ber 12, 20

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Grassroots Alert: Your Comments to DOT Needed to Support Proposal Allowing Ag Aviators HM Endorsement Exemption to Transport up to 1,000 Gallons of Jet A

Agricultural aviation operators could see both cost savings benefits and a greater supply of drivers due to a new NAAA advocated CDL exemption proposed by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).  The proposed exemption would amend FMCSA safety regulations to allow states to waive the hazardous materials (HM) endorsement requirement for Class A CDL holders of agricultural aviation operators that haul no more than 1,000 gallons of aviation-grade jet fuel.  FMCSA’s proposal was initiated by an application submitted by NAAA, which pointed out that the agency already waives the CDL hazmat endorsement requirement for drivers of other agricultural entities hauling diesel fuel—a fuel with nearly identical chemical properties and a flashpoint similar to Jet A. 

The proposal is presently available for public comment in support of or in opposition of the proposed rule until February 3, 2025.  NAAA is urging aerial applicators and state and regional ag aviation associations nationwide to comment in favor of this proposed rule.  To review the proposed rule go to: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FMCSA-2024-0121-0012.  To comment go to: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FMCSA-2024-0121-0012/comment and follow the prompts to either directly write comments or upload them.  Please reference: Docket Number FMCSA – 2024-0121 in your comments.  A draft of NAAA’s comments may be found by clicking here.  Follow the NAAA format in drafting your own comments, such as using your own personal or company letterhead.  Emphasize the following points:

  • Personalize your comments and elaborate on the geographical area in which you treat crops aerially in your location, including acres treated, crops treated, number of farmer customers, etc. 
  • If you transport fuel to a satellite strip emphasize how important this proposed rule is to your operation, acknowledge the FMCSA for proposing the rule and state that you support the rule.
  • State safety measures you take to ensure the competency of your drivers, the safety of your vehicles and how that translates to the safe operation of your trucks transporting fuel on the highways in which you utilize.
  • State difficulty you have in finding, training and retaining CDL drivers with an HM endorsement.
  • Provide real world examples of the distance you travel between your main strip and satellite strip per year transporting jet fuel and what the extra cost in fuel and time to treat your contracted cropland would take if you were unable to use a satellite strip by not having a CDL drivers and how exempting the HM endorsement will increase the availability of drivers. 
  • Feel free to utilize NAAA’s points in its comments to the FMCSA within your own comments.  Those can be found by clicking here.

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Virginia State Legislation Requiring Aerial Applicators Give Five Day Notice to Beekeepers Defeated Thanks to Ag Aviator Matt Crabbe with NAAA Assistance

Virginia aerial applicator addresses his state’s lawmakers urging them to oppose a 5-day notification period prior to being able to make an aerial application.

Virginia Senate bill 911 was introduced earlier this month by Virginia State Senator Bill Stanley that would require aerial applicators to give a five-day notice of an application for Virginia beekeepers.  Aerial applicators would be required to provide the location, date and time, total acreage, ingredients and other information regarding the application to beekeepers within a five-mile radius.  Penalties for non-compliance would be $500 for a first offense and $2,500 for each additional offense.

NAAA, working with Virginia state aerial applicator Matt Crabbe, and other national and Virginia agricultural organizations coordinated opposition to the bill emphasizing the importance of aerial application in the state, its professionalism, its speed and unobtrusiveness in treating a crop, and its ability to treat in wet soil conditions when other forms of application can’t treat.  The coalition also stated that for any exotic or quick-spreading pest, a five-day notification mandate would be catastrophic for all growers affected by a pest.

On Tuesday of this week the Virgina Senate Agriculture Committee met to consider the bill.  Crabbe was there addressing the Committee and speaking in opposition to the bill along with other Virginia organizations including the Virigina Farm Bureau.  The result was positive.  The full Committee defeated the bill resulting in it not being able to be reintroduced this year.  NAAA greatly appreciates Matt Crabbe’s efforts on the industry’s behalf.

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FAA Safety Team Hosting Drone Pilot Webinar on Advanced Flight Operations and Reading the Federal Docket on January 21 

On January 21, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT, the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) will present a drone webinar for uncrewed aerial application systems’ (UAAS) operations titled Requirements for Advanced Flight Operations and Reading the Federal Docket. The webinar will review legal requirements for UAS Advanced Flight Operations.

 To register for the webinar, click here.

All past FAAST drone safety webinars are housed here.

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EPA’s Proposed Revocation for Chlorpyrifos Tolerances  

As NAAA reported at the end of 2024, EPA has proposed to revoke all tolerances of chlorpyrifos except for the following crops: alfalfa, apple, asparagus, cherry (tart), citrus, cotton, peach, soybean, strawberry, sugar beets and wheat (both spring and winter). This revocation is part of EPA’s compliance with a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that overturned EPA’s earlier ban on chlorpyrifos.

Comments on the proposed tolerance revocation are due February 10, 2025; click here for more details. This proposed revocation is for all application methods. Any mitigations specific for aerial application are expected to be part of the proposed interim decision (PID) for chlorpyrifos. This PID is expected in 2026 and NAAA will be ready and will be communicating to the EPA to ensure aerial application remains an option on chlorpyrifos’ labels.

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Update Your Information for 2025 Membership Directory

 To guarantee accurate inclusion in the 2025 NAAA Membership Directory, please make any corrections to your membership listing by February 7.

Have you moved or changed employers since you renewed your NAAA membership? Allied companies, have you reviewed your company description lately? Log into your account to ensure your listing in the 2025 NAAA Membership Directory is correct by February 7.

You can provide your information by:

  • Calling the NAAA office at (202) 546-5722.
  • Updating your information online at https://agaviation.org/. Log in your username and password, click My Account, and update your information under My Profile on the left-hand box.
  • Emailing your changes to information@agaviation.org.

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Awards Nominations Now Open

One of the highlights of each NAAA Ag Aviation Expo is the chance to honor a distinct group of committed individuals and companies for their service to the agricultural aviation industry. The aerial application industry is filled with exceptional people who go above and beyond the call of duty, often with little fanfare. If you attended the 2024 Ag Aviation Expo and thought, “I know someone who deserves an award,” then now is a great time to make that nomination. There is no reason to wait!

NAAA’s submission form allows you to make a quick and easy nomination in just a few clicks here. There are eight NAAA Award categories and one NAAREF Award. The nomination deadline is August 5, but early nominations are encouraged. The 2025 NAAA Award recipients will be announced in September and honored at the Excellence in Ag Aviation Banquet on Wednesday, Nov. 19, in Reno.

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Start the Year with a New 2025 NAAA Membership!

Thank you for your support as a 2024 member of NAAA. We request your continued support by renewing your NAAA membership for 2025 today. While you have been busy aiding farmers to produce a safe, affordable, and abundant supply of food, fiber, and bioenergy, NAAA has been busy making sure low-altitude airspace is safe for your aerial application business to operate, as well as ensuring that you have the pesticide products you need to do your job. Several of NAAA’s accomplishments this year, on your behalf and to ensure your success, include:

  • NAAA is now offering health and life insurance options for members. More details available here.
  • NAAA worked to secure permission from the FAA to use frequency 122.925 for radio communications between agricultural aircraft to operate safely.
  • NAAA lobbied for the FAA Reauthorization Bill to include NAAA language ensuring the safety of manned aircraft from drone activity in BVLOS airspace and language establishing a deadline to the FAA to promulgate tower marking and logging.
  • Since 2017, NAAA has submitted over 300 comments to the EPA to keep aerial applications on pesticide labels with great success enabling you to keep a deep inventory of pesticide tools without unnecessary and burdensome restrictions.
  • NAAA’s 2024 articles appearing in Farm Journal publications, along with the “Aerial Application: Above All Forms of Crop Care” ad campaign and accompanying web search tool identifying member businesses, have been widely circulated to hundreds of thousands of potential aerial application users.
  • NAAA and NAAREF have grown the C-PAASS certification learning center to include online learning for aerial applicators who want to augment their professionalism and be recognized and rewarded by their insurance providers, pesticide manufacturers, regulators, and customers. Learn more at https://education.agaviation.org/.
  • New membership database, allowing for automatic renewal and single invoicing of all memberships at your operation or company. Contact information@agaviation.org for further details.

In 2025, you will continue to receive ongoing benefits such as discounts for attending or exhibiting at the Ag Aviation Expo, connect with members through the print and online NAAA Membership Directory and receive Association publications, eNewsletters, social media briefings and substantive web content at AgAviation.org. Log into your account on our website to pay your 2025 NAAA membership invoice. Details at AgAviation.org/membership.

Please make it a priority to renew your NAAA membership—the payoff far exceeds what you will spend in dues in the form of effective advocacy that reduces regulation and taxes affecting your aerial application business and trade association membership dues are tax deductible.

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February 20-22, 2025, NAAA Committee & Board Meetings in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Passports Required

NAAA & NAAREF Board & Committee meetings will be held in Canada, Feb. 20-22, 2025.

NAAA & NAAREF are hosting the February 2025 meetings in Montreal at the same time and location as the Canadian AAA Convention. In addition to NAAA meetings, NAAA members are invited to attend the Canadian AAA Conference. Further details are available at https://form.jotform.com/243226110331237.

All meetings are open to NAAA members. If you are not a board or committee member but are interested in attending, please contact Lindsay Barber for more details.

Committee assignments were emailed to board and committee members on January 6. If you do not receive this information, please contact Lindsay Barber. A drafted schedule of events can be seen here.

Hotel:
Hotel Bonaventure Montreal
900 De La Gauchetiere West
Montreal, QC, H5A 1E4, Canada

The hotel deadline is January 21. Book online here or call 1-800-267-2575 and refer to NAAA & NAAREF Board Meetings. Contact Lindsay Barber with hotel questions.

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AD Proposed for Hiller UH-12E Main Rotor Driveshaft 

The FAA has proposed adopting a new Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Hiller Model UH-12E and UH-12E-L helicopters. 

The FAA received a report of two cracks in a main rotor (M/R) drive shaft that were found during an inspection involving a Siam Hiller Model UH-12E helicopter. These cracks resulted from hydrogen embrittlement, possibly due to improper baking after the electroplating process, and certain paint strippers exploiting galvanic potential between the steel and cadmium. Since the affected part may also be installed on Model UH-12E-L helicopters, this model helicopter is also affected by this unsafe condition. 

This proposed AD would require, with the M/R drive shaft removed, removing the coatings from all surfaces of the M/R drive shaft by using certain paint strippers, hydrogen embrittlement relief baking the M/R drive shaft, and performing a magnetic particle inspection of the M/R drive shaft for a crack. Depending on the results of the magnetic particle inspection, this proposed AD would require removing the M/R drive shaft from service and installing an airworthy part. This proposed AD would also prohibit installing an affected M/R drive shaft on any helicopter unless the actions required by this proposed AD have been accomplished and prohibit using certain paint removers on the M/R drive shaft. 

Comments are due February 28, 2025. You can find the proposed AD here. 

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Dr. Dennis Gardisser presents Judy and Brycen Rainey a memorial in remembrance of Scott Rainey.

Scott Rainey’s Wife and Son Given Missing Man Plaque at Missouri AAA Banquet

Scott Rainey, who was tragically lost in an ag aviation accident on June 25, 2024, was recognized Tuesday night at the Missouri Agricultural Aviation Association’s banquet. Dr. Dennis Gardisser of WRK of Arkansas talked about Scott and presented Scott’s wife and son, Judy and Brycen, with a missing man formation plaque. Scott was the Owner/Operator for Rainey Aerial AG Service, Inc. located in Obion, Tennessee. He was involved with numerous boards and associations, including being a lifelong member of NAAA.

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In Case You Missed Last Week’s NAAA eNewsletter

Click here for the January 9, 2025 eNewsletter to read:

  • After Comments from NAAA, EPA Develops Process to Limit Areas Requiring Endangered Species
  • Commerce Department Seeks Comments on Information Security for UAS
  • Start the Year with a New 2025 NAAA Membership!
  • Extra Extra!! Winter 2025 Issue of Agricultural Aviation Now Online!
  • Top 10 Agricultural Aviation Articles of 2024
  • AOPA Pilot Magazine Spotlights Agricultural Aviation Safety and Expertise in February Issue
  • Don’t PAASS Up Safety Education – Attend the 2024-2025 PAASS Program, Collect CEU’s, Qualify for C-PAASS and Fly Safe
  • February 20-22, 2025, NAAA Committee & Board Meetings in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Passports Required
  • 2025 C-PAASS – Application Open! 
  • Hey, U.S. Corporations and LLCs, Have You Filed BOI Yet? 

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