snapshot. I personaly don't mind being awakened by this pilot at 6am, but some people do, too bad on them. The plane sounds as if 10 Harley Davidsons are sysnched together and flying in unison, way cool.

I have seen the fella bring his model crop duster, air tractor, agwagon to the Florida Jets event and demonstrate the models ability to spray just like the real thing. Just as cool. Great show.

RE: Full Scale Crop Duster
 

Ag pilots have more than "natural" objects to worry about while doing their jobs, such as Mom Nature's objects, man made things like power lines and trees, then there is weather, wind drift and many many more. I've had a couple of buddies who have acturally received "ground fire." I'm talking about bullets man, like the kind that can put you out of business in a wink. Sheriff's deputies always race out to the location, but never have found the perps. A few years ago I was trying out a new camera by videoing a pair of Ag Cats putting down fertilizer on pasture land. They were reloading on an old railroad right of way, so after a bit I drove out there and met the straw boss and he OK's me for more taping. But when the first Cat landed to reload, I saw the pilot giving me the once over from the cockpit (he owned the Spray Planes) and the conversation the two men had was quite antimated. But, I was allowed to hang around, which I did for the rest of the job. I later edited it into about a 45 minute "story" of the job which the pilot/owner bought. We became good friends afterwards. He told me of a few instances when he saw what he first took for interested spectators while spraying, but who later called the sheriff's office to report them for over flying homes and for overspraying and giving them the tail numbers of the aircraft. The deputy would be waiting for them out at the strip at the end of the day. No charges, but a lot of hassle. "Noise Pollutation" was another pain in the tail wheel for them too, flying PW powered Ag Cats. Most of those guys are doing their part by helping keep Polaids selling. To me, these guys are the best pilots going. If I have an aerial assignment, I'll put a high time Ag Pilot at the top of my preference list when it comes to choosing my pilot. Bless em all!

RE: Full Scale Crop Duster
 

As someone who has quite a few hours doing back-n-forths in Ag Cats, I've been met by law enforcement officers more than once upon returning after a load. There's always going to be someone to complain, and it gets worse every year. Like Grampaw said, there's many many hazards out there to deal with on every pass, and the biggest killer is complacency on the part of the pilot. It is real easy to let your mind wonder just for a split second at the end of a busy day, and that split second is all it takes to put yourself into the ground, or an obstacle. GPS has killed more than a few pilots as well, because they get fixated on following the light bar and stop watching outside. But even with all the hazards, both manmade or otherwise, it's some of the best flying in the world if you're one of the few pilots that can handle it.

By the way, biplanecrasher, if you didnt know, that's an Air Tractor AT-301 in your pictures, powered by the Pratt & Whitney R1340 radial, which puts out 600 hp. With a two blade prop (probably Hamilton Standard with Ag-100 blades) it's definitely loud! A lot of guys that are running round motored Air Tractors and Ag Cats are going to three blade props, because of the noise concerns. The three blades are definitely quieter. The last Ag Cat I flew had a geared 1340 on it turning a three blade Albatross (yup, the seaplane) prop. ;)

RE: Full Scale Crop Duster
 

I had an occasion to listen in on an area farmer's conversation one day when he was running on about the noisy Ag Cats working in our area. Just about every outfit was flying Ag Cats a while back. He was quite vocal about the noise problem and Ag Cats in general. He went on to say that he had hired an outfit and Turbine powered Snows I believe it was and he was really impressed with how quiet they were. He went on to say "I'll never hire a company that uses those damned noisy Ag Cats again!" A friend had just converted one of his Ag Cats to Turbine and it was very quiet, and I mentioned it, telling him that most likely others would eventually go Turbine, one for the noise complaints and two because those round engines needed a lot of TLC to keep 'em running season after season. He was sticking to his guns, and told me "I don't care if theyrun 'em with rubber bands, ain't no Ag Cat gonna work any of my fields ever again!" Takes all kinds. I can't help it, I just like round engines and two wings, particularly if they come over my house in a two plane formation. I love that noise!

RE: Full Scale Crop Duster
 

I've got a few hours (less than 50) in a 301 Air Tractor with a Garrett turbine conversion that I flew for a couple of weeks one season. Turbines are nice, reliable, and very productive IF you have the work to afford them, and they are definitely quieter. But, there's just nothing that compares to the sound of a thunderin' 1340 powered Cat or Air Tractor coming over the tree tops just a little after daybreak on a still, hazy spring morning. You can tell that sound before it ever gets in sight. I used to love that first flight of the morning.;)

RE: Full Scale Crop Duster
 

I'm with ya there Brotherman, My Father flew Ag-Cats for 32 years all over south LA. In the rice to the West in the sugar cane around home, and the cotton & soybeans to the north, Belive me " I " definatly miss the sound of a Pratt & Whitney "450" Now all the Ag-Cat's around here are turbine powered , I still stop and watch'em though !

RE: Full Scale Crop Duster
 

That right there is my ultimate dream, they get to fly low, fast, and have a heck of alot of fun- legally, nice pics

RE: Full Scale Crop Duster
 

What does it take to get into a job like that?

Im working on my instrument rating right now, and will soon be doing commercial...but i would like some idea as to build hours other than instructing.

I was under the impression it also took a knowledge and background in chemicals and crops and stuf....or can you just get hired as a pilot?

RE: Full Scale Crop Duster
 

My Father is a retired Ag-Pilot of 32 yrs. He says, for a " new comer " if he survives the first two years, He MIGHT have a chance at a career !

RE: Full Scale Crop Duster
 

No, it's not a "time building" job. It's not something you can just go out and get hired to do. Maybe 30 years ago, but not today. First of all, you've got to be able to handle that type of flying. A lot of pilots cant, and there's no shame in that at all. Next, you've got to have a considerable amount of tailwheel experience, and usually some ag experience before an operator will even look at you. It's the classic "catch 22"... you need experience to get the seat, but you have to have a seat to gain the experience. And yes, you need experience with chemical handling, crop identification, etc., and every state requires you to take a test to become a licensed pesticide applicator. If all you are wanting to fly ag for is to build time, the best advice I can give you is to look elsewhere for time building options. Guys that fly ag do it for a living, not to build a few hours before going to a regional carrier or something like that. It's hard enough to find good qualified ag pilots nowadays, without hiring some guy that's just going to be there long enough to build his logbook. I cant tell you how many student pilots I've had say "man, that looks so cool, I'd love to do that." But it's just not something you go hop in a plane and go do. I'm not trying to discourage you, but if you are working towards an airline or corporate career, you'd be better off to stick with the instructing route. You will learn alot of valuable skills instructing, and there's quite a few corporate departments out there that prefer to see that CFI on your ticket. Regionals and majors like it, too.