Why Use Aerial Agriculture?

Here are some of the reasons why aerial application can offer you a superior result to other methods.

Is it Accountable?

• Each spraying or topdressing application is meticulously planned to manage the risks.
• Every operator keeps comprehensive records of each application.
• Every operator and pilot is heavily regulated.
• The industry uses a AAAA(Aerial application association of Australia) standard spray order form or customised version thereof to ensure consistent information is provided from farmers to aid planning, safety and record keeping.
• Hazair conducts regular pattern testing on their aircraft to ensure they are optimising the safety and efficiency of each application

What about the environment?

• Hazair goes to great lengths to ensure appropriate licencing has been gained by the regulators, EPA NSW, Dept. Primary Industries Victoria and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for both chemical application, flying and maintenance.
• Law – only licenced and approved chemicals are used for aerial application.
• Very detailed planning for each job that protects environmentally sensitive areas.
• Use of aerial application methods ensures that applications are made by highly trained professionals, rather than ground operators who may or may not be licenced or trained.
• The use of aerial application reduces the number of people involved in the application of chemicals and thereby reduces the exposure of workers to the chemicals used.

How does it benefit me?

• Aerial application is unaffected by wet ground. Ground rigs are dependent on dry ground.
• Aerial application is unaffected by crop canopy closure. Ground rig use after crop canopy closure is likely to lead to damage of the crop.
• Speed is one of the major advantages of aerial application – ground rigs would take days or even weeks to cover the same area that we can achieve in hours.
• Reduced exposure to weather variations – able to take greater advantage of short weather windows – less likely than ground rigs to be spraying in poor conditions.
• Improved efficacy – aircraft utilise disturbance of the crop from wake turbulence to ensure good penetration of chemicals into the crop and better coverage.
• No disease transfer as the aircraft does not touch the crop.
• No soil compaction.
• No trampling of the crop like tractors, spray rigs or quads.
• No costs to irrigators of removing channels/banks/rotobucks as there is for ground rigs.
• Bring their own fuel – many ground rigs will fill-up from farmer’s tanks.

How do I know I will get a good job?

• Hazair utilises high end GPS marking systems to ensure sub-meter accuracy for application.
• Pilots apply material guided by a ‘light bar’ that ensures they remain exactly on track.
• Nozzle calculators allow pilots to predict the performance of different nozzles under different conditions and ensure safe and efficient application profiles.
• Software now available to assist pilots in predicting drift profile.

For more information check out the Aerial Agricultural Association of Australia website.

“Enjoy your Lunch, Thank an Ag pilot”