AE S RONAUTIC Fall 2013 Serving Idaho’s Aviation Community for over 65 Years Vol 59, Issue 4 It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a . By Rebecca Burghy heavy loads create unique challenges, Most pilots in the Northwest are and crop-friendly accustomed to seeing agricultural aircraft critters such as going about their daily work, flying low bees, necessitate passes over crops and fields to spread night application seed and crop protection products to flights to ensure maximize our food, fiber and biofuel they are not supplies. Non-pilots, however, often are harmed by applied startled by what looks like daring or substances. dangerous flying without realizing those activities are necessary to keep our Today’s herbicides, grocery stores and restaurants supplied fertilizers and with a wide variety of quality, fresh and fungicides are healthy foods. Our ample food crops much less toxic Photograph courtesy of Katie Baker rely upon the tireless efforts of farmers and much more effective than they once pilots and engineers at McCook Field and the invaluable services of crop were, requiring less of each while in Ohio fashioned a crude metal dusters, or agricultural aviators, as they increasing crop yields. Superior pilot hopper, attached it to a Curtiss Jenny, are known today. technique and improved aircraft and loaded it with powdered lead equipment and avionics have vastly arsenic. Lt. John Macready spread it Idaho’s agricultural aviators are improved a pilot’s ability to apply the over a nearby fruit grove infested with professional pilots and businessmen exact quantity of material when and Catalpa sphinx moths. who make sizeable investments in high- where needed, thus minimizing waste performance aircraft, equipment and and runoff. The experiment was a complete training to support high-yield success, and farmers were soon agriculture, protect forests, rehabilitate Agricultural aviation plays a significant clamoring to have their cotton fields, wild-lands, and protect the public from role in large-scale farming and ever- corn fields and fruit groves “dusted” disease-carrying pests. increasing crop yields in the United to kill pests and increase plant growth States. Our farms not only feed the U.S., and yield. Pilots of that era rushed to Pilots devote countless hours to the but a good portion of the world, and convert aircraft to meet agricultural science and practice of precise aerial ag pilots take their part of that demand, often flying as both crop applications. The high elevations and responsibility very seriously. dusters and air mail pilots. As the industry evolved and farm size Looking back in increased, those aircraft gave way to history, airplanes the surplus Cubs and Stearman Kaydets played an of WWII. Soon after, Grumman, Leland integral military Snow and others began designing and role in World building aircraft for the sole purpose War I, but the of aerial application. aviation industry was still a novelty to most civilians See Plane Photograph courtesy of Katie Baker in 1921 when Continued on page 2 INSIDE Crop Dusting: An Agricultural Ballet By Jim Freeman begins loading the plane with Any traveler in Idaho farm country has material and fuel seen them – crop duster planes that for the first job, seem to rise out of the earth as they while Ken reach the end of a field and pirouette carefully checks for another pass. Their vital service to wind, weather, agriculture begins in the early spring field locations and with the application of dry fertilizer. As field dimensions the crops become established, the planes for the day. He return with herbicide. Later on, they plans on a fuel spray fungicide to crops that need it. burn of Jet A at 37 Next, they apply insecticide. In the to 40 gal/hr. By 5 winter, they sometimes seed grass on a.m. near spring top of the snow. solstice, the sound of the big Garrett Courtesy of Jeff Zenner Photography, www.jeffzenner.com Some farmers use ground applicators on the strip in the heart of town awakens Ken grins about his greatest pucker with their enormous booms. Those who the sleeping residents. factor moments and says, “Oh, I broke favor aerial application say it avoids a prop bolt and one prop blade went crushing the crops and compacting the As he ferries to his first job, Ken flat while the other stayed at pitch, and wet soil, as often happens with the use programs his GPS for the field he plans I broke an elevator servo, and I had of ground rigs. Farmers make their to spray. A triangular field of 40 acres two cylinders bust, and a turbine individual choices based on cost, time takes about as much time as a plenum split … but that’s about it.” and convenience. rectangular field of 80 acres because of the turnaround About the future of aerial crop dusting, time. His ferry speed Ken says the challenges constantly is around 130 mph, change. Endless judgment calls: and his application Balancing the farmer’s urgency against speed varies from the pilot’s safety, protecting peonies from 100 to 115 mph. He drift at a dream home built on the edge eats small frequent of wheat fields, dodging the new cell meals and drinks tower erected under the minimum height coffee to remain alert for FAA-required lighting, keeping up through a flying day with the latest chemicals. Fuel costs rise. that extends to 9 Improved equipment must be p.m. during the purchased. Aircraft repairs must be made. Courtesy of Jeff Zenner Photography, www.jeffzenner.com peak of the season. He pauses, and quietly says, “But I love He takes advantage my job. Flying’s my life.” A Camas Prairie farm boy who dreamed of windy days by working on an exercise of flying, Ken Kuther hung around routine to combat the endless hours of legendary Grangeville airman, Frank sitting in the cockpit. Hill, until he earned his private pilot’s Plane license under the tutelage of Tom Ken cites weather and natural- and man- Gehring of Cottonwood. He watched made obstructions as his biggest Continued from page 1 Frank’s crop dusting technique and headaches. Unlighted cell towers and eventually purchased a Cessna 188 Ag meteorological test towers are especially Today’s Air Tractors and Thrushes are Wagon. He progressed to a radial- hazardous. He says Nez Perce Tribe rugged and dependable, with large powered Ag Cat and finally to his officials have been great to work with, engines and hoppers, and modern present plane. Ken now makes his living in regard to their towers. He praises avionics to accurately apply the required flying the rolling wheat fields of the local chemical representatives for crop protections and enhancements, Camas Prairie in his Super Ag Cat with keeping him abreast of the characteristics seeding and weed control. Many of a Garrett-1 turbine. of the newest materials. His list of “don’t those substances now are in liquid form miss” events is annual seminars and rather than powder (or dust), and the In the spring, his ritual begins at 4 a.m. conventions with PAASS (Personal Aerial moniker has evolved to better reflect with the essential preparation of a pot Applicator Support System), PNWAAA not only the items applied, but also the of coffee for himself, his helper, Dave (Pacific Northwest Aerial Applicator level of professionalism of the men and Denson, and their frequent visitors. Alliance) and IAAA (Idaho Agricultural women involved in this small, but vital Dave consults the day’s schedule and Applicator Association). segment of aviation. Page 2 Rudder Flutter From the A S Administrator: ERONAUTIC The Drones are Our group developed a foundation that The national UAS industry will see an Coming! could prove pivotal in building a economic impact of $82 billion between UAS/Aerospace industry in Idaho. We 2015 and 2025 creating more than Aviation worked around the clock, identifying 100,000 high paying jobs. A Texas study entrepreneurs are the advantages of locating an FAA test determined that a single FAA test site looking to hire site in our state. The advantages would have an economic value of $802 employees who identified include: available airspace, million and more than 8,000 jobs. will fly without favorable weather, a strong military pay, can stare presence, UAS experience at Idaho Buckle up and hang on, we’re in for an ahead for 30 National Laboratory and a wealth of exciting flight … with or without a pilot! straight hours without blinking, never retired military personnel with the utter a complaint and are easily replaced knowledge and skill in UAS technology. Tailwinds- if they crash. That, my friends, is a pilotless aircraft – one that likely will be Also, combining all the engineering Mike Pape sharing airspace with you soon. research under way at our state universities will result in a synergy of ITD Aeronautics Administrator Over the past ten years, military UAS aerospace excellence. (unmanned aircraft system) use has grown from a few experimental aircraft In May 2013, Idaho was one of 24 states to more than 10,000 flights annually. that applied to become a coveted FAA They are currently training more UAS UAS test site. We flew to Washington pilots than traditional ones. The same D.C. to promote Idaho to the FAA and technology explosion the military has the industry at the annual Association seen is about to transform the civil for Unmanned Vehicle Systems aviation industry to support agriculture, International (AUVSI) conference. law enforcement, forest fire management, pipeline patrols, search and rescue, and We emphasized Idaho’s favorable hundreds of other applications. business climate, our history of promoting a strong aviation industry The 2012 Congressional reauthorization and the fact that we currently house of the FAA budget tasked the FAA with the largest UAS test area in operation.