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February 7-9, 2022 SEAF Convention
Francis Marion Hotel Charleston, SC Linda Minton 772-465-0714 www.flagaviation.org
February 13-15 2022 NC AAA Convention
Hilton Garden Inn Outer Banks/Kitty Hawk Kitty Hawk, NC Leslie Craft 252-426-9676 ncagaviation@gmail.com
February 18-19, 2022 NAAA Spring Board Meeting
Hotel Bonaventure Montreal, QC Canada Lindsay Barber 202-546-5722 information@agaviation.org
February 22-24, 2022 Tri State Aerial Applicator Convention
Alerus Center & Canada Inn Grand Forks, ND Terry Stieren 612-751-1187 tambroz@aol.com Andrea Goebel 605-690-3477 sdaviation@gmail.com Cindy Beck 701-899-3232 cindy@tri-stateaviation.com www.tristateaerialconvention. com
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
agairupdate.com/calendar
February 28-March 2, 2022 NATA Convention
Younes Center Kearney, NE Taylor Moore 402-761-2216 taylor@youraam.com gonata.net
May 27, 2022 International Crop Duster’s Day
August 19, 2022 Brazilian Ag Aviation Day
October 20-23, 2022 VIII Expo Congreso Aviación Agrícola 2022 Hotel Fiesta Americana
Puerto Vallarta, México adriana.garduno@ aviacionagricola.com.mx 55-55712072 ext 107 WhatsApp 5539777805
October 2022 CaAAA Annual Convention
TBA Terry Gage 916-645-9747 terry.gage@caaa.net caaa.net
October 2022 KsAAA Annual Convention
TBA Rhonda McCurry 316-650-6857 kaaa@ksagaviation.org ksagaviation.org
November 2022 Mid-States Ag Aviation Convention
November 2022 CoAAA Convention and Trade Show
TBA Jessica Freeman 970-217-5239 jessica@coagav.org www.coagav.org
December 5-8, 2022 NAAA’s Ag Aviation Expo
Knoxville Convention Center Knoxville, TN Lindsay Barber Tel: 202-546-5722 Fax: 202-546-5726 information@agaviation.org
January 2023 MoAAA Convention
TBD Mike Hall 573-649-2587 aerialcropservices@sbcglobal. net
January 2023 TxAAA Convention
January 2023 LaAAA Convention
TBA Ed Krielow 337-230-9952 edward@ekrielowcpa.com www.laaaonline.org
January 2023 ArAAA Convention
TBA Katherine Holmstrom 501-503-3310 Katherine@araaa.org www.araaa.org
January 2023 OKAAA Convention and Trade Show
TBA Sandy Wells 405-431-0381 sandy@okaaa.org
January 20-22, 2022 MsAAA Convention
TBA Vicki Morgan 662-299-7836 vickimorgan@msaaa.com msaaa.com
January 2023 AMAA Convention
January 2023 NM AAA Convention
TBA Sue Stewart 940-864-2456 dandsaerial@aol.com www.nmagaviation.org
January 2022 NEAAA Convention
TBD Sandy Carter 609-820-7846 businessoffice@northeastaaa. org www.northeastaaa.org
AGAIR MAIL
aau@agairupdate.com
Niels Andrews
This is Russ Keller formerly of Trimble Navigation and Trimflight. One of my longtime friends and mentors, Niels Andrews has passed away suddenly. Niels was the owner of a Helicair, a helicopter ag service in Salinas Valley CA, and good friends with stunt pilot Sean Tucker, who flew for Oracle. He attended many ag shows and was head of the HAI back in the 90s.
Niels did many Gypsy moth campaigns and was on the spray drift task force.
Thanks, Bill,
Russ Keller
Russ; Thank you for letting me know about Niels. I hadn’t heard. Niels and I were friends in the mid-90s, although I hadn’t heard from him in many years. He was responsible for the formation of the NAAA’s PAASS program, which since has saved many ag-pilots’ lives. He was a really great guy. I regret not having been able to talk with him. May he rest in peace.—Bill
Flap Extensions
Good article flap extension. I just need to add a little extra if I may with my 350,000 odd max load take-offs, all reasonably successful. First, anything with electric flaps or toggle switches must be set and observed before advancing power to eliminate a malfunction plus toggle switches take too long and are a distraction.
All checks and settings must be in place before advancing the power lever, then all you need to do is sit there, look out and monitor.
If trim is correctly set and all actions and conditions are the same no ASI is necessary as the stick position and weight on it will by feel tell you if you are going to fly or not by half to two thirds your takeoff roll (all aircraft get some feel about 1 half to two thirds into roll).
If no feel at this decision point you do something. Your dump hand must be resting on the dump lever by mid-take-off with you sitting there just monitoring and looking out. Until you can understand this procedure keep your loads way within your boundaries. There is no substitute for time in the seat.
Obviously, this loaded t/off takes a book to explain but when you put your flaps down not only do you change the flow over the wing but you shift the flow over the tail. (this needs thinking about but flight is all about keeping clean airflow over the wings and tail and a pilot should be thinking about this).
With the Air Tractor definitely set flap before advancing power, PAC 750 has a toggle / hydraulic so always set flap before T/off.
The Beaver is interesting, 10 degrees set at the loader so will fly anyway if no more flap applied and some load released, at about 40 knots (trim set correctly) two pumps on the wobble pump gives 20 degrees and the tail should just come off the ground, if it doesn’t a little forward push with the thumb should raise the tail, if it doesn’t start dumping with 150 meters to go, or if the tail is just up and you go to ease back off the ground and the tail sinks back it is time to dump.
Just keep your loads light until you know your aircraft and you can remain totally relaxed and know what is going on.
This is very simplified but may be of help to someone.
Haven’t seen you since Dead Cow saddle at Twizel. Cheers,
Andy
New Zealand
G’Day Andy Well, it’s been a couple of decades since I was in the beautiful land of Dead Cow Saddle (Twizel)! I do remember leaving a pair of shoes at a very nice hotel somewhere in the heart of the South Island! Take care—Bill
Brazil Visit
Had a wonderful trip to Brazil, it’s always great to see the family there and hard to leave! My daughter found an operator near Curitiba but we never did meet up since they were too busy flying to shut down for a visit. Must be summertime there! On our drive north to Cuiaba, Matto Grosso we stopped at AWA in Campo Verde-MT and visited for a bit with Adriana, all the airplanes were out flying at a remote strip so we just checked out their maintenance shop. Sounds like they have the same issues to deal with as we do here just that the pilot can be thrown in jail if he does something off label! It was cool to see emu’s out in the soybean fields! Tchau!
Craig
Ola Craig; Thank you for your email. It is good to know your visit to Brazil was good. I’ve visited AWA in the past, along with many other Brazilian operators. It is always enlightening to see the differences, as well
as the similarities. Take care,—Bill
Published
Thank you for helping me fulfill my dream, to help my colleagues as much as I can. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to try to be a better man, pride for my family and myself by publishing my articles in AgAir Update. Happy New Year.
Martín Da Costa Porto
SALÚD…
Hola Martin; I am pleased to be able to help you with your dream. However, I am only the conduit. You are the one that made your dream come through with your articles. I look forward to many more submissions.
Take care mi amigo. Happy New Year!—Bill
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A TEXAS “HUMP“ PILOT BUILDS AN AVIATION LEGACY
NEAL AIRCRAFT - 75 YEARS IN AVIATION
In 1945 Roy Neal joined the U. S. Army Air Corps 4th Ferry Group flying 48 missions in the China-Burma-India theatre during April15, 1945 - July 18,1945. Roy had been chasing his dreams of aviation and now he was flying on a daily basis in an aircraft that was not built to fly the missions he was carrying out, flying supplies at an altitude unheard of for a C-47.
Neal Aircraft has proudly been serving the aviation industry for 75 years. Family patriarch, Roy Neal began working in aviation on January 1, 1946, in the city of Lubbock, Texas as a Piper dealer for the West Texas region – Wes-Tex Aircraft.
THE FORMATIVE YEARS
1917, as a young child his family moved to Plainview, Texas. He was a young man who was always seeking adventure and was curious by nature. At a young age he began building his legacy. Rumor has it that when he graduated from Plainview High in 1923 the sheriff was kindly awaiting him for a personal escort; as he walked across the stage from receiving his diploma and officially graduating from Plainview High, the sheriff escorted him out of town, telling him “now that you have completed your education it would be best if you left town.” To this day, the family keeps that secret tucked away in a vault.
Heeding that advice, Roy and his good friend decided to head for the sun and fun of Florida. His friend, having family in Florida, hitchhiked
across the southern part of the U.S. with a log of bologna to eat on the trip. They decided to grab a bus the last few miles to Miami. After all, they didn’t want to look like a bunch of vagabonds. It would look much better if they called his friend’s aunt to pick them up from the bus stop. They were fortunate enough to quickly find work on a banana boat. Always an adventure seeker, this job fulfilled their desire to travel and provided them money for their daily needs. The boat disembarked from Miami and sailed to Cuba, there they loaded the boat with bananas and brought them to Miami. Roy was able to make three, of these two week long trips before he decided he was homesick and it was time to come back to Texas.
Realizing the importance of furthering his education, he enrolled at Texas Tech University, where he met his lovely bride Emma Nell Thatcher. They married in 1936, she continued her work at the Texas Tech bookstore while he attended school. World War II had begun; but, the U.S. was not yet engaged in the fight. Soon after they were married, the U.S. entered the War joining forces with its allies against the Nazis. Roy felt the urge to join having just completed his private pilot’s license. In 1942 he became a pilot in the U.S. Army. His first job was as a civilian flight instructor, flying almost daily from 1942-1943.
THE CHINA-BURMA THEATRE
As the U.S. became more engaged in the War, Roy was selected to fly in the China-Burma-India Theatre, becoming what were known as “Hump Pilots”. Aircrews flew C-46’s, C-47’s and other aircraft over “The Hump”, the nickname the pilots gave the airlift operation that crossed the Himalayan foothills into China. It was the Army Air Force’s most dangerous airlift route, it was the only way to supply Chinese forces fighting Japan. When the United States started running supplies to the Chinese forces fighting Japan, the Western part of the country was firmly controlled by the invading Japanese. The Japanese also controlled Burma, on India’s Eastern border, cutting off the last land route to the Chinese. Supplies would have to come by air and American planes would have to come from the West — over the “Roof of the World.” Flying the Hump was incredibly dangerous. More than 1,000 men and 600 planes were lost over the 530-mile stretch of rugged terrain. I t was dubbed the “Skyway to Hell” and the “Aluminium Trail” for the number of planes that did not make it. The mountain ranges of the Himalayas caused jet stream - strength winds and dangerous weather at extreme altitudes. And when that does not kill you, a Japanese Zero will be there to try. Pilots traversing the route had to fly the Kali Gandaki River Gorge, a depression much wider and deeper than the Grand Canyon. The mountains surrounding the gorge were 10,000 feet higher than most of the planes could fly. The pass to escape the gorge was 15,000 feet high — but pilots could not often see it. The “Hump” initially contained few en-route navigational aids. En-route communications were poor and air traffic control, except for local control towers, did not exist. Aeronautical charts were very unreliable and weather reporting was very poor. Pilots were issued fleece-lined jackets, boots, and gloves to keep their extremities from freezing during the flight. Lack of oxygen could cause pilots to veer off-course and into an almost certain death. C-46 cargo planes did not glide, their heavy engines causing an almost immediate dive. Roy flew C-46’s daily for the next 2 years, “The Hump” never closed.
The war was over, Roy headed to Dallas to collect his wife and family. He brought them back to Lubbock to start their new lives. Roy and Emma Nell had three children. In Lubbock his passion for aviation continued and he set his
sights on an aviation business. He pursued M.T. Dagley to buy his Piper dealership, they had an agreement that would allow Roy to buy him out. Roy lacked the funding to buy the dealership, he set out to find a bank that would lend him the money. He knocked on every banker’s door and was turned down. The bankers said, “there is no future in an aviation business”. This did not discourage him; it fueled his passion and determination that he would find a lender and be a success. Lubbock National Bank listened to his business plan and saw his vision; they agreed to lend him the money for the dealership.
Roy Neal began Wes-Tex Aircraft in 1946 at the Lubbock Municipal Airport. There he started what would become the Neal family legacy in aviation. He sold new and used Piper airplanes, parts and service. At the airport he was a flight instructor, he rented planes and there was only one piece of the puzzle missing - no one in the area knew how to insure an airplane. The insurance companies came to Roy and convinced him he needed to set up his own insurance company. Roy who never viewed things as challenges only as opportunities set out to become a licensed insurance agent. Thus began Roy Neal Insurance. Roy could teach you to fly, sell you a plane, annual it, rent you a hangar, and insure the plane - Roy may have coined the term one stop shopping.
ENTERING OF A NEW ERA
Larry Neal; the middle child of Roy and Emma Nell, enjoyed his time working at the airport. A t the young age of 10, he worked at the airport driving the fuel truck, cleaning the aircraft and learning all of the odds and ends at the airport. H e would ride his bike from his home to the airport to fuel the jets flying into the Lubbock Municipal Airport. One day while he was standing on the wing of a plane fueling it, an individual called the FAA to advise them of a kid who was fueling the aircraft. The FAA quickly ended his career of fueling airplanes.
ENTERING OF A NEW ERA
Larry Neal; the middle child of Roy and Emma Nell, enjoyed his time working at the airport. At the young age of 10, he worked at the airport driving the fuel truck, cleaning the aircraft and learning all of the odds and ends at the airport. He would ride his bike from his home to the airport to fuel the jets flying into the Lubbock Municipal Airport. One day while he was standing on the wing of a plane fueling it, an
In 1965, Larry entered college at Texas Tech University to pursue a degree in Engineering. He continued his studies while the Vietnam war was raging in the Asia Pacific region of the world. One day he was sitting in his very last exam that he was taking to complete his graduation from Texas Tech. He decided that his exam and his diploma were inconsequential to what was going on in the world. He got up from his test and walked out of the classroom. He headed straight to the Army recruiter’s office across the street and enlisted in the summer of 1968. Once he completed the Army paperwork, he drove to the airport to tell his father the news of joining the Army. As Larry entered his father’s office, Roy was holding up his newspaper and reading the latest news. While Larry explained to his dad what he did, Roy never put down the paper and his only words to his son were, “are you going to tell your mom, or do you want me to?” Soon after, Larry was off to Vietnam where he worked in Air Traffic Control for the U.S. Army. He was stationed along the Cambodian border in the Tay Ninh province where for 13 months, they took incoming fire almost daily to the point that he usually slept under his cot more often than on it.
After Vietnam, Larry enrolled in night classes at Troy state university while stationed at Ft. Rucker as the air traffic control supervisor. Once he was discharged from the Army, Larry re-enrolled at Texas Tech in 1972 and returned to work for his father at WesTex Aircraft. While he was there he met a beautiful, tall, leggy Texas girl full of moxie named Melanie. He was quite smitten by her and they married in 1975, shortly after he had graduated from TTU in Spring 1974. While working at WesTex in accounting, he also spent time flying new planes from Lockhaven, Pennsylvania, Vero Beach, Florida and delivering planes all over the US, Mexico and even to Iceland. Piper soon merged with Textron. The corporate decision
was made to eliminate dealers and sell directly to the customers. During that time one of Larry’s
TRUST
customers told him about Leland Snow, who needed dealers in the northern Texas area. The customer arranged for a meeting between Leland and Larry; there was born the relationship between the Neals and the Snow family.
SLATON AIRPORT SEEKS NEW FBO MANAGER
Neal Aircraft began selling Air Tractors in 1986, and that same year the city manager and mayor asked Larry to move to Slaton. The Lubbock FAA tower was preparing to take the ability to clear non comm aircraft. At that time there were many ag planes that did not have radios. After some thought Larry came back with a two page list of things the City of Slaton needed to get done before he would move. The Slaton Municipal Airport worked better for flying agricultural aircraft where the airspace was not as restricted as the Lubbock International Airport, which had grown dramatically with the addition of airlines and many cargo carriers. As Larry managed the airport, also an Air Tractor dealer; he was also raising a family and growing the airport.
The Slaton airport has a unique dynamic not seen at other municipal airports. I t currently has an aviation museum that has aircraft from WWI to current military aircraft, G-B Aerial (SEAT firefighting operation), Pro-Agri (ag aviation operators), Raider Aviation (aviation school/GA mechanic) and The FatTire Cowboys who fly the YAK-110 to air shows and let’s not forget Neal Aircraft (Air Tractor dealer), Sekon Aviation (aircraft turbine mechanic).
In June 2019 the city of Slaton memorialized Larry T. Neal by renaming the airport after him, becoming the Larry T. Neal Memorial Airport (F49). The airport sign is now the very recognizable Air Tractor aircraft with the new renamed airport.
LOOKING FORWARD
Robert Neal now carries on the family legacy of aviation; you can find Robert stepping into the big shoes that his father and grandfather have left him. He has grown into them quite well. Robert and his wife Cory are busy parents of 4 beautiful children ages 4-13. Cory is a true Texas woman, full of energy, fierceness and cuteness. She has the family running in precision - on schedule, on time and while she works for a real estate team of 5 agents in Lubbock.
After graduating from Texas A&M and from the prestigious Texas A&M Corp of Cadets, Larry spoke to Robert about the family business and decided to not push it, to just let things fall into place. Robert chose to not enter the family business and make his mark in the pharmaceutical industry. He and Cory were living in San Antonio and Boerne pursuing their careers. As he climbed the corporate ladder and traveled more for work, they were starting their family. They decided it was time to be near family, so the children could enjoy their grandparents. Robert decided it would be nice to have the time to learn and work alongside his father. Now you can find Robert behind an aircraft talking business with customers.
The Neal family has continued their passion for aviation and share that passion with their family. In the summers you can find the Neal kids working at the airport, continuing the family’s aviation passion. No matter where you are flying from, the FBO is truly Texas…Texas hospitality. Come visit us at the Larry T. Neal Memorial Airport, where you will find a family with a rich 75-year Texas aviation history.
We wrapped up the attendance of Perfect Flight at the NAAA Ag Aviation Expo 2021 in Savannah, Georgia in style and with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment! In the celebration of the CENTENNIAL OF AGRICULTURAL AVIATION, it was very special and historic for the entire PERFECT FLIGHT TEAM to be part of this event! Perfect Flight received many visits from friends and people interested in our innovative and revolutionary solutions for building the new world’s agriculture! Our FLIGHTERS did well because we truly believe in a new sustainable, highperformance and collaborative agriculture! Here, EVERY DROP COUN
The Beast -
“This airplane just goes.” That’s the sentiment expressed by long-time Thrush pilot and 510 BEAST operator Tracy Stokes. Although the weather wasn’t cooperating for AgAir Update’s planned evaluation flight of Cascade Aircraft Conversions BEAST, a PT6A-140AG conversion nested inside their proven pressure cowl, Tracy was able to demo the aircraft and sit down with Mid-Continent Aircraft and Cascade Aircraft Conversion team to tell the story of how the monster of an airplane came to be.
The idea was born from a recognized gap, about four years ago, in the market between the PT6A-34 powered and -60 powered 500-gallon Thrush. Instead of initiating a more complex Type Certification on Thrush, Pratt & Whitney Canada suggested an STC Firewall forward kit using the PT6A-140AG turbine engine for the Thrush 510. Pratt & Whitney supplied a project PT6-140AG boasting an 867 SHP engine to Cascade Aircraft Conversions, which possessed a successful history completing firewall-forward STCs. Pratt & Whitney also predicted the additional value of conversion using the -140AG engine for both the 510P and 510G model aircraft in conjunction with Cascade Aircraft’s extremely effective pressure cowl.
The Pratt & Whitney/Cascade Aircraft Conversion partnership already had a proven track record with the PT6A-41/42 turbine conversion STC for the Air Tractor AT502/502B and the 500-gallon Thrush. The discussion about installing this PT6A-140AG engine on the 510P/G model aircraft opened up a meeting with Mid-Continent Aircraft. They agreed to provide a 510P airframe and the necessary flight testing for the project to complete the STC certification.
Mid-Continent Aircraft delivered the 510P to Cascade Aircraft Conversions in September 2018. Cascade built up the prototype firewall forward kit and test flew the project aircraft in November 2018. Cascade Aircraft Conversion’s 867 SHP PT6A-140AG powered Thrush made its first appearance at the Ag Aviation Expo in Reno, NV in December 2018. Following this appearance at the Ag Aviation Expo in Reno, the PT6A-34 was reinstalled on this aircraft so that Mid-Continent could work the aircraft in the summer of 2019.
Cascade Aircraft Conversions took time without the aircraft to refine the installation with an updated plenum and air filter design, a boost start system, sealed batteries and a redesigned engine mount. When the Thrush 510P returned to Cascade Aircraft Conversions in September 2019, they installed the updated firewall forward and additional testing was completed. The updated firewall-forward PT6A-140AG kit arrived at the Ag Aviation Expo in 2019 and the “BEAST” conversion was displayed. Also in 2019, Randy Sandstrom at Prairie Dusters in Canada provided a GE H80-powered 510G for the STC project. This enabled Cascade Aircraft Conversions to dual-track the STC certification for the 510P and 510G airframes.
The “BEAST” STC firewall-forward conversion kit utilizes the PT6A-140AG turbine producing 867 SHP up to 111? OAT in conjunction with Cascade Aircraft Conversions’ Pressure Cowl that delivers the industry’s greatest volume of clean air to the turbine. Conversion time runs about 60
days; however, the kit is designed to be shipped anywhere. This powerful integration combined with the Boost Start System and aerodynamic improvements delivers a winning combination. The Cascade Pressure Cowl testing administered by Pratt & Whitney Canada compared the factory air inlet with the Cascade Pressure Cowl on a Thrush 510P. The Cascade Pressure Cowl delivers a reduction in ITT temps of 32? C, a reduction in NG of 1.7%, and a minimum available HP increase of 6%.
When checking the air available to the turbine engine with a manometer on the factory air inlet system, the instrument shows a negative pressure (or vacuum) of minus five to seven inches of water-column of air. The same manometer test with the Cascade Pressure Cowl installed shows a positive pressure of plus 11-12 inches of water-column of air. The increased air availability delivered to the turbine engine and reduction in ITT temps dramatically increases the longevity of the heat-critical parts in the turbine.
Tracy Stokes from Arkansas, reports an increase of 10-12 knots on the typical ferry from the field. He works the aircraft around 37 lbs of torque burning 60-62 gallons an hour. In the hot and humid summertime Arkansas conditions, full-load departures are a non-event.
The successful 20-year history of the Cascade Aircraft Conversion Pressure Cowl installation on several agricultural aircraft models that force positive pressure and clean air to the turbine engine proves the huge long-term benefit of the Cascade Pressure Cowl addition to the PT6140AG BEAST kit for the Thrush 510P and 510G models. The design also provides easy maintenance access to fuel nozzles, front chip detector and the air filtration system. Once the side engine cowling is off the aircraft, the air filtration system can be removed in less than two minutes for service. The filter media used in the system is long-lasting and serviceable.
• The “BEAST” Conversion kit includes: • · New engine mount • · New plug-and-play wiring harness • · New cowling firewall forward • · New CAC Pressure Cowl • · Easy access Air Filtration System • · New Long Lasting - High-
Performance Sealed Batteries providing better reliability while remaining truly maintenance-free • · Boost Start System – Combined with a controller and the new dual-sealed batteries - starts the turbine in under 15 seconds at a substantially lower ITT than a regular start. These quickstarts start the engine at cooler temperatures providing a further benefit toward extending the life of heat critical parts in the turbine engine.
The fast start also gets the engine up and running with far less noise than a regular start. Operators no longer have to shout at their ground crew during the start procedure. • A built-in intelligent charging system lets the aircraft be plugged into a standard 110v outlet that keeps batteries in top condition. • · Certification of the aircraft to 10,500 lbs under an increasingly demanding testing requirement
The combination of the Cascade Aircraft Conversions Boost Start System and the Pressure Cowl is a 1-2 punch for setting up the operator’s workhorse for the lowest possible long-term maintenance costs while maintaining profitable peak performance. A new 108” AVIA threeblade propeller provides more thrust along with significant noise reduction and no harmonicresonance issues throughout its operating range.
Randy Sandstrom reported that after two years of extensive testing on rough airfields, including some with lots of rocks and gravel, his Avia prop looks nearly like it did when brand new - no rock chips or missing paint. The Avia prop design puts out the thrust while avoiding sucking up FOD. This durable propeller is easy to ship and install as the blades and hub ship in separate boxes.
“The BEAST truly makes the 510 Thrush a 500-gallon airplane any day, and all day” - Randy Sandstrom.
