4 Tips To Identify The Best Aerial Applicator
By The National Agricultural Aviation Association
Aerial application is often the quickest, least intrusive, highest-yielding way to nourish and protect your crops and soil during the growing season. Sometimes it is the only, or most economical, method for timely pesticide application as it permits large areas to be treated rapidly—far faster than any other form of application.
To best ensure the most efficacious and safe treatment of your crops by air in the months ahead, various programs in addition to required licensing underscore the commitment aerial application operations take to be the utmost professionals you want to have as part of your team safeguarding your crop.
Here are four key indicators of aerial applicator professionalism:
1. Commitment to calibrate an ag aircraft’s application equipment at Operation S.A.F.E. fly-in clinics, where ag aircraft sprayers are professionally analyzed for spray pattern uniformity and droplet size. This ensures precise, efficacious application of crop inputs applied by air.
2. Annual participation in the Professional Aerial Applicator Support System (PAASS) program that educates ag pilots on the latest cutting-edge technology and techniques to ensure aviation safety and efficacious and targeted applications. Since PAASS was introduced in 1999, ag aviation accidents and drift incidences have declined 26%.
3. Membership in the National Agricultural Aviation Association and state or regional agricultural aviation associations. Through membership in these professional agricultural aviation associations, ag pilots are professionally exposed to educational content at annual conventions and substantive industry publications that enable them to stay abreast of the latest technologies, yield-maximizing application techniques, regulatory developments and other industry trends.
4. Professional certification through the Certified-Professional Aerial Applicator Safety Steward (C-PAASS) program, which verifies ag pilots go above and beyond to ensure their professional services. Launched by NAAA in 2023, C-PAASS validates aerial applicators are professional association members, annual PAASS participants and biennially calibrate their ag aircraft at an Operation S.A.F.E. fly-in. Participants must take continuous online coursework and test their understanding of key principles of aviation safety and the physics of applying products by air to further enhance their application quality and safety. Pesticide manufacturers strongly support C-PAASS because it ensures the products they make, and you purchase, are optimally applied to maximize performance. C-PAASS-certified pilots can be found on the NAAA website.
