ERAU takes a position to reduce safety

ctab5060X said:
Not to mention the attorney fees, court costs, and just how much that lawsuit just cost you! :D
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How do you guys identify fields? Is it still the old fashioned way? Or is it beginning to move into GPS type identification in combination with the Mk 1 eyeball?
 
SpiraMirabilis said:
How do you guys identify fields? Is it still the old fashioned way? Or is it beginning to move into GPS type identification in combination with the Mk 1 eyeball?
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A little of both. Really depends on how much GPS technology the operator is equipped with. That added with knowing the crop you are spraying. You would be surprised just how easy it is to learn what a field is planted with from the air.

A older plain Jane SATLOC requires more of the Mk I eyeball technique, at least until you can get some presets.

The SATLOC M3 series has a screen (some a touch screen) that you can preload with GIS drawn figures that will show you what you need to know just like any moving map GPS.
 
ctab5060X said:
FYI... I have had pilots similar to your situation ride with me before when the Air Tractor was broke and we were using an Aztec instead (Aztec doesn't have the visibility of the Air Tractor, so I needed extra eyes). A couple of pilots didn't make it past the second or third turn before they were "green in the gills" and wanting to land. :)
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Let me know where you are at sometime and if you still do this. I would definately consider a trip out to see what this is about. I am not worried about getting sick, if inverted spins don't do it I would be surprised if anything else could. PS: I ate before many of my aerobatic flights sometimes as early as 15 minutes before.

Now you might scare the crap out of me though. :eek:
 
shdw said:
Let me know where you are at sometime and if you still do this. I would definately consider a trip out to see what this is about. I am not worried about getting sick, if inverted spins don't do it I would be surprised if anything else could. PS: I ate before many of my aerobatic flights sometimes as early as 15 minutes before.

Now you might scare the crap out of me though. :eek:
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Don't spray mosquitoes anymore... at least not right now. Maybe sometime later if I ever get the burn once again.


As far as scaring you... I have seen ag pilots with thousands of hours spraying fields scared to fly across town 300 AGL at night. :)
 
shdw said:
Haha, I wasn't saying it isn't hard, just doesn't seem hard to me which is why I asked for an explanation. That being said, I really want to do this now just cause it sounds fun and challenging. I am near PA, where do I go to do some of this stuff, and how safe is it chemical wise? I was always told by instructors at school to avoid it cause the chemicals are horrible on your body.
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I have a friend who had twice had engine failures after takeoff. Each time he didn't have the altitude so he rode it in on a full hopper. He has horrible medical ailments and at an age were most guys are walking upright he's bent and always in pain. Not because of the crash but because of the chemical baths.

Another duster I knew had survived 7 crashes. In one, the largest piece left was the tire hub. 3 crashes resulted in fireballs. He had gotten 47,000 hours in 28 yrs. There's a point it aint nothing but a job.

Both have chemical burns in highly visible places. From them and other dusters, I gather you really have to know what they heck you're doing at all times.
 
RICHARD5 said:
Both have chemical burns in highly visible places. From them and other dusters, I gather you really have to know what they heck you're doing at all times.
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Maybe I will just fill mine up with water and be a really expensive watering can and get to do some sweet flying.
 
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