But only one in an airplane: a truss setting job I was doing the other day in a rural area, just happened to be under the crop duster's flight path for several passes.

Listening to Unicom in Idaho you sure do hear a lot of Air Tractors! Last week there were spray ops going on near everywhere I landed; Burley, Aberdeen, Blackfoot and Idaho Falls. There had been wind for several days so they were playing catch up. At Aeromark I asked Bob Hoff about it and he said they were likely spraying for blight (side note: got to hang out with Bob for an hour or so!). Even though I’m usually looking down at ag planes I really look up to the ag pilots. One of my first jobs was ground crew for a 10 Stearman fleet of sprayers in So-Cal. Admired the fellows but decided to fly higher and faster for a living. Oh, and crane operators have been my heroes a few times too.

That's a great photo!

Great picture Tom. I have had 2-3 AT502s and an occasional AT802 working off my strip. We've had about 8-9 planes working in the area and it's a real beehive of activity when you get up. Fun to watch them!

He was pulling some G's it looked like to me, I can see it being fatiguing flying, much respect.

Here's another way of saying "a couple of pilots" This 802 showed up yesterday, joining a couple of 602's that have been here a few days. It's fungicide and insecticide season again.

Not a lot of gs. He was in ground effect and fast in the field. He zoomed in the first part of the turn trading airspeed for altitude. Slower airspeed increased the rate of turn and he is allowing the nose to go down naturally to return to ground effect in the next swath run. Airspeed, when you snapped the picture, was increasing.

The most gs are in the wings level pull up, both coming out of the field and going back into the next swath run. GPS, moving dots on the light bar show direction to turn, rate OK or needs to be faster, and alignment with designated next swath. Computer makes race track pattern preferable to back to back pattern, which would require slower and steeper turns with a lot more nose tuck. However wind management requires return to back to back in strong crosswind to avoid dangerous downwind turn every other turn, which occurs with race track pattern.

Never seen one that high. Musta been the new guy [emoji1]

Or near empty. Power is never reduced. Energy management down low means using all energy available, both engine and the roller coaster type.

The first pic *appears* to be an AT-602. If the hammer was down, and the load was light he may have been doing as much as 160 mph across the field. All that energy has to go somewhere on the way out.

FWIW, I prescribe to the theory that energy management can and does encompass power management. Consequently I most often DO come back on power as the load lightens (unless I am in a gutless wonder). If I had the energy to get it turned around with a full load on, I will most certainly have the energy to get it turned around with a reduced load, and less power = less distance, height, and consequently TIME in the turn. That is time that is not earning a paycheck....

Somewhat OT, but related to the aircraft.... Speed across the field does not always = more money in the bank. An AT 802 will absolutely smoke a 400 gal Thrush through the field, but put them both on a 40 acre block, and the S2R will out turn the AT (assuming similar caliber pilots) by a margin such that they will both finish within a second or three of each other, with the S2R having burned half the fuel, insurance, and airframe reserves... As with anything else aviation, choosing in accordance with the mission is the best way to assure smiles

Take care, Rob

Thanks for the clarification on energy/power management Rob. My 90 MPH Pawnee mind hadn't caught up to what one might do with 160 MPH in the bank.

While I was admiring his flying, I hope he noticed my fast cycle time and smoothness in swinging those trusses in! I may have mentioned this before here (several times) but a disproportionate number of boom truck and crane operators are also pilots. I've managed to fly into 3 of my jobs this year, so far. Each time to the great advantage of the contractors, as in when I show up later ready to to go to work, we are all on the same page thanks to the prior get together: stuff moved out of my way, material dumped in the best place prior to lifting, etc. I just wrapped a job taking down and then putting back up every single piece of HVAC equipment on this local Flying J. Some of the picks were near my limit, and this aerial pic really helped both me and the work crew as to best planning for both of us, with minimal disruption to the constant stream of people going in and out. The J manager appreciated the overhead look also. This pic was also handy for the truck drivers, texted to them so they knew exactly where to park and off load, as it was tight and busy quarters this was important. As always, this is a service I offer my customers AT NO EXTRA CHARGE

In a few minutes I'm flying over a commercial project in town I was involved with last week, to see if they have the roof decked yet or may be calling me Monday to lift bunks of OSB, this will effect whether or not I mail them my invoice. I'll also eyeball a large custom home I'm doing Tuesday, so when I pull up there I'll know in advance the best place to setup. Then I'll fly 30 miles to an almost past due account, circle, and text the builder a picture of the project, a nice way of saying "hey, remember me? I need to get paid." Lots of back country ops along the way of course, living where I do.

courierguy wrote:While I was admiring his flying, I hope he noticed my fast cycle time and smoothness in swinging those trusses in!

Probably so, but probably also keeping a watchful eye on the only moving potential obstacle in his work area as well

Rob wrote:The first pic *appears* to be an AT-602. If the hammer was down, and the load was light he may have been doing as much as 160 mph across the field. All that energy has to go somewhere on the way out.

FWIW, I prescribe to the theory that energy management can and does encompass power management. Consequently I most often DO come back on power as the load lightens (unless I am in a gutless wonder). If I had the energy to get it turned around with a full load on, I will most certainly have the energy to get it turned around with a reduced load, and less power = less distance, height, and consequently TIME in the turn. That is time that is not earning a paycheck....

Somewhat OT, but related to the aircraft.... Speed across the field does not always = more money in the bank. An AT 802 will absolutely smoke a 400 gal Thrush through the field, but put them both on a 40 acre block, and the S2R will out turn the AT (assuming similar caliber pilots) by a margin such that they will both finish within a second or three of each other, with the S2R having burned half the fuel, insurance, and airframe reserves... As with anything else aviation, choosing in accordance with the mission is the best way to assure smiles

Take care, Rob

You gonna manage any CE180 energy up to Alaska this year? I tell ya, the weather in SE absolutely sucks so far.

When I was a brand new apprentice sheet metal worker,
my first superintendent emphasized that mobile cranes charged by the hour,
and as a result he taught me to do what I could to minimize their time on the job.
Later, as a foreman, I took pride in having things set up so that the crane was (almost) always in motion--
either hoisting, or changing position so that he could hoist.
I've been on some projects where the crane seemed to spend as much time sitting as moving--
usually due to poor planning.
And I'll add that it's a joy to work with an operator who is good at his job.
I've worked with a few that weren't--
that was not only frustrating but sometimes dangerous.

Yes, and like a spoiled child, I usually get my way! Once the boss man realizes I am trying to do it quicker/more efficiently. Usually the guy rigging on my truss jobs is the low man on the totem pole, hardly a certified rigger like on bigger jobs. When I tell them how I want it rigged, safety aside, MY WAY is always the quickest for me, though it may be a bit more awkward for to him hook me up, tough titty. Minutes of my time is worth many times more then minutes of his, simple as that.

I had a great 1.5 hour flight since posting here last, got a lot of important info, all work related, ha ha.

gbflyer wrote:You gonna manage any CE180 energy up to Alaska this year? I tell ya, the weather in SE absolutely sucks so far.

Long story to catch you up on tis. I'll shoot you an email.

Take care,
Rob