Saskatchewan Aerial Applicators
Update Mar 19/2020
SAAA Members Map
Welcome to our 2020 Member Map. Search your location to find a Saskatchewan Aerial Applicator in your area.
2020 Memberships are now open. To be displayed on our Map, visit the Canadian Aerial Applicators Website
Are you Graduating from Aerial Application Training?
2019 & 2020 Graduates are eligible for a free one-year SAAA membership!
Contact: saaa.administration@sasktel.net
Presidents Message
Saskatchewan New Horizons Winter 2019
Hello from Saskatchewan. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and Happy New Year. We held our SAAA conference on Nov 6-8. And was well attended by SAAA members. I would like to thank our outgoing board members from this year's elections: Colin Bevan, Travis Karle, Scott Kosmenko, Glen Funnell and Brennan Jardine. With that we welcome our new board members: Laura Lawrence, Corey Sharpe, Jeff Farr, and Ryan Gidych. As new Vice president we have Tanner Denesowych and Secretary/Treasurer, James Pottage. I would also like to thank Ted Anderson as an outgoing President. We had a major bylaw review and clean up this year, this will help the board function more smoothly and efficiently. We had three credit sessions this year; Spray System Set-Up, with Alan Corr, Sharing the Skies, with Corey Csada and Labelling, presented by Danielle Neisz. All were very well done and a big thanks to each of our presenters.
This fall was a rough one for many farmers all across the prairie provinces. I know in Saskatchewan there are a few areas with lots of crops left out. This will make for a long spring for many farmers and could potentially cause some late seeded crops. Let's hope for early spring to help that out.
We have had a change in our SEAT program, the government has appointed Marlo Prichard of Sask Public Safety Agency to take over the program. We are still in the pilot stages but had some good results with a fire this past year. We are very hopeful this program continues and thankful for all the hard work our members have already put in to get the program this far along. We have gotten training material for this coming year and have been invited, to the in-class training that Northern Air Ops attends.
I hope to see everyone in Victoria in February. And look forward to hopefully a safe and prosperous year to come.
Chad Vanderbyl
President
Saskatchewan Aerial Applicators Association
LAIB has been training future leaders for more than 30 years —4,500 people trained so far, and counting.
News
Transport Canada COVID-19 Update
The following message to Canada’s aviation community has been issued by Transport Canada:
COVID-19 poses a significant challenge to Canada’s healthcare system. Regulatory bodies at all levels of government are working to limit the strain on the system.
To that end, all persons who currently hold a valid Transport Canada aviation Medical Certificate (MC) expiring on or before June 1st, 2020 may continue to exercise the privileges of their permits, licenses, or ratings until August 1st, 2020 subject to the conditions listed in the Exemption notice dated 17 March 2020.
Furthermore, no medical examinations for new aviation MCs will be conducted until at least May 1st, 2020.
All aviation MC holders shall continue to comply with the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) in all respects, and the CARs continue to apply in all respects other than the Exemption noted. Aviation MC holders are reminded that they shall not exercise their privileges if they cease to hold a valid MC by meeting any of the circumstances set out in section 404.06 of the CARs.
A copy of the official Transport Canada communications is included below, including Section 404.06 of the CARs.
March 19, 2020
Transport Canada
March Celebrates Women in Ag Aviation
Laura Lawrence, a Saskatchewan Aerial Applicator member was recently interviewed for AgAir Update March edition that Celebrates Women in Ag Aviation. Laura has been flying for Provincial Airways based out of Moose Jaw and has recently joined the SAAA board.
When it comes to aviation, it always helps if a parent is your aviation mentor. Canadian ag-pilots Laura Lawrence's father flew in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a flight instructor in the PC-9. He was a pilot for the Canadian Snowbirds Air Demonstration Squadron. He later became a captain fir WestJet. While Laura was growing up, she often flew "right seat" with him.
Laura got her chance at an aviation career by working at a local ag operators airport on the ground crew while earning her Commercial Pilots License and later flying a C-172 for aerial photography work. She decided to become an ag pilot and attended Battlefords Airspray school for her training. She started her first season in a C-188 Ag Wagon in 2017. in 2018, she flew the AT-401 and now has thee seasons completed.
Laura agrees on something that is very common for women flying as in: Growers arrive at the airstrip and ask her,
"Where is the pilot?" and she replies, "I'm the pilot."
Growers feel a little embarrassed and surprised. They are not used to seeing a woman flying a spray plane. It’s only a matter of time and the surprised faces are replaced with a more natural look, "Hi aviatrix! Are you the pilot spraying my field today?"
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.
November 1, 2019
"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
Local Company Pays it Forward to STARS
A local company, which has been a part of the community since 1971, is giving back to STARS, in more ways than one.
Kindersley Air Spray, which is owned and operated by the Bevan family in Kindersley, had a goal of giving back this season as they pledged to make a donation per application. They started tallying donations in June and ended up raising $14,500 for STARS Air Ambulance.
Colin Bevan, owner-operator of Kindersley Air Spray, said the idea to raise money for STARS came easily.
“We have always thought of STARS as a highly valued service to the community and are thankful to have it and we just wanted to help out and give back.”
The monetary donation is not the only way Bevan and his company pay it forward to STARS. As of last year, Kindersley Air Spray supplies jet fuel for the STARS fleet when they are called out to emergencies in the west-central area.
“Over a year ago, we started supplying jet fuel for STARS, which during the incident at Tervita last summer, having that fuel, they were able to get the man that was injured – they were able to get him to the hospital quicker and let him get the care he needed as soon as possible.”
Bevan explained that moving forward, with STARS' new fleet alignment, although the new aircraft may be better suited for the role, he said they are short on range. In turn, this creates a need to have local fuel available for when an Air Ambulance gets dispatched to our area, a need that Bevan said he is happy to fill.
Bevan, on behalf of Kindersley Air Spray, said he will look to present the cheque for $14,500 to STARS in the coming days.
Colin Bevan and his family business, Kindersley Air Spray, will be presenting a cheque to STARS Air Ambulance for just under $15,000, thanks to their per application donations this season.
(Photo Courtesy: Kindersley Air Spray)
Syngenta Leadership At Its Best
Congratulations to our Vice President Chad Vanydbyl who has been chosen as one of the NAAA participants in Syngenta 2020 Leadership At Its Best Conference (aka The NAAA Leadership Program). This is an invaluable experience that offers the prospect of personal and professional growth and the opportunity to make many new friends and contacts within the agricultural aviation industry.
The 2020 Leadership At Its Best Conference will start in Raleigh N.C Jan 27th - 29th and finish the second half in Washington D.C January 30th - 31st.
August 26 ,2019
Each year, a diverse class of about 48 growers, processors and retailers attend LAIB to develop the skillsets required to be confident ambassadors of agriculture. LAIB alumni have gone on to be leaders in their organizations, spokespersons for American agriculture, and government officials.
Upcoming Events
28
OCT
Saskatoon Inn & Conference Centre
Wings of Saskatchewan
30
OCT
DEC
7
Savannah Convention Center
Ag Aviation Expo
10
DEC
Delta Hotels by Marriott Regina
AGM, Conference and Trade Show
18
FEB
20
FEB
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Savannah, Georgia
Regina, Saskatchewan
