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NAAA Comments on EPA’s Proposal for Structured Digital Labels, a Necessary Step to Move Forward with Site-Specific Risk Assessments

NAAA submitted comments this week in response to EPA’s proposal to move forward with digitizing pesticide labels. EPA’s plan includes not just digitizing pesticide labels, but also structuring the content. This means all labels, regardless of manufacturer or active ingredient, would have uniform sections available electronically and order. EPA also wants to improve label language consistency across all pesticide labels.

There are numerous benefits to the EPA plan for structured digital labels. For applicators, it would mean they will always know where to look on a label for a particular piece of information they are searching for. Consistent language among all labels will reduce confusion as well. EPA proposes to create a library of approved label language that registrants can use when they write their labels. Structured digital labels will also increase the speed and accuracy of the pesticide registration and registration review process.

Another benefit would be allowing applicators to access only parts of the label relevant to the application they are going to make. For instance, the applicator would enter the crop, pest, and application method. The label they download would contain only the information they need to make that application – instructions for other crops, pests, and application methods would be left off. This feature will be especially useful for products with incredibly long and complicated labels. Instead of needing to sort through the entire label, applicators will be able to use a label customized with just the content they need.

The ability to access labels over the internet also benefits two of NAAA’s ongoing projects to increase the accuracy and safety of aerial applications – site specific risk assessments and an autonomous spray system. Both of these developing technologies require information from the label, which can easily be provided by a digital label.

NAAA’s comments recommended EPA ensure digital labels can be easily accessed in rural area with reduced internet speed. EPA will also need to establish guidelines to ensure applicators are not violated during an enforcement action for not following a label that came out shortly before they made an application. Click here to read NAAA’s full comments.
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Remote Identification Required for all Uncrewed Aircraft Starting Saturday, March 16, 2024

The FAA’s policy for exercising discretion in determining whether to take enforcement action for drone operators who were not able to comply with the Remote ID Rule ends on March 16, 2024. Operators who do not comply after that date could face fines and suspension or revocation of their drone pilot certificates. Remote ID applies to drones which are required to be registered or have been registered with the FAA, including those flown for recreation, business, or public safety, and drones that are foreign-registered. All drones operated under 14 CFR Part 107 must be registered. Recreational aircraft weighing more than .55 pound (250 grams) must also be registered.

Remote ID is necessary to ensure the safety and security of the national airspace system by distinguishing compliant airspace users from those potentially posing a safety or security risk. Remote ID also helps to lay the foundation for routine advanced operations such as package delivery and flying beyond visual line of sight.

There are three ways to comply with Remote ID:

  1. Operate a Standard Remote ID Drone – a drone produced with built-in Remote ID broadcast capabilities; or
  2. Operate a Drone with a Remote ID Broadcast Module – a device with Remote ID broadcast capabilities that can be attached to a drone; or
  3. Operate at an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA) – areas where drones without Remote ID broadcast capabilities can operate.

To identify if a drone or broadcast module is Remote ID compliant:

  1. Go to the FAA UAS Declaration of Compliance website
  2. Click on “View Public DOC List” 
  3. Filter by “RID” and “Accepted” 
  4. Search for your drone or broadcast module

If your FAA-registered drone or broadcast module broadcasts Remote ID, but is not on the Public DOC List it is not compliant. For questions contact the UAS Support Center or call us at 844-FLY-MY-UA (844-359-6982) or click here.
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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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Kevin Humphreys, Mental Health Ambassador, Former Military Pilot, to Speak at 2024 Ag Aviation Expo Kickoff Breakfast

Kevin Humphreys, an inspiring and transformative international keynote speaker, mentor, author, and former military helicopter pilot, will speak at the 2024 NAAA Kickoff Breakfast on Nov. 18. He’s well-known for smashing stereotypes and transforming self-leadership.

Graduating top of his pilot’s course at just 21, Kevin went on to serve in the Australian Army for 20 years flying Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters. He deployed on numerous overseas operations however, towards the peak of his career contemplated suicide and suffered a breakdown due to a cocktail of PTSD, anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse and a toxic culture.

Kevin kept his breakdown and illness a secret for seven years. Over time and with help, Kevin realized that he wasn’t a failure and his secret was holding him back from living a full life. 

It’s Kevin’s passionate belief that mental illness is normal, manageable and recoverable for most people. He shows that there is life after diagnosis and that it’s possible to return to the top of your game and beyond. Kevin not only got back on his feet but also back in the air again, spending the next ten years as a search and rescue helicopter pilot, flight instructor/examiner, chief pilot and director of operations.

He was recognized as the role model for the most recent Military Order of William recipient in the Netherlands (their oldest and highest honor). An exceptional leader, Kevin’s operational approach encouraged the Dutch Air Force to change their tactical response after witnessing his operational excellence.

Kevin is the Mental Health Ambassador for AIRBUS Australia Pacific, a contributor to international media and regular podcast guest. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his command and courageous leadership under fire in Afghanistan. He was also recognized as a 2023 community Citizen of the Year for his impact as a mental health advocate and founder of COR INFINITUS which gives dignity and respect to the families of those who’ve served their nation and taken their own lives.

Kevin is presently studying for a Master of Business Psychology degree and is married with three adult children. Learn more about Kevin at www.kevinhumphreys.com.au
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Thrush Aircraft Reports Record Year in 2023

Thrush Aircraft reported that 2023 was a record year for the company. “Aircraft deliveries increased again in 2023 to the highest levels since we re-launched Thrush over four years ago,” said CEO Mark McDonald. “We had a record sales year. We certified new aircraft models and delivered them to multiple countries, delighting our customers. We sold out of one of our product lines, dramatically improved our spares and support services, and our safety record continues to lead the industry,” continued McDonald. “I’m proud of the Thrush team, both here in Albany, and around the world. They’ve done wonderful work.”

“We knew there was something special here when we bought the company,” McDonald said. “Our goal was to bring deep aerospace leadership and financial stability to Thrush. Now, after four years of hard work by lots of stakeholders, including our terrific dealers, the Thrush team has done that. Our people make fantastic aircraft that are serving the world and bringing pilots safely back home every single day.”

In 2023, Thrush continued delivering the company’s strategy, including: 

  • Increased sales by 70% year-over-year bringing stability to the company and the industry.
  • Certified the dual cockpit version of the 510P2+.
  • Improved customer service performance, including spares availability, technical support, and general responsiveness.
  • Continued various operational initiatives that improved the quality and reliability of Thrush products.
  • Improved factory efficiency and invested in tooling and process improvement that will generate further productivity in 2024.
  • Expanded staff, invested in training programs and served our local community.

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Air Tractor Releases New AMT Training Course Dates

Air Tractor released the schedule for its 2024-2025 Aircraft Familiarization Courses, which are introductory classes tailored for aviation maintenance technicians who are new to Air Tractor products. Pilots, owners, and operators may also attend. 

New courses are scheduled for July 15-18, 2024; November 11-14, 2024; December 16-19, 2024; January 13-16, 2025 and February 17-20, 2025. Registration is offered on a first-come, first-served basis and enrollment is limited to 10 students per session. Class tuition is $3,500 (waived if you or your company purchased a brand-new Air Tractor aircraft within the last 24 months.) Register here. For questions, contact Brian Hahn, Air Tractor Director of Training and Education.
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A Final Airworthiness Directive (AD) has been issued following the February 16 Emergency AD (AD 2024-04-51) for Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) Model PT6A-67AG and PT6A-67F engines (among other dashes not in ag use). This Final AD is effective March 28, 2024 for those who did not receive actual notice with the Emergency AD and contains no other changes from the original Emergency AD which is summarized below for completeness.

This AD was prompted by reports of contained failures of second-stage power turbine (PT2) blades. The root cause has not been determined, however, all affected power turbine modules contained PT2 blades with part number 3056693-01 and with 25 hours or less of accumulated flight time since new.

This AD directs immediate compliance with Transport Canada Emergency AD CF-2024-05, which mandates removal of affected blades prior to next flight. Critically, affected PT2 blades are defined as those identified in the P&WC Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) PT6A-72-A14574, and have accumulated less than 50 hours flight time since new, or since shop visit or since second-stage power turbine repair. Thus, if your PT2 blades have accumulated more than 50 hours flight time, they are not considered affected blades.

This AD is intended to prevent the failure of PT2 blades. This condition, if not addressed, could result in engine power loss or engine in-flight shut down, resulting in consequent emergency landing or reduced control of the airplane.
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AD Issued for GE/Walter M601 Engines

The FAA has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD 2024-03-05) superseding AD 2022-13-16 and AD 2022-14-12, which apply to all GE Aviation Czech s.r.o. (GEAC) (type certificate previously held by WALTER Engines a.s., Walter a.s., and MOTORLET a.s.) Model M601 engines. 

AD 2022-13-13 (issued June 2022) required revising the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the existing engine maintenance manual (EMM) to incorporate a visual inspection of the centrifugal compressor case for cracks. AD 2022-14-12 (issued July 2022) required calculating the accumulated life and, if necessary, replacing the propeller shaft for certain model engines.

Since the FAA issued AD 2022-13-16 and AD 2022-14-12, the manufacturer revised the ALS of the existing EMM to introduce new and more restrictive tasks and limitations, expand the applicability to all Model M601 engines, and incorporate certain requirements addressed by AD 2021-13-07 (issued June 2021) and AD 2023-01-10 (issued February 2023), which prompted this proposed AD. 

This superseding AD requires revising the ALS of the existing EMM and the operator’s existing approved engine maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new and more restrictive tasks and limitations, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2023-0020.

This AD is effective April 17, 2024.
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