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Video of NAAA Participation and Other UAS Application Presentations from the 2nd Annual Spray Drone End User Conference Now Available

Video presentations are now available from NAAA’s participation in the 2nd Annual Spray Drone End User Conference in Gulf Shores, Alabama, held last month, along with many other video presentations focusing on uncrewed aerial application systems from the event. NAAA CEO Andrew Moore attended the conference on behalf of the association and addressed the attendees about the NAAA’s long-time efforts working to ensure pesticides are labeled for aerial use, including NAAA’s efforts to update atmospheric drift models to take into account a multitude of additional variables including meteorological conditions, additional drift reduction technology variables, and multi-rotor, lighter-weight aircraft such as drones. Also discussed were safety policies NAAA advocates to avoid collisions between crewed aircraft and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS); and business networking, educational stewardship programs, and positive public relations that NAAA provides to help ensure the economic health, professionalism and reputation of the aerial application industry. Moore’s presentation can be viewed here.  

He also participated in a regulatory discussion with panelists from FAA, a state pesticide enforcement official and pesticide manufacturers about the 14 CFR Part 137 regulatory environment and state and federal regulations pertaining to pesticide commercial applicator licensing and labeling of pesticides for aerial use. That panel discussion may be found by clicking here.

Additional presentations from the three and a half-day conference on uncrewed aircraft applications may be found below:

  • Feb 26th presentations here.
  • Feb 27th presentations here.
  • Feb 28th presentations here.
  • Feb 29th presentations here.

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Idaho Enacts Law Punishing Claimants Making Wrongful Drift Allegations

Chalk up another success to Idaho’s lobbying duo of Gem State aerial applicator and NAAA member George Parker and David Lehman, the Idaho Agricultural Aviation Association executive director, for successfully advocating for the enactment of a state law making a wrongful drift allegation claimant guilty of a misdemeanor. The new law (Idaho Senate Bill 31123/Idaho House Bill 474) was signed by Idaho Governor Brad Little last week.  It creates a new section of Idaho Code, 22-3417B, relating to false reporting of pesticide and chemigation damage claims. In recent years, applicators have been subjected to an increasing number of damage claims that have been determined to be false by investigators. This legislation creates a misdemeanor criminal penalty for these types of false claims. According to George Parker, a false drift claim can be made once, but subsequent false claims, as determined by Idaho State Department of Agriculture, may result in the claimant being guilty of a misdemeanor.  A misdemeanor in Idaho is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six (6) months, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both. 
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AD Issued for M601 Compressor Case

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD 2024-06-02) for GE Aviation Czech (GEAC) Model M601 engines. A crack on the centrifugal compressor case mount pad weld area was reported on an engine, leading to an unscheduled engine removal. Further investigation identified a non-conforming weld in the location of the failure (lack of welding penetration).

To address this potential unsafe condition, GEAC issued ASB SB-000471/00 on February 2, 2024 to provide instructions for a one-time detailed visual inspection of affected centrifugal compressor cases, having Part Number (P/N) M601-154.55 or P/N M601-154.65.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued EASA AD 2024-0040-E on February 8, 2024, directing compliance with the above referenced ASB. 

FAA AD 2024-06-02, effective April 11, 2024, directs compliance with the EASA AD within 10 flight hours or 30 days from the effective date, whichever comes first. If any crack is detected on an affected part, the AD requires replacement of the compressor case before further flight.

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Please Complete FAA’s 2023 GA Survey if Invited to Participate – Data is Critical for Aerial Application Industry

The FAA’s 46th annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey (GA Survey) continues. Emails and post cards have already been sent out to those aircraft owners selected to participate. The initial round of paper surveys to small fleets (two or less aircraft) will be sent on Friday, March 15, 2024, and paper surveys to large fleets (three or more aircraft) will be sent on Friday, March 22, 2024. Please note that you should not share your survey link publicly or with anyone else. It was only shared with the survey sample, and not every aircraft owner will be able to access the survey. Sharing it will cause confusion as to why some individuals cannot access it.

The survey is for collecting aviation activity for the calendar year 2023. The GA Survey is the only source of information available that provides reliable data on the GA fleet, including number of aircraft and hours flown. The data is used by the FAA, other government agencies, and the aviation industry for a variety of things, including assessing safety and understanding the economic impact of aviation.

Note that not everyone will be invited to participate – the survey reaches about 30% of GA aviators every year. If you are selected to participate in the GA Survey, you will receive an email or postcard invitation asking you to complete the survey online. For those who chose to not complete the survey online, a mail survey is sent which includes a postage-paid return envelope. The information is confidential and will only be used for statistical purposes and will not be published or released in any form that would reveal an individual participant. It only takes 10-15 minutes to complete the survey. You may be asked to participate two or more years in a row. If you are contacted, please respond to the survey even if you did not fly your aircraft during 2022, sold it, or if the aircraft was damaged. If you own three of more aircraft, there is an abbreviated survey form you can use instead of needing to complete a survey for each aircraft. 

The GA Survey is especially critical to the agricultural aviation industry. NAAA uses the results of the GA Survey, in conjunction with NTSB accident numbers, to calculate an overall accident rate and a fatal accident rate for Part 137 operations. This allows NAAA to track and document the safety of the agricultural aviation industry and provide evidence to the FAA and NTSB that PAASS and other safety programs are working to reduce Part 137 accidents.

If you have questions, please contact Tetra Tech, the independent research firm that conducts the GA Survey for the FAA, toll-free at 1-800-826-1797 or by email at infoaviationsurvey@tetratech.com. Results from prior surveys can be found here.

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