Topdressing over Wanganui

[ardypilot]

I took Deane's excellent Fletcher up for a spin over the Mangawhero (sp?) River, out of Wanganui this afternoon. I had loads of fun buzzing around nice and low over the hill tops and darting around the valleys. I also took a batch of screenshots, as you do when testing out new aircraft, which I've uploaded below:



























Please excuse the repetition of the low angled shots, I reckon this craft looks wicked from the bottom side, especially in turns. It is also really fun to fly, especially bringing it in to land on Christian's grass topo runways

Congrats to Deane on the paintjob too- I love the Super Air colours. Who needs working gauges when you have spot view ay?

BTW, can anyone tell me what the max altitude for these birds is? I was brushing the tree tops at around 800feet ASL, then took it up to 4000ft for a runway hunt. I've never seen these flying in real life?

And another thing.. I notice there are two seats in the cockpit.. what is the point of this as there is no duel control and I would have thought the company would rather fill up the planes with chemicals rather than human weight?

[victor_alpha_charlie]

nice shots trolly keep them up man!

[deaneb]

And another thing.. I notice there are two seats in the cockpit.. what is the point of this as there is no duel control and I would have thought the company would rather fill up the planes with chemicals rather than human weight?

Trolley.................

There are some dual control Fletchers out there, they were built or converted for training new pilots. The second seat (in non dual control machines) is used for ferrying the loader driver or for the farmer who can indicate areas on the farm to be sown.

Certainly no passengers on ag ops these days as per placard in cockpit, this is due to the danger of the flying, but as you pointed out you also want to maximise payload. I was lucky enough to fly two topdressing sorties in a Fletcher (ZK-EMC) in 1985 and I still remember it well. You would not get away with it these days !!

Max altitude - who knows - the same as any other non turbocharged piston plane.
Generally ag pilots will fly about 1000 ft for transit. Working is obviously down low alt, even below 100 ft at times depending on terrain. Regulations dictate they must not fly over occupied buildings below 500 ft.

Deane

[Naki]

Certainly no passengers on ag ops these days as per placard in cockpit, this is due to the danger of the flying, but as you pointed out you also want to maximise payload. I was lucky enough to fly two topdressing sorties in a Fletcher (ZK-EMC) in 1985 and I still remember it well. You would not get away with it these days !!

thats interesting - I guess I am lucky too to have a ride in a Agwagon many years ago on a topdressing run - a bit cramped - but not as cramped as three in the cockpit of a Agwagon but that is another storey

[ardypilot]

Thanks very much for the info Deane!

[JonARNZ]

Great screenies Trolly.