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- NAAA and Other General Aviation Industry and Congressional Leaders Meet at Wingnuts Flying Circus Airshow in Tarkio, Missouri
- NAAA Member Matt Crabbe Shares Aerial Application Best Practices on Farm Journal Podcast
- NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Booth Sales Opened Last Week with Success
- Fraudulent Companies Trying to Book Hotel Rooms for NAAA Ag Aviation Expo
- 2026 NAAA/Syngenta Leadership Training Program Applications Accepted Until Tomorrow, July 18
NAAA and Other General Aviation Industry and Congressional Leaders Meet at Wingnuts Flying Circus Airshow in Tarkio, Missouri
NAAA joined numerous other general aviation (GA) industry and congressional leaders for the biennial Wingnuts Flying Circus based in Tarkio, Missouri. The event is accurately billed as “The Greatest Little Airshow” and has garnered considerable fame due to it being organized by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman, Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO). Graves holds an aviation town hall meeting before each Wingnuts Flying Circus airshow held in the EAA hangar at the Gould Peterson Municipal Airport in Tarkio. Andrew Moore represented the NAAA as one of the aviation town hall’s panelists and emphasized the sacrosanct rule of smaller aircraft and drones providing right-of-way to larger manned aircraft, particularly as the FAA prepares to issue its proposed rule allowing drone operations to travel Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). Moore also mentioned to policymakers and the audience that last year’s FAA Reauthorization bill includes statutory language in the BVLOS title of the bill that the FAA ensure the safety of manned aircraft in developing the rule, thanks to the help of Graves. Also brought forth in the town hall meeting was the need to ensure that ADS-B aircraft technology is used solely for air traffic deconfliction purposes and not for government or other entities to use for fee levying purposes or enforcement purposes, and that it protects the privacy of the aircraft owner.
Overall, the members of Congress and GA leaders, in addition to FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau, were very optimistic about the state of aviation due to last year’s FAA Reauthorization—the first to have a title specifically for general aviation and due to the recently enacted One Big Beautiful reconciliation bill enacted earlier this month that includes billions of dollars for the overhaul of the nation’s air traffic control system.
Also attending the aviation town hall and airshow was Air Tractor President Jim Hirsch.
NAAA Member Matt Crabbe Shares Aerial Application Best Practices on Farm Journal Podcast
In a recent episode of Breaking Barriers with R&D, Total Acre founders Randy Dowdy and David Hula explore the evolution of precision fungicide application, featuring insights from NAAA operator member Matt Crabbe of Crabbe Aviation in Mechanicsville, VA. Flying for multiple decades in the aerial application field, Crabbe offers valuable strategies for improving coverage, product performance, and ROI. The episode’s insights also earned it a feature in The Scoop newsletter, the ag retailer publication with a national circulation of 27,000 ag retailers, crop consultants and farmers.
The episode also features Pennsylvania farmer Josiah Garber, who detected tar spot unusually early this season and responded with a proactive two-pass fungicide program. Crabbe expands on the aerial approach, stressing the importance of droplet size and flight altitude for effective fungicide placement. He also discussed ideal application rates for optimal canopy penetration, stressing precision as a key factor in maximizing efficacy. He emphasized the turbine airplane’s efficiency, noting it outperforms helicopters and drones in speed. When asked what to consider when selecting an aerial applicator, Crabbe recommended choosing someone affiliated with NAAA and their state or regional organization, as membership ensures professionalism, proper training and education.
Crabbe also highlights the rising importance of as-applied maps for application verification and yield correlation. With digital platforms, many aerial applicators can now provide real-time map access to clients, boosting transparency and decision-making.
Hula wrapped the discussion by urging growers to stay consistent with fungicide and insecticide applications, noting that regular, well-timed treatments are key to maximizing yields.
Catch the full conversation on YouTube at Breaking Barriers With R&D: Flying High and Digging Deep — Precision Ag from the Sky to the Soil with Crabbe’s segment running from 18:00-42:00. Breaking Barriers with R&D is produced by Farm Journal and is available on multiple platforms. Farm Journal’s network reaches more than 53 million viewers annually.
NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Booth Sales Opened Last Week with Success
Last week, the 2025 Ag Aviation Expo booth sales opened with excitement for the NAAA annual convention in Reno, Nevada, from November 17-19. Ninety-one (91) companies purchased exhibit space on the first day of booth sales (and large booths sold in advance). This is right around the ten-year average number of booths sold on the first day. We are grateful to NAAA member companies that exhibit at our annual event each year!
Take a peek at the list of companies that will be represented in Reno. Many additional companies will purchase booth space between now and the start of the Ag Aviation Expo; check back often as the list of exhibitors increases.
Potential exhibitors—there is still plenty of space for you! Visit our exhibitor webpage for more details. Attendee registration will open at the end of July!
Ag Aviation Expo Details
- Dates: Nov. 17-19 (Flying in the Wire and Obstruction Environment Course taking place Nov. 15)
- Schedule of Events here
- NAAA Hotel Room Block: Open
- Attendee Registration Opens End of July
- Exhibit Booth Sales: Open
- Sponsorship Opportunities here. We have sponsorships available for all budget sizes.
- Auction Donations: Please consider donating to the Live and Silent Auction. The earlier you inform us of your auction donation, the more advertising you will receive on the NAAA website and in NAAA publications. Support the aerial application industry by donating an item today. Email Amy May with your donation details.
- Never been to Reno? Learn more here.
- Flying Into Reno: Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) has eleven airlines providing more than 120 daily departures and arrivals. Learn about travel here.
Fraudulent Companies Trying to Book Hotel Rooms for NAAA Ag Aviation Expo
NAAA received notification that an independent third-party company is contacting our NAAA Allied members to book sleeping rooms in Reno for the 2025 Ag Aviation Expo. These companies go by several names and they are all scams. They are NOT associated with NAAA or any hotel in Reno; ignore their emails and calls. Your hotel room should only be booked through https://www.agaviation.org/ag-aviation-expo/travel/.
Please remember that no one from (or on behalf of) NAAA or the Atlantis will contact you (by phone, email, etc.) to book a hotel room. NAAA recommends making your own hotel reservations using the information in our NAAA publications or at https://www.agaviation.org/ag-aviation-expo/travel/. Do not trust these companies; they will take your money, and you may not have a hotel room in Reno.
2026 NAAA/Syngenta Leadership Training Program Applications Accepted Until Tomorrow, July 18
Since 1995, NAAA, in partnership with Syngenta Crop Protection, has offered the Leadership Training Program (LTP) to develop leaders within the aerial application industry. Over the past 29 classes, more than 365 NAAA members have graduated from the program. Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 program. The deadline to apply is tomorrow, July 18, 2025.
LTP equips participants with the communication and leadership skills needed to effectively represent the aerial application industry to the public, media, and government. It also covers management strategies to support participants in growing their businesses and becoming stronger leaders within NAAA and state or regional agricultural aviation associations.
- 12 participants will attend the LTP in Washington, D.C., February 10–14, 2026.
- 2 participants will attend the full Syngenta “Leadership At Its Best” (LAIB) program January 19–23, 2026 (includes participants from other national agricultural organizations).
In total, 14 individuals will be selected to participate. Each state or regional agricultural aviation association, along with the Canadian Aerial Applicators Association, may nominate one candidate. A selection committee appointed by the NAAA President will choose the most qualified applicants.
If you’re interested in being considered for the 2026 Leadership Training Program, contact your state or regional agricultural aviation association’s executive director for the application link. Only one candidate may be nominated per association.
Candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Industry Involvement:
Must work in an agricultural aviation business or an allied industry organization. Eligible roles include:
• Owners (partial or full) of agricultural aircraft
• Managing employees, stockholders, or pilots of an ag aviation business
• Employees of Allied Industry Member companies or state associations - Leadership Experience:
Prior leadership in a state/regional ag aviation association, community service, or professional/school organizations. - Commitment to the Industry:
A demonstrated interest in continued involvement in the aerial application industry.
For more information about the 2026 NAAA/Syngenta Leadership Training Program, contact Amay@agaviation.org.
In Case You Missed Last Week’s NAAA eNewsletter
Click here for the July 10, 2025 eNewsletter to read:
- The ‘One Big Beautiful’ Tax Bill’s Effects on the Agricultural Aviation Industry
- NAAA Booth Sales Open Today
- NAAA Submits Comments to EPA to Fight for Aerial Applications of Two New Herbicides
- Beware of Fraudulent Email Using NAAA Officer Names