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Yeah, SEAT flying does look like a nice route to go. I have looked into that as well, but there is much more ag here in my area.
I haven't heard of the ag training at wynne, but I will try to check on it. I have 253 hours TT, Commercial Single and Multi engine, Instrument Airplane, but I have 0 tailwheel time. The folks at AG flight said not to get tailwheel training before I arrive so that they could teach me the "right way" to do it. I have been around farming all my life, my Grandpa was a farmer and now my dad, and I worked off and on for my grandpa and 2 years full time with my dad. I am pretty familiar with the crops, and have minimal knowledge about the chemicals. That was one of the benefits I found with AG Flight, they give full ground school about plants, insects, and chemicals as well as GPS training. What kind of training did you receive before starting out. Do you think that I will need more flying experience, or should 300 hours TT be good enough to get a job?
Curtis
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Unfortunately 300 hours is probably not nearly enough time. You're going to run into a problem with insurance no doubt. And SEAT operations require even more experience than regular ag work. Tailwheel time is a must, you're probably going to need around 250 hours. Probably around 1000 hours TT. Your ag experience will be a definite help. I'd recommend you go to the ag services that your family uses and discuss it with them. They'll give you a pretty good idea of what it is that they like to see in a new hire. As for myself, I couldn't really even consider someone with less than 1000 hours. The only way I'd look at the situation differently would be if they had at least 500 hours verifiable ag work time.
Unfortunately you're going to find that there is a definite Catch-22 in ag work, that being that insurance will not underwrite someone with less than 500 hours. But how do you get the 500 hours without insurance?
There are companies that will consider low-timers, usually because they will fly a less than desirable (read: beater) aircraft for less than desirable (read: cheap) pay. The best advice I can give is start beating on doors and make yourself known. You're in a great area for it but it's not going to be easy. You may find it helpful to start out working on a ground crew and go from there.
I'm curious as to Ag Flight's take on tailwheel. I didn't go there and so I'm wondering in what way I've been doing it "wrong" for thousands of hours.
Best of luck.