Crop Sprayers

Matters of general interest
User avatar
Bacchus
Flying low - mind the power lines
Flying low - mind the power lines
Posts: 375
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:21 pm
Location: Wintervogel C.T.

Crop Sprayers

Postby Bacchus » Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:24 pm

Just a matter of concern. I was flying in the week ( low level at times over the "koringlande" ), making my calls as i progress.
At one point i got a crop sprayer visual about a mile ahead of me doing his thing.

I tried to make contact with him to no avail as i just wanted him to be aware of my approach as i did not know which piece of land he will tackle next.
Well i got nothing so i altered course away from him.

Now somebody told me they dont have to do radio work as they have to concentrate too much, and i can understand that. On the other hand what if i did not get this guy visual? He flies LOW LOW and then shoots up, make his turn and then sweeps down again. My point is that if HE concentrate so much what is the chances of him getting ME visual?

Ok i know we have to know they are operating in our area at this time of the year, but still. It COULD be potentially dangerous for both of us. I specifically listened for the next 30 minutes or so to see if he makes ANY calls, but he never did. Surely at SOME stage he can say he is opreating in the area, even if he go reload or something. Anybody have an opinion on this?
ZU-GFC COBRA
User avatar
Splinter
Nothing beats flying
Nothing beats flying
Posts: 417
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 12:55 pm
Location: Springs

Re: Crop Sprayers

Postby Splinter » Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:48 pm

Bacchus wrote:Just a matter of concern. I was flying in the week ( low level at times over the "koringlande" ), making my calls as i progress.
At one point i got a crop sprayer visual about a mile ahead of me doing his thing.

I tried to make contact with him to no avail as i just wanted him to be aware of my approach as i did not know which piece of land he will tackle next.
Well i got nothing so i altered course away from him.

Now somebody told me they dont have to do radio work as they have to concentrate too much, and i can understand that. On the other hand what if i did not get this guy visual? He flies LOW LOW and then shoots up, make his turn and then sweeps down again. My point is that if HE concentrate so much what is the chances of him getting ME visual?

Ok i know we have to know they are operating in our area at this time of the year, but still. It COULD be potentially dangerous for both of us. I specifically listened for the next 30 minutes or so to see if he makes ANY calls, but he never did. Surely at SOME stage he can say he is opreating in the area, even if he go reload or something. Anybody have an opinion on this?
This has happened to me a few times because we normally fly low level! The only crop sprayer I have ever found on the radio was in the Groblersdal area! Agree with Bacchus on this one, its dangerous if they are not on the radio, and no he will not see you!

RED
Lower, Lower ...........
Bumpy
First solo
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 9:32 am
Location: Maputo

Re: Crop Sprayers

Postby Bumpy » Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:30 pm

As far as I am aware if you are operating outside of controlled airspace and below 1000 agl the law does not require the use of a radio…

So do like police file and keep em peeled!
How do mosquitoes get this high?
User avatar
Ou Man
Survived first engine out
Survived first engine out
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2005 1:32 pm

Re: Crop Sprayers

Postby Ou Man » Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:51 pm

Bacchus,
I work with these guys quite a lot and ja….they are a strange breed( not meant I a bad way) Air law states that , although they must have a radio, they are not obliged to use it DURING ACTIVE SPRAYING. That also does not mean that they can ignore radio traffic at all times. Rest assured, these guys are in most cases aware of you, some times long before you are aware of them. I would suggest that during wintertime, especially during weekdays, you report your position and intentions more often when flying over crop fields. They monitor their radios during active spraying and will be on the lookout for you. Just don’t drop in on him “Top Gun stile” to have a look at what he is doing. I once did this from high above one of them to take a picture of the spraying proses. Even today am not sure whether I am forgiven. (and he is a friend of mine)
From my side…. I will take it on me to speak to the different managers of the larger companies that does most of the spraying so that they can once again, from their position speak to their pilots concerning this matter.
Will keep the forum updated on the matter.
I believe I can fly...even touch the sky
User avatar
Splinter
Nothing beats flying
Nothing beats flying
Posts: 417
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 12:55 pm
Location: Springs

Re: Crop Sprayers

Postby Splinter » Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:57 pm

Bumpy wrote:As far as I am aware if you are operating outside of controlled airspace and below 1000 agl the law does not require the use of a radio…

So do like police file and keep em peeled!
100% correct!
Lower, Lower ...........
User avatar
RV4ker (RIP)
The Big Four K
The Big Four K
Posts: 5386
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 7:48 pm
Location: The Coves & FAVB

Re: Crop Sprayers

Postby RV4ker (RIP) » Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:15 pm

Have passed close by a couple near Lichtenburg a couple times. I route that way often below 500ft AGL and have never heard them on radio. By same token have come close to the Eskom woer woer inspecting lines near FADL. Don't think they are expecting other traffic at winpomp hoogte.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I once got into KAK with king air pieloot who wanted to moer the ouke driving the little red and white bird. Seems I arrived just after a silent crop sprayer pieloot and having flown a low wing white and red bird was accosted on apron for not using radio. After a short fracas we had a good laugh since I could tell the BE20 jockey exactly where he had taken off from and that we had actually spoken in the air :shock: :shock: :shock: ....

Seems Crop sprayer boys don't use the radio, but as said above. Not required by law and as long as they fit into the pattern I don't have a problem.

Strange bunch, but often a K@K job....
4 Sale (will trade)
P166S, Jodel, hangar and other odds and sods
Radial - http://tiny.cc/eppqp
Still @ The Coves (Harties) but dream has died
User avatar
The Agent
The Boss
The Boss
Posts: 1756
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:41 am
Location: Kemptonpark
Contact:

Re: Crop Sprayers

Postby The Agent » Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:17 pm

I don't think those pilots know how to work a radio, they are concentrating to much on missing all the obsticles. (-)
Empty Toy Box
Busy Arranging for new toy.
Graham Cooper
User avatar
Wallaby
Almost a pilot
Almost a pilot
Posts: 158
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 3:52 pm
Location: Western Cape

Re: Crop Sprayers

Postby Wallaby » Tue Jul 07, 2009 8:52 am

Firstly, these guys don't have to talk on the radio and we are not suppose to be flying under 500ft. The last thing you want to do when you are flying at 130kts 10ft above the ground scanning the area in front of you for powerlines, big birds ( cranes, spurwing goose, ducks etc ) uneven terrain and trying to keep on the GPS track, 'cause the farmer always looks for these guys to make one balls-up and they would be argueing about the hectares and so on, is to look out for other traffic also flying low level across his work terrain.

When he lands on crude strips and fills up with a load and fuel, there isn't time to sit around listening for other traffic. He have to make sure the right doseage is mixed and also read crude maps (drawn by the farmer if he dont have a proper map of his farm ) of the fields that he have to spray and make sure that the field he is spraying is the right field and that there isn't any other crops next to that field that can be damage by the spraying, like canola or medics( clover ), and always check the wind direction for drift.

So in certain agricultural regions, certain times of the year, these guys will be doing there dangerous jobs. Bear this in mind and try not to make it more dangerous for them. I also knows a lot of these guys and they are very nice guys, but I think they deffenitely would not be nice if you give them a scare or endanger their lives.

Know the region you are flying in and make sure that you make radio calls more frequent. Most of us normal pilots will crash if we have to process so much information at one time so close to the ground at such a speed.

Don't bitch about them. Just stay out of their way and keep talking on the radio. You would want the same if you were an agpilot.
Life- I did it my way.....
The world is not enough!
- Manie Rossouw
User avatar
Biggles
Pilot in Command
Pilot in Command
Posts: 770
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:29 pm
Location: Cape Town/ Namibia
Contact:

Re: Crop Sprayers

Postby Biggles » Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:44 am

another thing to remeber is that they are occupying a relatively small piece of airspace. Thier base is usually very close to the area they are spraying and they keep it very tight when they are spraying. I find them very conspicous when they are spraying, sun reflections of canopies, bright yellow and if you are doing your radio calls correctly and frequently I don't think they are a problem.

Its situational awareness. If there are crops in the fields be on the look out, I usually keep an eye on the farm strips and if i see ther tractor with a tank on the parked up at the strip then I immediately climb and keep em extra peeled.

Nice to hear that they listen to teh radio... I heard that they often turn them off due because its distracting.

I know a few ag pilots as they sometimes end up flying aerial surveys for us. Very good bunch, extremely good pilots and they know what they are doing (i don't think they last long otherwise). One lent me a DVD on thier exploits in New Zealand. amazing stuff.
Trike pilot

Aerotrike Cobra
ZU-DLP

Winelands FAWN

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests