#134

[@taylor5591]

Kenny, your friend mentioned state licenses with 137 certificates. That's a good point to cover as well because each state may have different requirements. Some just want you to take a written test and then others, like California, have an apprentice and journeyman cert where you must hold an appentice cert for atleast a year, recieve training by a journeyman, and be signed off to take the journeyman test. I'd say if Gator wants to be a ag pilot as a career the best route is to start on the ground, get trained and work towards a pilot spot. They'll learn about pesticides and proper procedues so when they do fly they can be safer and won't do anything that could result in a steep fine or worse. They dont need to wait till 1000 hours I've got a bunch of friends who went right into it after flight school, if spraying is his goal he should get started down that path right away. Good luck!

[@HelicopterGround]

Thanks for commenting!

[@tylerw1418]

That’s what I’m doing. I’m almost 200 hours. Always been very comfortable in an aircraft and understand safety. Worked the ground for 4 years and now hoping to get a ship soon.

[@calebstewart5561]

The longer route is the way to go, like Working the ground for an experienced pilot who can mentor you. Flying the aircraft is only part of the job and it has to be second nature because you have to be focused on the application of the pesticide. Also the hours required to be insurable vary from company to company, a reputable operation can get you on with less hours if they trust you. And being insured on the helicopter and having application liability insurance are two different things also.

[@HelicopterGround]

Thanks for commenting!

[@pilotofthe4winds502]

Kenny-THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. You are truly an excellent resource and a God send to us looking to the sky and wanting /needing to fly. I owe you a debt of gratitude! You are the man. Great shirt too!!! See you tomorrow 🤘🏻

[@HelicopterGround]

Gator Stephens thanks!

[@SmittySmithsonite]

British Steel - what a great album that is! One of many legendary Priest albums! 🤘 I've watched ag spraying operations via helicopter on KZbin, having never seen it done in person. From a non-pilot's perspective, it looks like an occupation where high level of skill is needed - not a job for just anyone. Pretty impressive operation. Not alot of margin for error or tolerance of poorly maintained equipment, for sure!

[@HelicopterGround]

Rock on Smitty!!! Love that album!

[@bobbybabsonjr787]

There was an article in Vertical magazine written by Jason Colquhoun about ag spraying a couple of years ago titled "Flying the crops" lot of info on how he got started.

[@HelicopterGround]

Thanks for sharing Bobby!

[@delawarepilot]

If you look accident rates it’s bell curve. it’s low at 250 peaks at 500 and goes back down at 1200. I can see why the FAA and insurance companies set those hours. But the question is; is the spike in accidents a result of restriction of flying opportunities? If there was a continuous path would those accidents disappear?

[@HelicopterGround]

delawarepilot thanks for sharing!

[@born2flyau]

Kenny, Do you have cattle mustering in the USA. Here in Australia a lot of first time pilots are flying R22 or S300C 's doing cattle mustering. In my opinion cattle mustering is a lot more challanging than ag spraying. Suggest your HOG member watch a few mustering Videos on You Tube to get an idea what is involved.

[@HelicopterGround]

Thanks for commenting!

[@jimiemick]

Half of the Cattle guys are totally nutts. But some of them dammmm can they fly a heli. A lot of the mustering guys come from a mustering background and they do not tend to do mustering as hour building, they do it to be a mustering Pilot (well thats what I have seen anyway) I wouldn't say it is harder or easier, just a different style of flying, they also have a higher crash rate due to constantly flying a helicopter WELL outside its design envelope.

[@x4x4offroad87]

I love the video I didn't even think about crop dusting because I have a Vineyard of myself that that would be very efficient more efficient then spring it with the tractors my question is is there any kind of grant money out there to help fund the process of getting to that certification

[@HelicopterGround]

Not much in way of funding. Thanks for commenting!

[@x4x4offroad87]

@@HelicopterGround okay well there was a few that I found I didn't know if you knew of any other ones but yes there's not a lot out there unless you're actually going to a school to get a degree with that license but thank you for getting back with me on that I am really looking into getting my certificate right now just trying to come up with the funds to do so

[@midwestfarmerleduc9256]

Kenny I think you're given a lot of good advice . It's more than just flying it's just a lot of hard work that pilot came out on a Sunday afternoon the spray my field because that was when the weather was right he had to wait three days to get the right weather to go out and fly there's ground rigs that can do a lot of the flying a lot cheaper the only time that you can do flying has one is too wet to drive in the fields are going to damage the crop from Wheel tracks. I got 1 hour of ag time an R22 without the sprayer on it simulated spray patterns loved it when I learn how to fly in R22 at that time they was doing a lot of corn borer sprain they spray the corn when it was tall when they was laying eggs so they would not hatch in the spring. Now they have BT corn and I don't think they do any of that sprained anymore.

[@HelicopterGround]

Thanks for commenting!

[@bobbob7698]

I have thousands of hours of aerial application and not only do you need to be able to fly the helicopter but you need a Ag background. So if you didn’t grow up on a farm or working on a farm then you better start as a ground loader. Of the thousands of hours I’ve flown both turbines and pistons. If you can fly without looking at the gages you are ready

[@HelicopterGround]

bobbob7698 thanks for sharing!

[@HongyaMa]

Had a guy giving ground for aerial application 24 months total, During that time they had one go ass over tea kettle in a bean field and another spraying a green house roof roll it in a ball on a hill. Yea, I noped my way out of there

[@HelicopterGround]

Thanks for commenting

[@jasonmcmillan6598]

I live in central Illinois Corn country and and more and more wind farms. Helo spraying has become more prevalent. The wind farms make fix wing spraying too dangerous I know one guy who worked as a contracted pilot with an established spray company( flew their bird)- he used them to build hours so he could fly HEMS.

[@HelicopterGround]

Thank you for sharing Jason!

[@bobbob7698]

jason mcmillan hey I’ve flown fix wing spray planes in wind farms it is not hard. The blades are up over 75 feet off the ground and you can fly under. They normally place them no closer then half mile so as long as you don’t have your head in your butt turning around it’s no problem

[@midwestfarmerleduc9256]

Thank you Kenny for this this episode like always I love flying I don't know did you actually see my Midwest farmer helicopter pilot flying the spray Alfalfa weevil. I talked to that pilot he started with about

[@HelicopterGround]

Thanks for commenting!

[@mdbryan9525]

11,000 hour Ag pilot here. I would advise in the strongest possible way, recommend that pilots DO NOT go out and start their own crop dusting business without first working for someone else. There’s too much to learn to do it on your own. Even though you are working for someone else, you still have to stay alive long enough to learn all you need to know to stay safe. It is the most unforgiving job of ignorance. We had a guy who got his commercial, then had his dad buy him a Cessna Ag Truck and he started his own business. He hit a high tension power line because he tried to fly under it at 2pm instead of in the morning. (If you think you are never going to have to fly under a power line, you’re mistaken.) The problem was that in his area, there are a lot of dust Devils in the afternoon. He hit one and it lifted the airplane up into the power line such that it hit him right across the bridge of his nose. The power company shut down the line and checked it for damage then finding none, turned it back on. He left a wife and a new little girl.

[@HelicopterGround]

Thank you for the feedback.

[@lookingforwookiecopilot]

Spraying seems like one of those niches drones will take over before long? 😗

[@HelicopterGround]

Joseph Vanni doubt that

[@dougb27]

No. Drones definitely have their place and will do better in some situations but they won’t replace helicopter or fixed wing sprayers.

[@Thatguy01984]

To each his own ...I've heard stories of pilots breaking down out in the middle of Corn Field USA and have to wait in the heat or a sub standard motel for a part to show up....to far away from home to just go back and relax then go back. No thanks lol.

[@HelicopterGround]

Trent Friend thanks for commenting!

[@hernanecomh]

31k Subs and you don't know your neighbors? haha funny good content

[@HelicopterGround]

Thank you!