C-PAASS

Aerial applicators, now more than ever, operate in an environment of competing interests. An ever-increasing demand for timely and effective applications is challenged by factors such as added regulatory burden, rising insurance costs and stiffer pesticide label language, just to name a few. The agricultural aviation industry is rising to these challenges and, in character, has moved to advance education, rather than regulation, as the path forward.

NAAA and NAAREF jointly launched the Certified-Professional Aerial Applicator Safety Steward (C-PAASS) program in 2023 to serve as the industry’s flagship certification and as a roadmap for the pursuit of the best educational opportunities currently available.

C-PAASS certified aerial applicators can use their certification status to inform regulatory officials and insurance agents and to market to their customers that they have undergone additional training and development to best ensure that they safely provide high-quality service. This was the impetus for developing C-PAASS—to expand and gain recognition for maximizing professionalism and to show allied businesses, from insurance to pesticide providers, additional benefits should be warranted for professional certification, such as possible insurance discounts and more flexibility pertaining to pesticide label language. For instance, some labels already require Operation S.A.F.E. participation to use. It’s possible that in the future C-PAASS certified aerial applicators may be able to apply at lower spray application rates (GPA) or with reduced wind-directional buffer zone distances, etc.

Whatever additional benefits are bestowed upon C-PAASS ag aviators, the program will undoubtedly demonstrate agricultural aviation’s professionalism and positive public image to the industry’s customers, regulators and the public we help feed, clothe and protect.