National and State Ag Aviation Associations.  What purpose do they serve to Ag pilots, operators, and the industry as whole? Are they just conventions or do they work to keep our airplanes moving? I had the pleasure to sit down with NAAA President Jim Perrin and NAAREF President Matt Hovdenes to find out what's going on inside our ag aviation associations.  Jim Perrin is a long time pilot/operator who has been involved with the NAAA and numerous state associations spanning his career.  Matt Hovdenes is a pilot turned operator who was required by his mentor to join their state as ..read more

In this episode we talk with George Parker, Mike Rutledge, and Matt Peed about their opinions and processes for mentoring aspiring Ag pilots in todays industry.  We discuss what operators expect of individuals wanting to break into the industry and also what the aspiring ag pilot should expect of the operator. With the lack of piston airplanes and the poor return on investment of purchasing one, the mentors discuss how they are breaking new pilots into turbine airplanes.  George shares his syllabus for starting a new Ag pilot into a turbine which is a great example of the time and cl ..read more

I get to talk with Peter Schellenberger an Ag pilot with 4 years in the business who hasn’t just worked in Ag but also timber, and aerial fire fighting. We talk about how and what got him to where he is today. This episode was recorded back on July 1st and at that point in the 2021 season we had seen a large amount of fatalities so we talk (from a young pilots perspective) about what we both do to keep our heads in the game and what distractions can potentially arise during the busy season. We share a few screw up stories and also Peter talks about an engine failure he had his first season. Pe ..read more

On this episode I have the privilege of speaking with former Navy SEAL and Special operations helicopter pilot, Michael Rutledge. Mike has been a passionate aviator his whole life and while actively serving in the military, he pursued a career as an Ag Aviator.  After 30 years of service he is now running his own aerial application business.  We discuss his military career and how his experiences there helped in becoming a successful ag pilot. Mentorship is something Mike takes very serious so we dive into what the mentor mentee relationship should be like.  Big thanks to our sp ..read more

Episode #3! I sit down with our podcast sponsor Travis Amb to talk about the products he's designed and selling on Ambericandesigns.com .  We get to hear about his jouney to becoming and Ag Pilot, than we discuss some screw ups we've both had in hopes someone else doesn't make the same mistake! Check out Travis's products at ambericandesigns.com ..read more

Matt Peed is a seasoned ag pilot form Georgia who is not only that but an instructor teaching the next generation of aerial applicators.  We get to know a little bit about Matt and his background than dive into the turbine transition training he does with his duel control -34 Thrush.  He covers why we do turbine transition training, gives an overview of his course, talks about some common mistakes of transitioning pilots, and the mentality one has to have to be a successful turbine pilot.  Coming from rice country, Matt has extensive experience with dry fertilizer spreading and ..read more

Episode #1! My good friend Chad Peitz, a former Ag pilot who went rogue and now flies a Pilatus, sits down with me to introduce the podcast.  We discuss the purpose and intentions of the Ag Aviator podcast and some things to consider while listening.  We also talk about the aerial application industry in general, what licenses are required to apply by air, the "ag pilot shortage",  and little bit about the Ag pilot lifestyle.  Hope you enjoy!  Help us get the word out about this podcast make sure to share!  Also follow me on Instagram @valleyagpilot to stay up to ..read more

I get to talk with Peter Schellenberger an Ag pilot with 4 years in the business who hasn’t just worked in Ag but also timber, and aerial fire fighting. We talk about how and what got him to where he is today. This episode was recorded back on July 1st and at that point in the 2021 season we had seen a large amount of fatalities so we talk (from a young pilots perspective) about what we both do to keep our heads in the game and what distractions can potentially arise during the busy season. We share a few screw up stories and also Peter talks about an engine failure he had his first season. Pe ..read more

On this episode I have the privilege of speaking with former Navy SEAL and Special operations helicopter pilot, Michael Rutledge. Mike has been a passionate aviator his whole life and while actively serving in the military, he pursued a career as an Ag Aviator.  After 30 years of service he is now running his own aerial application business.  We discuss his military career and how his experiences there helped in becoming a successful ag pilot. Mentorship is something Mike takes very serious so we dive into what the mentor mentee relationship should be like.  Big thanks to our sp ..read more

Episode #3! I sit down with our podcast sponsor Travis Amb to talk about the products he's designed and selling on Ambericandesigns.com .  We get to hear about his jouney to becoming and Ag Pilot, than we discuss some screw ups we've both had in hopes someone else doesn't make the same mistake! Check out Travis's products at ambericandesigns.com ..read more