Question for ag pilots

[rotormandan]

I'm thinking about going back into ag. I spent 2 years as a driver/apprentice pilot. Where I worked we just went straight through from about May until late Oct. I've been hearing about other places where they fly a 2-3 months in spring/summer and then have some time off, say a month in the summer, and the fly 2-3 months late summer/fall.

 

My question is how are your schedules at the different places some of you have worked?

 

Currently I'm in the gom flying a 14/14. I really enjoy having some time off each part of the year. I'm not too excited about flying like a busdriver when I get to the IFR program. Even flying as a field ship is kinda boring. Spraying was the most fun I've had flying and I'd love to go back and get good at it. I just hate to give up my summers and miss hiking, camping, fishing, etc with my kids.

 

Just curious about some if your contracts/schedules and how do you handle raising kids with that lifestyle? I left before becoming a pilot vs apprentice because I couldn't picture how to make it work with raising a family. I know some of you do it, just curious how. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to put your story on here.

 

Thanks,

Dan

Edited April 16, 2014 by rotormandan

[avbug]

My ag schedules have been sunup to sundown, seven days a week, beginning of season to end, with less busy air work and more busy ground work or waiting in the early and late season, except for crop or insect runs.

 

During summer months, morning spray work and evening work are more common than flights during the heat of the day, and wind is always a chief concern.

[cryesis]

What can a ground guy expect a normal work day/schedule to be like?

[rotormandan]

I can give my experience. When I was a ground guy I started out $15/hr. Worked 60-80 hours a week from April-Oct/mid nov. The 2nd season I got $3500/month. Same months. When I was hourly I got a few days off here and there when slow. When salary it was 7days a weeks straight through the season similar to avbug. The 1st season I learned to fly the 206. By the end of the 2nd season they had me spraying on my own when it was slow. I left because of reasons stated above. Other then giving up summer, it was the most fun I've had flying. If I wasn't getting ready to have a family I never would've left.

[rotormandan]

That was about 4-5 years ago

[rotormandan]

Bump. Any other spray pilots out there?

[cryesis]

Aspiring spray pilot here! May have just gotten my break into the industry

[Rotorhead84]

My main gig is crop dusting in the midwest. Mid july to mid sept. When its busy its sun up to sun down 7 days a week. On both ends of the season its usually just a steady pace of 8-12 hour days 7 days a week

 

In the spring and fall I contract on the east coast spraying timber. 7 days a week, usually 8-12 hour days

 

It is a lot of work and you're not home at all, but having 6 months off a year is nice. Pay can be all over the place though.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Rotorhead84

[rotormandan]

What's your story cryesis? Congrats.

[cryesis]

Got hired as a ground guy for this season with an operator, they know I'm looking to spray for a living and said they'll try and get me some stick time this season. Starting from the ground up and couldn't be happier! Can't wait to start, when flying comes that will be a nice perk also!

[Rotorhead84]

What operator Cryesis?

[rotormandan]

Or at least what part of the country? What do they fly? What kind if crops? You know, all tge fun details.

[R22139RJ]

I spray in California in Fresno county. My summer season starts about May-August. Its hit and miss after that. If its a wet winter, aircraft stay busy but otherwise ground rigs do most of the work if the fields are dry. We do Cotton defoliation around october but its dead until the wheat and oats need herbicide in January/Febuary. It can also pick up in spring if there is rain when almonds are blooming if the fields are wet. This winter sucked. Water is a huge problem out here right now.

 

Even though the seasons may be the majority of the work, there is always that chance that work can come in. I was the only heli pilot at an operation so I considered myself on standby most of the year. It gets easier to schedule off time when you have another pilot that can cover for you but you may miss the one spring spray and lose big $. A couple busy days of Ag flying and you covered your expenses for the next couple months.

 

I think its a job that requies the passion for the flying. We work nights in my area so when its 2nd month in a row working from 9pm to 5am you start thinking about how some people dont have to do this and wonder why you do. But then you will have this amazing pass that excites you, or its a corner that is hard to get and you smoke the weeds there and the farmer calls you overwhelmingly happy. Thats what I love, its a challenge and requires precision. I consider myself and applicator before pilot and I think thats the attitude you need to have.

[cryesis]

Ill be working in the midwest for an operator, I believe they fly 47s, 206s. This season ill be with them spraying potatoes, hopefully some flight time comes along . If not I recently got my class B and hazmat for the job

 

 

Im super excited to start next week, any tips?

Edited May 6, 2014 by cryesis

[rotormandan]

I spray in California in Fresno county. My summer season starts about May-August. Its hit and miss after that. If its a wet winter, aircraft stay busy but otherwise ground rigs do most of the work if the fields are dry. We do Cotton defoliation around october but its dead until the wheat and oats need herbicide in January/Febuary. It can also pick up in spring if there is rain when almonds are blooming if the fields are wet. This winter sucked. Water is a huge problem out here right now.

 

Even though the seasons may be the majority of the work, there is always that chance that work can come in. I was the only heli pilot at an operation so I considered myself on standby most of the year. It gets easier to schedule off time when you have another pilot that can cover for you but you may miss the one spring spray and lose big $. A couple busy days of Ag flying and you covered your expenses for the next couple months.

 

I think its a job that requies the passion for the flying. We work nights in my area so when its 2nd month in a row working from 9pm to 5am you start thinking about how some people dont have to do this and wonder why you do. But then you will have this amazing pass that excites you, or its a corner that is hard to get and you smoke the weeds there and the farmer calls you overwhelmingly happy. Thats what I love, its a challenge and requires precision. I consider myself and applicator before pilot and I think thats the attitude you need to have.

 

That's a great schedule. Year -round when the work is there. Slow seasons during all parts of the year. That's a great set up.

[Rotorhead84]

Ill be working in the midwest for an operator, I believe they fly 47s, 206s. This season ill be with them spraying potatoes, hopefully some flight time comes along . If not I recently got my class B and hazmat for the job

 

 

Im super excited to start next week, any tips?

 

 

Resist the urge to draw penises in the field with herbicides.

[R22139RJ]

As far as tips go, don't go out there and feel like you have to prove something. If a field is wired up and has some crazy passes under lines and over obstructions, have a more experienced guy do the job. Know your limits with yourself and your ability to pilot the machine. Joe rocket who has 10 yrs spraying in the 206 will be willing to stretch the limits (gallons, temps, winds...) where a beginner has no business trying to do what the bad asses can. 1 extra load to carry 80 gallons instead of 90 won't be the end of the business. It's better to do 1 extra load instead of needing 1 extra ship.

 

If you're loading first you will need to know the wind and park truck into wind unless you can load from any direction. I've seen a 47 with saddle tanks and the buckeye was on bottom of helicopter. Wind direction should be no problem but if you have any concern, burn a box, see what happens. If the truck isn't right, make your guys move.

 

An experienced pilot told me that if you walk one way and u feel wind on your face, and you turn around and feel nothing as you walk, take off the other way. Even the slightest wind will help.

 

You can only fly so fast, turn so hard and do so many loads an hr, efficiency is made up on the ground. So much time can be made up there. Driving time, mixing, loading, moving field to field, getting water are all things that can be arranged prior to the flight so put the time on the ground before your application. You will learn so so much working the ground crew. Watch the pilots and be a sponge

 

Best of luck

[Rotorhead84]

That's quite a bit of work to establish wind direction. Get some pink nylon tape and be done with it.

[act9101]

How did everyone get their Ag Hours? Apprenticeship only?

[Pohi]

That's quite a bit of work to establish wind direction. Get some pink nylon tape and be done with it.

You clearly are not a pyro. Burning a box is very, very easy.

 

Try using a lighter instead of rubbing two sticks together :-)

[R22139RJ]

 

 

Pink tape is hard to see at night time and is very poor at gauging intensity. I use boxes because you can see fire at night and the flames or smoke will let you know how much wind there is. If the pink tape is on the truck when I'm sitting there I can probably see it but those pesky rotors disturb just about everything.

 

When I'm doing herbicide you can have different winds on opposite side of fields on a calm day. I had 4 tires burning once. Hard to see pink tape across the field, a lot of times I'll pull off a pass and get an edge when the wind shifts, smoke is great.

[Flying Pig]

You arent an Ag pilot .... you drive a taco truck in Mendota.

[Pohi]

You arent an Ag pilot .... you drive a taco truck in Mendota.

Haha, his Cropdusting is spraying the truck down with roach spray?

[Flying Pig]

he has the best carne asada on the west side though.... roaches and all

[R22139RJ]

I just hook up hot shot cans to a cable and tape them on the skids. Hauling 80 cans, no bit deal.

 

God hates the aerosol though