2026 Ag Aviation Expo General Session: Turning An Ag Plane Safely
Tuesday, Nov. 17: 9:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Fran de Kock of Battlefords Airspray in Canada and Matt Hovdenes of Arthur Aviation in Harwood, ND will teach the Turning an Ag Airplane Safely Course, which will cover in detail how to safely turn a fixed-wing ag aircraft. The class is intended for all ag pilots, whatever their experience level. It will review the basics of an ag turn, how to properly train to make safe ag turns, and how to make ag turns in different conditions. The risks of a turning accident and how to manage those risks will also be thoroughly covered. The General Session course is included with the base registration; no additional registration is required.
de Kock began flying in 1975 in Alberta and Saskatchewan before founding Battlefords Airspray with his wife, Patricia, in 1980. What started as a small operation with two trainers and two spray aircraft grew into a highly respected business with a diverse fleet, including Air Tractor 504s and 502s, Gippsland GA200s, and other purpose-built ag aircraft. The company was sold in 2021, but its training legacy continues.
A pioneer in progressive ag pilot instruction, de Kock developed structured transition programs that moved pilots from tailwheel aircraft to turbine-powered ag airplanes. He introduced side-by-side instruction with the Gippsland GA200 in 2001 and later incorporated the dual-seat Air Tractor 504 in 2012, helping to set a new standard for turbine transition training.
Beyond his company, de Kock has made a lasting international impact through his work with the Canadian Aerial Applicators Association (CAAA), NAAA, and NAAREF. He has led safety seminars, appeared in training videos, PAASS videos, and taught on critical topics such as wire strike avoidance, emergency procedures, and stall recognition, always emphasizing his core mission of bringing pilots home safely to their families. de Kock will be inducted into the National Agricultural Aviation Hall of Fame later this year.
Hovdenes graduated from the University of Minnesota Crookston with a Bachelor of Science degrees in both Agricultural Aviation and Plant Industries Management (agronomy). During his college years, he also earned his private and commercial pilot certificates along with instrument and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ratings. Since then, he has earned his multi-engine rating and added an instrument rating to his CFI Certificate.
After college, Hovdenes worked a short amount of time as a full time flight instructor at a small FBO and after years of hard work, he finally started flying ag in 2002. He has flown many different types of aerial application aircraft and now flies an AT-400 for Arthur Aviation in Harwood, ND.
Hovdenes has been active in the NDAAA serving as the president from 2010-2012 and he has served as the North Dakota representative to the NAAA Board, as well as NAAA Vice President. He is active on the NAAREF Board of Directors and is a PAASS Presenter.
The General Session course is included with the base registration; no additional registration is required.
Sponsored by Rotorcraft Repair & Manufacturing LLC , AIG and Gallagher Aerospace