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Table of Contents
- July is Ag Aviation’s Busiest Month for Hours and Accidents, Brush Up on Your Fly Safe Messages
- Clean Water Act NPDES PGP Exemption Legislation Begins Another Trickle Through Congress, Hopefully Towards Enactment
- Attention Exhibitors! Booth Sales Begin on July 10
- Barry Martin of Tennessee Aircraft Passes
- AD Proposed for AStar Throttle Twist Grip
- AD Issued for Bell 407 Expandable Blade Bolts on Main Rotor
July is Ag Aviation’s Busiest Month for Hours and Accidents, Brush Up on Your Fly Safe Messages
July is the month with the greatest pest pressure and, consequently, the busiest time of the year for Agriculture’s Air Force to protect U.S. cropland. Unfortunately, it is also the month that accumulates the highest number of ag aviation accidents, including fatal ones. As of June 25, 2025, there have been twelve agricultural aviation accidents reported in 2025, two of which resulted in fatalities. For more information on agricultural aviation accidents, please visit the NAAA website here.
This July doesn’t have to be like all the others. NAAA has a plethora of information to keep safety at the forefront, and it is proven that our continuing education resources reduce ag aviation accidents, in addition to enhancing our environmental professionalism. So tap into our huge inventory of Fly Safe messages that address accident prevention and digest them daily to keep safety at the forefront of your mind and make July an accident-free month.
Clean Water Act NPDES PGP Exemption Legislation Begins Another Trickle Through Congress, Hopefully Towards Enactment
Yesterday, legislation was marked up through the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that would exempt pesticide applications made over or near water from obtaining unnecessary and burdensome NPDES pesticide general permits under the Clean Water Act. The legislation, H.R. 3824, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act, introduced by U.S. Representative David Rouzer (R-NC), would no longer require permits as pesticides are already registered for use over water and tested for water safety per the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
Since 2009, when a panel of just three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the EPA regulate FIFRA-registered pesticides by requiring NPDES permits for applications made over water, NAAA has been urging Congress to enact legislation that would eliminate the significant legal liability and paperwork burdens on aerial applicators, mosquito abatement districts, and others that treat disease-carrying mosquitoes and other health-threatening pests. NAAA had advocated and sent supporting documentation to Congress about the importance of enacting this legislation to eliminate duplicative regulatory statutes affecting pesticide applications. The next step in this process towards enactment of H.R. 3824 is for the full House of Representatives to enact the bill. NAAA, working along with a coalition of ag and public health interests, is also urging H.R. 3824 to be included in a regulatory relief title of the Farm Bill. NAAA thanks Congressman Rouzer for his work on this important issue that would provide regulatory relief for the industry, and it will continue to work towards enactment of the legislation.
Attention Exhibitors! Booth Sales Begin on July 10
Join us for the 2025 Ag Aviation Expo in Reno, Nov. 17-19. In addition to attending the NAAA Ag Aviation Expo, explore Reno. The city is a fast-growing city that offers numerous dining and libation options. The Midtown District is home to many local bars with live music, offering local artists’ murals and each offers a unique atmosphere. For naturalists and skiers, nearby Lake Tahoe is well worth a trip. Explore the area at www.visitrenotahoe.com.
Last Call for Large Booth Sales: If you plan to bring an aircraft, need a 20’x20’+ island booth, a 10’x30’+ inline booth or plan to be a Diamond or Platinum sponsor, please contact Lindsay Barber ASAP. To ensure the best placement on the trade show floor, we pre-sell large booth space.
10×10 and 10×20 booth space sales will begin on July 10 at 12 p.m. ET. View the booth purchase directions here.
The NAAA Trade Show will take place Nov. 18, 12 p.m.–5:30 p.m. and Nov. 19, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Review the NAAA Exhibitor Prospectus and exhibitor webpage for further details and pricing here. The full schedule of events is available here.
Barry Martin of Tennessee Aircraft Passes
Barry Martin, president of Tennessee Aircraft, an FAA-approved overhaul facility for turbine engine fuel nozzles, passed away on June 18, 2025. He spent decades working in the aviation and agricultural aviation industries. He was a longtime NAAA Allied member and exhibitor. Barry donated unique antique rifles and guns to the NAAA Live Auction for the past several years.
Known for his generosity, fun-loving personality and sharp sense of humor, Barry’s smiling face was a familiar and welcome sight on the Ag Aviation Expo trade show floor, and he truly never met a stranger.
Barry is survived by his wife of nearly 51 years, Nancy Crowe Martin; his daughter, Tracy Blethen; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.
There are no plans for services at this time. In lieu of flowers, you can honor Barry’s memory by donating to a charity of your choice. Read his obituary here.
AD Proposed for AStar Throttle Twist Grip
The FAA has proposed to supersede Airworthiness Directive AD 2020-24-07, issued December 8, 2020, which applies to Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B3 helicopters (among others), and requires modifying and inspecting the pilot’s and co-pilot’s throttle twist grip for proper operation. Since the FAA issued AD 2020-24-07, Airbus Helicopters developed another modification of the twist grip and additional corrective actions for helicopters already modified.
This proposed AD was prompted by reports of the engine remaining in idle when the twist grip was turned from the “IDLE” mode to the “FLIGHT” mode. This proposed AD would retain the actions required by AD 2020-24-07 and mandate an additional modification, which would constitute terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This proposed AD would also expand the helicopter applicability, propose additional requirements for certain helicopters, and would prohibit installing affected microswitches or an affected twist grip with the affected microswitch.
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Airworthiness Directives driving this proposed AD:
EASA AD 2023-0133, dated July 5, 2023
EASA AD 2023-0187, dated October 27, 2023
EASA AD 2023-0187R1, dated March 20, 2025
You can view FAA’s proposed superseding AD here. Comments are due August 4, 2025.
AD Issued for Bell 407 Expandable Blade Bolts on Main Rotor
The FAA has issued a new airworthiness directive for Bell Textron Canada Limited (BTCL) Model 407 and 427 helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report that certain expandable blade bolts installed on the main rotor blade may not have received the correct heat treatment, which could result in stress corrosion cracking of the expandable blade bolts.
This AD requires replacement of affected bolts with bolts eligible for installation within 30 hours’ time-in-service or 30 days, whichever occurs first.
Affected expandable blade bolts have part number (P/N) 406-310-103 and a serial number (S/N) SLFS9386 through SLFS9405 inclusive. Bolts eligible for installation are those with the same P/N but with a S/N not in the range of affected bolts.
BTCL Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 407-24-137, issued July 17, 2024
Transport Canada AD CF-2025-21, effective May 6, 2025
FAA AD 2025-13-01, effective July 8, 2025 (this AD)
In Case You Missed Last Week’s NAAA eNewsletter
Click here for the June 19, 2025 eNewsletter to read:
- NAAA and HAI’s Participation in Precision Application Field Day Reaches MAHA Commission and EPA Staffers
- U.S.’s Fifth Largest Pesticide Manufacturer, FMC, Hosts NAAA at its Delaware Research Facility
- NAAA Mourns the Loss of Bryan Holland of Mississippi
- 2026 NAAA/Syngenta Leadership Training Program Applications Accepted Until July 18, 2025