Two Safety Courses on Saturday, Nov. 15: Flying in the Wire and Obstruction Environment & Turning An Ag Plane Safely
Saturday, November 15 is a day of safety courses for ag pilots at the Ag Aviation Expo. Learn the essential skills needed to safely operate an aircraft in wire and obstruction environments and how to turn an ag plane safely. Flying in the Wire and Obstruction Environment will be the first course taught from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and the Turning an Ag Plane Safely will be taught from 1:15 – 5:15 p.m. NAAA will provide box lunches to registered attendees and refreshments throughout the day.
Flying in the Wire and Obstruction Environment is a course acclaimed by professional aircraft operators worldwide and will be the first session. The Tylor Johnson Legacy Foundation and Johnson Family are graciously sponsoring the registration fees of each operator and pilot attending this year’s course. NAAA and NAAREF thank the Johnson Family and the Tylor Johnson Legacy Foundation for providing funding for ag pilots to attend this essential training complimentary.
Tylor Johnson was a third-generation aerial applicator whose life was cut short after his airplane struck a guy wire. It was a harsh reminder of the dangers aerial applicators face daily. In the wake of this tragedy, the Tylor Johnson Legacy Foundation was established to honor Tylor’s memory, advocate for increased safety measures that protect other pilots, and continue his legacy of care and commitment to the community. Tylor was known for his infectious energy, unwavering optimism, and remarkable ability to inspire everyone around him. He believed in the power of community and was a driving force in bringing people together.
The wire avoidance course will again be taught by aviation safety experts from Utilities/Aviation Specialists Inc., a unique group of aviation safety practitioners who provide safety auditing, specialized training, installation of safety management systems and technical aviation consulting. They provide mission-specific expertise in specialized applications that require skill sets above those found in most routine transport operations. Both fixed-wing and helicopter pilots will benefit from this course. It gives low-altitude aviators the essential skills needed to safely operate an aircraft in wire and obstruction environments. Learn how to identify signs of wires, why ag aviators hit wires they already knew were there, and how to avoid them going forward. In 2024, there were a total of 11 wire strike ag aviation accidents, two of those accidents were fatal.
The second course, beginning at 1:15 p.m., will feature Fran de Kock of Battlefords Airspray in Canada, teaching the Turning an Ag Airplane Safely Course, which will cover in detail how to safely turn a fixed-wing ag aircraft. The class is intended for all ag pilots whatever their experience level. It will review the basics of an ag turn, how to properly train to make safe ag turns, and how to make ag turns in different conditions. The risks of a turning accident and how to manage those risks will also be thoroughly covered.
These two courses may very well save your life—don’t miss an entire day dedicated to two important topics. While registration fees are waived for the courses due to generous sponsorships, advance registration is still required. If you do not pre-register, we may not have a seat or lunch for you. Sponsored by Tylor Johnson Legacy Foundation, Old Republic Aerospace & AssuredPartners.