California - Much More Than Hollywood

by Juliana Torchetti Coppick | jutorchetti@yahoo.com.br

When it comes to California, most people usually think of beaches, movie stars and Hollywood mansions. But there is much more to this land and what I have seen here fascinates me more than any movie.

The state has about 200 different types of crops, some of which are grown almost exclusively here; almonds, apricots, dates, figs, kiwis, olives, pistachios, plums and walnuts.

Where I am temporarily living in California’s Imperial Valley while flying this spring, we have a huge onion field next to us. Drive less than three miles and I can see large fields of alfalfa, broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower and many other crops. On all sides, we also see huge ranches for beef and dairy cattle.

The bureaucracy here is immense. To be able to deal with all the paperwork needed to dispatch an ag-plane, the office staff can be three or four times greater in number when compared to other states. In addition, all flights are accompanied to the field by a “human flagger”. Of course, they are not like the flags of old, because GPS is mandatory. But, they need to be at the application site to ensure the safety of the application (preventing people from approaching the site, verifying the product is only reaching the intended crop and maintaining constant communication with the pilot, informing him, or her in my case, about changes in the wind or any other aspect relevant to the operation.

Absolutely everything is documented. Depending on the crop, even the water source needs to be identified. Lettuce crops, for example (and others from which the leaves are consumed), can only be treated with water from the county’s water supply system and never with water from the common irrigation system. The measure aims to prevent foodborne infections in those who will consume the vegetables.

The process for an agricultural pilot to fly in California begins by testing for the state’s pesticide applicator’s license. This is a standard procedure in all American states, but because California has specific legislation, the test is considered the most difficult in the country. After almost four hours of testing, I was mentally exhausted.

Hiring also has a number of requirements: a thorough examination to detect drug use, periodic blood test to detect possible changes due to the use of certain pesticides and an unbelievable amount of forms to complete and sign.

You must be wondering why I wanted to fly here. There are many reasons, but I will only mention a few. Due to its geographical location, Southern California has crop spraying in the winter. Whereas in Illinois, where I primarily live, snow covers fields in winter. California’s sunshine presents an excellent opportunity to fly a few extra hours before the “official” season begins in the Midwest.

In California there is also the practice of night flying. In order to preserve bees, some flights are made at night, when bees sleep. Night vision goggles (NVGs) make night ag-flying infinitely safer. If you ever experience this technology, you will be impressed with the precision and sharpness that NVGs offer. It is impossible not to be amazed with the number of stars, lights and objects that NVGs allow you to see.

With my newly earned California pesticide licenses, on Valentine’s Day of this year, I had the joy of flying the Air Tractor AT-402B. It was love at first sight. Or better stated- love at first takeoff. It was a huge satisfaction knowing the 750 SHP of PT6A-34AG engine had power to spare!

In the midday sun, I took off with a full load in the 400-gallon hopper. The fuel tanks were topped with 228 gallons of Jet-A. The plane seemed to ignore gravity.

Flying 128 feet below MSL in the Imperial Valley did not seem very different from where I’ve flown in Brazil and the Midwest. Except, of course, until you take off and see the altimeter is rising to zero!

The crops here are very diverse and I was able to prove this by exploring the surroundings of the Imperial Valley. Some stand out in the landscape for their colors. I was fascinated by what looked like a giant green and purple striped bedspread, the result of planting different types of vegetables in the same field. The purple tone is due to a kind of lettuce, the red oak leaf lettuce.

Other crops, such as onion and mint, stand out for the smell that invades the airplane cabin and makes you miss homemade food. Yes, flying around here is a mixture of sensations that literally sharpens the senses. There are other crops, too, that leave no doubt we are living in a different era.

I’m talking about cannabis farms. They are not all the same. Some produce plants exclusively for recreational purposes and others for extracting oil or fibers. At the federal level, the use of marijuana is not legalized, so the EPA does not register pesticides for this type of crop. Consequently, agpilots have to be as careful flying around them as with organic crops. When I’m going to spray an alfalfa field, for example, and there are organic or cannabis nearby, we watch the wind closely. For safety and label considerations, we sometimes leave a buffer.

Since a flagger (observer) at the field is mandatory, they keep in radio contact with the pilot at all times. We work together making sure the application is accurate, efficient and safe. It is very useful to have someone on the ground to give real-time information about the wind, adjacent crops and even guide away people who might approach the application site.

In California, helicopters have a very strong presence thanks to their ability to fly in more complicated areas and quicker rinsing hopper tanks for changing from one product to another. Because helicopters can fly very slowly, despite having much smaller product tanks compared to airplanes, are also a great alternative for high application rates like 20-30 gal/acre. Of course, the logistics of loading at the spray site makes for a very efficient application.

Another different experience that I am having here is the alternating flight schedules with my agpilot husband. At sunset, I prepare to shut down the engine and rest. While his “day” is just getting started at 5-6 pm and lasts until 7-8 am the next morning. It’s fun to fall asleep to the sound of a PT6 hissing through the night!

My season here in California is almost over. I’m soon going to start my summer season in Illinois and surrounding states. As always, each spray season is different and I have no idea what awaits me. But I am sure of one thing; If my life was a movie, this chapter would now have unforgettable scenes with breathtaking sunsets for the audience. The soundtrack? The symphony of a Pratt and Whitney turbine engine in tune!

“Courage, boldness and persistence.”