Simviation Forum - Crop Dusting (or scaring live stock...your choice)

Mar 26^th, 2012 at 10:21pm

wahubna Offline
Colonel
WMU Bronco
Michigan

Gender:
Posts: 1064

So, as some of you know, I have recently acquired some free Cessna 188s. What you may not know is now I have a total of 6 ag planes..That said, after watching literally an hour's worth of youtube videos of ag-pilots doing their thing, I am giving virtual crop dusting a go. I have to say, it is really challenging even in a sim! Each ag-plane definitely has its own moods and the PZL M-18 flipped over on me today on multiple occasions just to hit that point home.
I would take screen shots of my ag-flying adventures in FS9 to-date however, you dont exactly have a lot of time to think doing it.

Anyways, check out this guy's youtube account, lots and lots of good ag-flying videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjodalv44?feature=
Cool

So for the foreseeable future I will be spending my sim time swooping down on fields in the Cessna 188s, Piper Pawnee, PZL M-18, Air Tractor, Aerospace Fletcher, aaand starting tonight: the Thrush!

Tailwinds,
Adam

‎"At that time [1909] the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation."- Igor Sikorsky

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Reply #1 - Mar 27^th, 2012 at 4:57am

Fozzer Offline
Colonel
An elderly FS 2004 addict!
Hereford. England. EGBS.

Posts: 24861

Adam...

...let me be the last to put you off...

...but... Shocked

...>>>

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5315a4.htm

If you thought Aerobatics was dangerous...just become an AG Pilot!

Very, very low....and quite fast!... Shocked

...!

Paul.... Cool

...!

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Reply #2 - Mar 27^th, 2012 at 10:14am

wahubna Offline
Colonel
WMU Bronco
Michigan

Gender:
Posts: 1064

Fozzer wrote on Mar 27^th, 2012 at 4:57am:

Adam...

...let me be the last to put you off...

...but... Shocked

...>>>

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5315a4.htm

If you thought Aerobatics was dangerous...just become an AG Pilot!

Very, very low....and quite fast!... Shocked

...!

Paul.... Cool

...!

Its a challenge. That is why it fascinates me. I am not a thrill seeker, but I like a challenge. When my dad was looking into being an ag pilot he was told you need 1500hrs with an 'instructor' in ag flying before you are allowed to do it solo. Point is, the danger is minimized with proper flight training and experience. There is ALWAYS a danger, but honestly, I am more scared of driving around young women that keep insisting on texting while driving! Lord knows I have had way to many close calls with those idiots!

‎"At that time [1909] the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation."- Igor Sikorsky

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Reply #3 - Mar 27^th, 2012 at 11:46am

Flying Trucker Offline
Colonel
An Old Retired Rocking
Chair Flying Geezer

Gender:
Posts: 11425

Good morning Adam...

My Grandparents were tobacco sprayers when they first came home from the First World War. They retired from the Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force and made money on the side flying.

After four years of war time flying I don't think anything bothered them well except for half a dozen brothers or so who stayed Army and Navy... Grin

One interesting job they would do was fly the DeHavilland DH4 over the tobacco fields at low level so the frost would not kill the plants, that along with spraying was a better income than Barnstorming at Fairs etc.

I moonlighted flying a Stearman to spray for a worm killing some forest area, it did not pay much and was sporadic work. It was pocket money and kept me in beer and pipe tobacco... Grin

Lots of Agricultural Pilots around here and several years ago I saw one taking employees for a ride in the front hopper and just shook my head.... Roll Eyes

-no seat belts
-sitting in an area that held chemicals

Visualize this:
-twenty years or so ago I was ferrying a Stearman without any Nav equipment and just a hand held radio through an Air Traffic Control Zone to have the control surfaces recovered.

-the seat lowered and I could not get it back up, the seat belt was huge and weighed a ton, it also lay in a very delicate place on me...I could just see over the cockpit rim and sat in a uncomfortable position...

-had to ask ATC to guide me through the area

-the ATC Controller had a sense of humour and asked if I wanted IFR... Grin

-the landing although not the best was uneventful

-someday you are out and about a museum or airport have a look at some older aircraft...piano wire...fabric...dope...paint...glue...duct tape is all that holds them together...then look where the fuel tank is... Shocked

Sorry to get so long winded Adam... Grin

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

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Reply #4 - Mar 28^th, 2012 at 11:27am

wahubna Offline
Colonel
WMU Bronco
Michigan

Gender:
Posts: 1064

Nice stories Trucker! Speaking of the Stearman, I found a crop dusting Stearman on simV so later tonight I will give it a whirl.

So that means my ag fleet includes:
Piper Pawnee
AirTractor
Turbo Thrush
AgCat
AgTruck/AgWagon
PZL M-18
Stearman 75
Aerospace Fletcher

I found some nice big fields in Southern California to boot! The fields in Michigan (with my scenery) frequently have lots of trees around them...which make things difficult to say the least...I have had to do some, lets just call it 'creative' maneuvering to avoid those big green things!

‎"At that time [1909] the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation."- Igor Sikorsky

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Reply #5 - Mar 28^th, 2012 at 12:10pm

Fozzer Offline
Colonel
An elderly FS 2004 addict!
Hereford. England. EGBS.

Posts: 24861

wahubna wrote on Mar 28^th, 2012 at 11:27am:

Nice stories Trucker! Speaking of the Stearman, I found a crop dusting Stearman on simV so later tonight I will give it a whirl.

So that means my ag fleet includes:
Piper Pawnee
AirTractor
Turbo Thrush
AgCat
AgTruck/AgWagon
PZL M-18
Stearman 75
Aerospace Fletcher

I found some nice big fields in Southern California to boot! The fields in Michigan (with my scenery) frequently have lots of trees around them...which make things difficult to say the least...I have had to do some, lets just call it 'creative' maneuvering to avoid those big green things!

California Central Valley is the bread basket of the Pacific Western Seaboard!

Lots of big fields there, planted with all sorts of vegetables, fruit, fruit trees, etc....

...(as well as busy Meths Factories...Fresno)... Wink

...!

Paul....

...!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Valley_%28California%29

Dell Dimension 5000 BTX Tower. Win7 Home Edition, 32 Bit. Intel Pentium 4, dual 2.8 GHz. 2.5GB RAM, nVidia GF 9500GT 1GB. SATA 500GB + 80GB. Philips 17" LCD Monitor. Micronet ADSL Modem only. Saitek Cyborg Evo Force. FS 2004 + FSX. Briggs and Stratton Petrol Lawn Mower...Motor Bikes. Gas Cooker... and lots of musical instruments!.... ...!
Yamaha MO6,MM6,DX7,DX11,DX21,DX100,MK100,EMT10,PSR400,PSS780,Roland GW-8L v2,TR505,Casio MT-205,Korg CX3v2 dual manual,+ Leslie 760,M-Audio Prokeys88,KeyRig,Cubase,Keyfax4,Guitars,Orchestral,Baroque,Renaissance,Medieval Instruments.

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