Don’t PAASS Up Safety Education – Attend the 2024-2025 PAASS Program, Collect CEU’s, Qualify for C-PAASS and Fly Safe

There are still several opportunities to attend the 2024-2025 PAASS Program this winter. Find a program here or contact your state/regional association. The PAASS Program covers the latest in aviation safety, environmental stewardship, and best security practices. Some states offer CEUs for PAASS Program attendance which goes towards renewing your commercial pesticide license. In addition, PAASS attendance is required to be a certified professional aerial application safety steward (C-PAASS) which may qualify one for insurance discounts amongst a number of other benefits. Most important, the program saves lives — ag aviation accident rates and drift incidents have decreased by nearly 26% since PAASS hit the stage.

The 2024-2025 PAASS program will begin with a review of agricultural aviation accidents from 2024, offering valuable insights into accident prevention, including strategies to avoid mid-air collisions, based on recent fatal incidents. Participants will examine these accidents to understand how to prevent similar events in their own aerial operations. This review will transition into a human factors segment focusing on controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), a leading cause of fatal accidents in aerial applications. Discussions will cover collisions with wires, towers, trees, and other obstacles, and feature interviews with pilots who have experienced CFIT accidents firsthand. Attendees will learn about wire strike accidents’ financial and operational impacts, including repair costs and lost work income. The program will also present findings from an FAA focus group on the risk factors contributing to wire strikes, offering insights into how these accidents could have been avoided.

The environmental professionalism section will address two key topics: the USDA-ARS Aerial Application Technology Research Unit’s (AATRU) droplet size models for improving pesticide application effectiveness and reducing drift and how to use the EPA’s Bulletins Live Two! (BLT) to protect endangered species during pesticide applications. A scenario will guide participants through identifying target areas, assessing pesticide use limitation areas (PULAs), and ensuring compliance with necessary mitigation measures, including buffer zones and correct aircraft calibration for droplet size.

Additional segments will focus on security, featuring a case study of a vandalism incident involving an agricultural aircraft, underscoring the importance of vigilance in safeguarding aircraft and equipment. A session led by an aviation medical examiner will highlight the dangers of certain medications and the importance of rest to avoid fatigue. The program will also address the risks posed by distractions, especially technological ones in the cockpit.