Saskatchewan Aerial Applicators
Update Nov 25/2020
SAAA 2021 Membership Renewal Now Open
2021 Saskatchewan Aerial Applicators Memberships are now open.
Please fill out the Membership form and send it to saaa.administration@sasktel.net.
All Memberships come with a free Pin for our Google Member Map. Operator Members that would like their company logo Pin, please include the logo in the membership package when submitted.
Membership Types
Operator 1 Plane - $393.75
Operator 2 Plane -$446.25
Operator 3 Plane - $498.75
One Find a Operator Map Pin included with Membership
Pilot Memberships - $115.00
Associate Membership - $315.00
Student Membership - Complimentary
1 Year Subscription to Ag Air Update - $36.75
New 2021 Find An Operator Map Now Live!
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 Fall 2020
Hello all! The year 2020 has been one of many uncertainties and challenges. Fortunately, we have managed to keep Covid-19 numbers low in Saskatchewan. I feel we should count ourselves lucky that the Ag Industry continues to be strong, allowing us to help our farmers continue to feed the world by protecting their crops.
Unfortunately, with the current government restrictions on gatherings still in place, we are unable to move forward with our 2020 Wings of Saskatchewan Conference with the Saskatchewan Aviation Council. These guidelines only allow a maximum of 30 attendees, if a two-meter separation can be maintained. This year we will be forced to move to an online format. In saying this, this is a great opportunity for those who may have never attended our Wings of Saskatchewan conference to do so from the comfort of your own home. Hopefully, we are able to give you a peek into what you have been missing all these years. On the unfortunate side of this, you will miss out on what I feel is the best part of the entire show- the comradery of everyone involved in the industry. I challenge all of our members, new and old, to attend these sessions. Our team has been working hard to make this online conference successful.
Good luck to everyone finishing up the 2020 season and continue to fly safely.
Sincerely,
Chad Vanderbyl SAAA President
News
Ag Aviation Adventures
Share The Air Awareness Posters
June 24, 2020
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!
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.
Crop Spray Challenge
May 2020
To help offset immediate fundraising shortfalls at STARS due to Covid-19, Colin Bevan – Kindersley Air Spray is challenging all other Sask. Crop Sprayers to raise some extra funds for STARS.
STARS is a charitable, non-profit helicopter air ambulance organization that works with community partners to save lives through rapid and specialized emergency medical care and transportation. Throughout these challenging times, STARS’ air medical crews, pilots and helicopters continue to be mission-ready 24/7, available to fight for the life of the next patient in need.
Kindersley Air Spray is donating $0.10 per acre. What can you do?
If you wish to take part in this and would like to support STARS, please contact Tammy Beauregard at STARS tbeauregard@stars.ca 1(306) 659-1508
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
November 1, 2019
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
Upcoming Events
NOV
NOV
2
4
Wings of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon Inn & Conference Centre
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
DEC
DEC
6
9
Ag Aviation Expo
Savannah Convention Center
Savannah, Georgia
17
FEB
19
FEB
Virtual AGM Conference & Trade Show
TBA
Montréal, QC