Need ag advice

[Andrew N]

In a college helicopter training program, finishing up private and rolling into the commercial syllabus within the next few weeks. Been thinking a lot about what to do with the training after school.

 

One of our most experienced CFIs is part of an ag operation 6-7 months out of the year and teaches/relaxes/travels the other half. We're a very small community college just flying 2 Schweitzers and 1 R22.. and I'm 1 of 6 other helicopter students currently going through the program. He's mentioned to us a few times about going and getting a CDL after we finish our flight training and working the ag trucks for a season or two to learn/earn our way into ag flying. Seems like a great opportunity from what I've read about it on the NAAA website.

 

He's traveling right now, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to throw a post up on here and get some advice about trying to get into the business so I can figure out if this is really want I want to do. Any ag pilots here that can give me some advice about how to prepare and get into it?

[r22butters]

Better hurry,...?

 

 

[\video]

[Andrew N]

Yamaha has a pretty good one as well.

 

 

They stated in the video that they aren't offering it "for sale" yet, but only as a service.

 

Hoping there is still a few years left for manned ag flying. If not... I'll go fly tours in Alaska.

[Guest pokey]

i like the Yamaha RMax. Since it is FAA approved & has an N number? wonder if ya need a license to fly it? Looks like its a great weapon for spraying bugs in the wine country. Prolly works on ALL kinds of bugs too:

 

http://rmax.yamaha-motor.com.au/

 

 

And the movie bizz? watch the 1st 2 mins of this & tell me a helicopter could do this, not cheeper, but not possible! By the way? its a great movie if you have never seen it & like Michael Douglas &/or Dian Keaton.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T026IV7H9SY

Edited May 24, 2017 by pokey

[Flyinrock]

Not everyone is cut out to be an ag pilot. Long hours, dirty stinky work. The idea of a CDL is good and makes you more attractive to an operator but no guarantee you'll ever get into the cockpit. I know of one young pilot who came to us with a total of 60 hrs and a PPL. He stuck it out, now has over 14,000 hours flying mostly ag and a lot of turbine time. Makes decent pay and has time to go play when its not busy.

I retired from ag 11 years ago after 40 years with both fW/rw worldwide. Was a great life with a few bumps, a couple minor accidents with no injuries or badly wrecked aircraft. More than 13,000+ hrs ag plus another 12,000+ doing the

full gamut of general aviation.

Go watch an ag operation for a few days and see what it's all about. The season is starting in many places and will really get busy in the next month or two

Good luck in your quest.

Flyinrock aka Supremo when the alternate forum first started and I was a

regular

[Boatpix]

That CDL and driving a truck for the ag company before you get hired to fly is something I've heard for the last 30 years. Must be the way they have you learn the program. I've written before of entry level utility heli work: cattle mustering versus boat photo and I guess its the same for crop spraying versus boat photo. We take pix of boats, land and go to the hotel near the beach and have a dinner in air conditioned comfort. Different than sleeping in a tent in the field or outback. We don't drive 18 wheel trucks full of chemicals designed to kill bugs or heard animals to slaughter. There are bikinis on boats, too. Woman on boats and not in outback or cornfield.

 

I'm a long term advertiser on this site so click on my website and see about our $250/hour R22 training and ask me how a CFII at a competing school couldn't get hired and how he now makes $200K flying a billionaire.

[Andrew N]

Not everyone is cut out to be an ag pilot. Long hours, dirty stinky work. The idea of a CDL is good and makes you more attractive to an operator but no guarantee you'll ever get into the cockpit. I know of one young pilot who came to us with a total of 60 hrs and a PPL. He stuck it out, now has over 14,000 hours flying mostly ag and a lot of turbine time. Makes decent pay and has time to go play when its not busy.

I retired from ag 11 years ago after 40 years with both fW/rw worldwide. Was a great life with a few bumps, a couple minor accidents with no injuries or badly wrecked aircraft. More than 13,000+ hrs ag plus another 12,000+ doing the

full gamut of general aviation.

Go watch an ag operation for a few days and see what it's all about. The season is starting in many places and will really get busy in the next month or two

Good luck in your quest.

Flyinrock aka Supremo when the alternate forum first started and I was a

regular

Thanks. Really want to get out and see it. I'm willing to give it a shot. I don't mind paying my dues.

[Rotorhead84]

Manned ag isn't going anywhere. There is at least one more generation of ag pilots left.

 

The way to an ag seat is already what you described. Get on a ground crew and plug away until you land in a seat.

[Rotorhead84]

That CDL and driving a truck for the ag company before you get hired to fly is something I've heard for the last 30 years. Must be the way they have you learn the program. I've written before of entry level utility heli work: cattle mustering versus boat photo and I guess its the same for crop spraying versus boat photo. We take pix of boats, land and go to the hotel near the beach and have a dinner in air conditioned comfort. Different than sleeping in a tent in the field or outback. We don't drive 18 wheel trucks full of chemicals designed to kill bugs or heard animals to slaughter. There are bikinis on boats, too. Woman on boats and not in outback or cornfield.

 

I'm a long term advertiser on this site so click on my website and see about our $250/hour R22 training and ask me how a CFII at a competing school couldn't get hired and how he now makes $200K flying a billionaire.

This is the dumbest thing I've ever read