pilot#476398 Posted April 6, 2013 Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 30k a month sounds pretty practical to me. Would you work with asbestos for 30k a month? I hope you have a good medical plan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotorhead84 Posted April 6, 2013 Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 Men from the boys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avbug Posted April 9, 2013 Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 We found that wearing PPE was unnecessary, because we stayed up wind, didn't splash, and didn't get into the chemicals. I have never worn a respirator when doing ag work, don't wear water proof shoes, or even gloves. It just hasn't been necessary. Common sense, and no, it's not something that separates the men from the boys. It's ag work. It's a professional endeavor, involving proper aircraft use and chemical handling for precision delivery of agricultural chemicals to crops. It's not really high-noon adventure or combat flying, and it's not an issue of machisimo. It's simply agricultural utility flying. It shouldn't be made into something it's not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotorhead84 Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 It was a joke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbotay Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 Our Chief Pilot at my old company does some yearly spraying and we had some long conversations about what being an ag pilot entails. It doesn't seem to be an alternative to instructing but really more of a career choice, its quite a commitment that needs to be considered. If you're in it to build time or get paid a lot of money (Operators REALLY don't like to hear that reason) you'll find that you may have trouble getting into other fields. There are places that don't like to take ag pilots and there are others that would love to see spray time, depending on the work you wanna do. You can even read some of the handbooks online for states and that will give you some info, taking to operators is even better. Not to say its a bad thing either. In all honesty after our conversations, I've become very interested in application and am considering pursuing that career path one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apiaguy Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 Sounds like any chief pilot of any operation ag or otherwise... nobody talks like their job is an alternative to instructing... everybody wants loads of experience, preferably in the work they do and in the machine they do it in. Big companies that need lots of pilots generally care less about their pilots experience other than meeting the minimums... small companies are more like family and are very interested in the committment and goals of a pilot that works with or for them. NOBODY wants to hear their pilot talk about how they're just in it to build time or for the money. That's why there are so many openings in AG, lots of work to do and not enough career minded individuals desiring that field...I'd rather be too busy and miss some jobs rather than have to deal with a kid who is going to leave me next year after just getting them up to speed. This is what is making AG a good place to be in aviation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridethisbike Posted April 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 What do most ag operators look for in regards to hours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted April 11, 2013 Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 so why dont AG companies hire career minded low hour pilots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trans Lift Posted April 11, 2013 Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 This is how we separate the men from the boys Haha, riiiight! Have at it, I'll stick to my HEC! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apiaguy Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) so why dont AG companies hire career minded low hour pilots? I believe they do... but there is a catch with any pilot hiring... insurance. In my state I can get nearly anybody insured with no previous experience in ag if they have: 1000 tt and 100 make and model.. Then we get into lower timers... I can still get them insured if we let them do restricted chemicals (fertilizers etc) at first then with a little experience they can do comprehensive...I think the ones who really want it go for it... the others gamble that they can do something else without having to "learn" the business from the ground.Ag is quite complicated to really understand what your doing from chemical knowledge to equipment operation... I think at the least someone with no experience would take a few months to be competent to unleash... most would probabally say a year. Most recently I took on a newby.. got him all the way thru CFI... at 200 hrs TT with about 50 in ag he is ready to go with all licenses... this took over 2 years of training. Anything is possible if you make the right connections Edited April 12, 2013 by apiaguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wittman Driver Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 (edited) If you would like to do some more research that answers all these questions, and are serious about getting into the industry, subscribe to AGAIR Update and go attend the national and your state conventions. It would also help to just go to the airports they operate out of, introduce yourself, and ask questions. You may just find a mentor pilot. Most of your state Dept of AG websites have study materials for the state applicator license(s). I will say farmers in the area where I grew up like the helicopters for coverage. It is also that reason I am leaning this way, but I have wanted to be an ag pilot since I can remember. I just took a detour for the military for a while. If you're still serious, and you are at that point, it would also help to go to a school in an AG intensive area. COS comes to mind...there are others. Edited April 12, 2013 by Wittman Driver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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