2024 Membership Renewals
Please be advised membership renewals for 2024 through CAAA are now closed.
Information on accessing your account:
Your membership account can be accessed by logging in here. Once you are signed in, click the Purchase Membership button to pay your annual dues. When renewing your CAAA membership, you will also be able to renew your AAAA, SAAA, MAAA, and ECC memberships.
The password reset page is found here. Email the CAAA office if your email address is not found when you submit a password reset. Please do not register another account unless you are a NEW member, because the existing account is already linked to your information.
President's Message
Saskatchewan Spring/Summer 2022
Spray22 is on the horizon, and it cannot come soon enough for many after drought-like conditions plagued many operators in Saskatchewan in 2021. As I write this president message in Yorkton, a large amount of snow remains on the ground and temperatures have remained below O resulting in a slow melt but in southern Saskatchewan, I have reports that the snow is now long gone. I do remember spray15 being a bust very similar to spray21 and spray16 was a year for the record books so I am optimistic mother nature will do her thing and bring those timely rains yet again.
The SAAA Board had their spring meeting in March, and we learned that our gamble paid off and we had a very successful in-person Wings of Saskatchewan Conference in November after both the SAAA and SAC were prepared to take a loss. I'm also very happy to announce for the 2nd consecutive Wing of Saskatchewan conference the SAAA represented over 50% of all in attendance. At our in-person AGM the idea of approaching the University of Saskatchewan was discussed to provide more information to the university regarding aerial application and educate the professors and students. Chad Vanderbyl and I both presented to an ag engineering class of 30+ with the majority of the students having a farm background and half had hired an airplane to treat their farm. Chad and I both were given a tour and met multiple professors to pitch our ideas to. Every professor was intrigued with our ideas and provided information and program ideas to have the university students begin to research and understand the aerial application. This was a very successful visit that went better than I ever imagined and is step one in our relationship with the University of Saskatchewan.
The SAAA Sustainability Committee was tasked to provide information to the Gov. of Saskatchewan to help them develop an Ag Equipment Tech Curriculum and include an aerial application section for our education systems that will bring awareness and knowledge of the spray systems we operate. They completed this work in January. We await implementation and feedback.
The S.E.A.T Program is evolving in 2022. The Saskatchewan Government has released a SaskTender for helicopter/fixed-wing aviation services to aid with wildland fire suppression and crew moves. The SAAA encourages interested operators to visit the site and read about equipment requirements. Our Association will continue to inform and advocate for our industry and aircraft capabilities with the Government. We will also remain a direct line of communication to our operator membership in this program.
CAAA board work over the past year has provided current modern evidence of how important our provincial and national associations are to our industry that is easily forgotten over time when .there isn't an issue jeopardizing our industry. We had a bombshell dropped on us in 2021 regarding spray volumes. We reacted quickly to meet with registrants and Crop Life Canada. Bayer did agree to start testing the aircraft capabilities at 5gal, 3gal, 2gal, and 2gal with atomizers. Unfortunately, we had a dry year and the results were not night and day; but even in a dry year, the aircraft capabilities did show themselves. I'm very excited to see Spray22 trial data next spring. I have said from day one that the airplane and quality job we provide growers are ready for the microscope, and I was met with pushback that the CAAA board has barked up this tree before, but I saw that as no reason to give up. I'm extremely happy with the way the board has conducted themselves with PRMA and Registrants and after meeting with Bayer in March they said, "We see this as an opportunity to work with the CAAA and properly test our product and we (Bayer) see this as a great selling point to change our label". BOOM THERE IT IS! That's all we needed was one registrant to test their product and provide data and amendments to PRMA. I expect this will start a domino effect for other registrants to properly test their products and have their label volumes reduced. The board has made a huge step in the water volume argument and I'm very happy to be a part of this progress.
This brings me to the Light Weight Data Record NPA Transport Canada tried to push by the entire Canadian Aviation community in December. This was a true blindside and when Transport Canada held a virtual O&A, it was apparent every sector of aviation in Canada was up in arms, so much so they extended the comment period to the end of March. My interpretation is Transport Canada's inbox is full and they are taking the time to consider all comments. We are currently waiting for Transport Canada's reaction to this united Canadian Aviation community pushback and the direction they will take. I want to thank all SAAA 702 Operators who promptly came on the side and signed the SAAA opposition letter.
Between Water Volume, LDRs, and the U of S it has been a busy offseason, but proof of how important it is to be a member of our provincial and national associations. We are not out of the woods on water volumes or the LDR and we will have issues in the future I can guarantee you that. SAAA & CAAA 2022 Membership Renewal Opened on January 1st and is now available through our respected website stores. I cannot stress enough how important every member is to our associations. If you are reading this you are already a member. If you know a non-member, share this newsletter with them and ask them to pay their dues too
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Thank you for your continued support., I hope you all have a safe and productive Spray22.
Sincerely,
Tanner Denesowych,
SAAA President
News
Spring 2022 Issue of Agricultural Aviation Now Online!
The Spring 2022 issue of Agricultural Aviation is available online and in the Agricultural Aviation Magazine App. Branded as “The Safety Issue,” the focus of this special issue is all about safety—from aviation to environmental safety to ensure ag pilots’, farmers’ and planet Earth’s well-being.
Featured content in the Spring 2022 issue includes:
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The Perils of Pushing Yourself to the Brink
Kole Pederson’s days as an ag pilot ended in the blink of an eye, but his love for the profession will never wane -
Cockpit Therapy
Almost 12 years after being paralyzed in a helicopter crash, getting back into the cockpit one more time lifted a weight off Rob Hammons’ shoulders -
‘Your Health is Your Livelihood’
A massive stroke cost 2013 NAAA President Dana Ness his livelihood; he urges ag aviators to zealously protect their health -
Inadvertent IMC Avoidance and Survival Strategies
The IIMC avoidance and survival strategies covered in the 2021-22 PAASS Program could save your life -
PAASS Potpourri: A Winning Safety Concoction
More lessons from the 2021-22 PAASS Program to get you primed for the new season -
Roundtable: Agricultural Aviation at 101 & Beyond
After a century of agricultural aviation, a panel of experts explores where the industry goes from here -
Persuasive Pesticide Messaging
Unpacking CropLife America’s research on consumers’ perceptions of pesticides -
President’s Message: Prepare for the Season Expecting Supply Chain Turbulence
Planning and training to avoid self-inflicted supply needs may be one of the keys to maintaining profitability, NAAA President Jim Perrin writes -
CEO’s Message: Safety = Longevity: Yours and the Aerial Application Industry’s
NAAA CEO Andrew Moore outlines how the air carrier segment of aviation was able to markedly reduce fatal accidents to zero over several years and how participating in ag aviation educational programs augments professionalism and can also lead to zero fatal ag aviation accidents -
Bringing in Out-of-State Pilots During Busy Times
Plus, how to navigate the requirements for importing ag pilots and aircraft from Canada
Share The Air Awareness Posters
Saskatchewan Aerial Applicators have developed a Share The Air posters to bring awareness of the increasing number of low-level ag aircraft flying throughout the growing season. SAAA has asked Saskatchewan Aviation Console (SAC) and Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) to circulate these posters to all members and ask their members to hang both poster at their local airport terminal/clubhouses to help bring awareness and educate fellow aviators flying through Saskatchewan skies this summer.
Awareness Posters are available for download. Please help spread the message!
Unmarked Tower Update
We have been recommended to report any unregistered cell or meteorology towers that exceed 50' AGL to NAV CANADA.
In the past, creating a tower database was extremely challenging. New technology like ForeFlight has created the ultimate tool that every pilot should have in their cockpit.
ForeFlight has the ability to filter and magnify low-level obstacles in your area and will for-warn pilots if they're approaching a low-level hazard.
If Foreflight doesn't recognize a tower you have spotted. Nav Canada may be unaware of it.
"NAV CANADA is committed to becoming the world's most respected air navigation service. Our main focus is operating a safe and efficient system, however to ensure that we are meeting your expectations we want to hear from you. NAV CANADA is listening."
NAV CANADA Customer and Stakeholder Services provides customers with a single point of contact to express concerns or to obtain answers to your questions about NAV CANADA.
The hours of operation are from 8:00 to 18:00 EST, Monday to Friday.
There are several ways to contact NAV CANADA depending upon the nature of your question or concern. Please select one of the following:
Telephone
1-613-563-5588
North America
1-800-876-4693
Toll-free fax line
1-877-663-6656
HEAD OFFICE
Address
77 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, ON K1P 5L6
Mailing Address
NAV CANADA
P.O. Box 3411 Station 'T'
Ottawa, ON K1P 5L6
Welcome to DriftWatch
Communication + Cooperation + Collaboration = Successful Co-existence
DriftWatch ™ was designed by staff from the Purdue University Agricultural and Biological Engineering and Agricultural Communications departments with input and support from Purdue University Cooperative Extension Specialists. It is now operated by FieldWatch, Inc, a non-profit company created by Purdue in collaboration with interested agricultural stakeholder groups. For more information, visit www.fieldwatch.com.
This DriftWatch registry tool is meant to help pesticide applicators and specialty crop growers communicate more effectively to promote awareness and stewardship activities to help prevent and manage drift effects. Our data set is overseen by state-appointed stewards who verify each area submitted to the registry. The boundaries on the map are not property lines, but user-submitted specialty site designations. Furthermore, DriftWatch is not intended to be a registry for homeowners or for sites less than half an acre in size.
This site features a powerful map interface that clearly shows applicators the locations of registered specialty sites so they can use the information in their ongoing stewardship activities before they spray.
In addition to user-submitted sensitive crops, the map interface provides other data layers that give further insight into sensitive and protected areas, as well as help, identify county/township/section jurisdictions.