Courses: National Aerial Applicator's Manual

The Aerial Applicator's Manual (AAM) is the national pesticide applicator certification study guide for aerial applicators. Revised in 2014, many state pesticide regulatory agencies have adopted the National Aerial Pesticide Applicator Pilot Certification Examination as their tool for pilot certification; this manual is the accompanying preparatory/study guide. It consists of chapters, for which applicable courses are listed below.

Chapter 1 - Laws and Regulations for the Aerial Applicator Pilot

This Chapter consists of the following sections: Requirements for Pilot Certification, The Pesticide Label

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Chapter 2 - Operation and Application Safety

This Chapter consists of the following sections: Aircraft and Pesticide Security, Protecting People and the Environment, Application Safety, Planning for Emergencies, Communications

  • Avoiding Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IIMC)

    Instrument meteorological conditions are those weather conditions with low visibility, particularly fog, that require use of cockpit instruments for safe flying. Inadvertently flying into these instrument conditions occurs when a pilot, not rated or equipped to fly with instruments, finds himself flying from clear weather conditions into low/no-visibility conditions requiring instruments. From 2011 to 2020 there were a total of six agricultural aviation IIMC accidents, five of which were fatal. IIMC results in a degraded visual environment followed by spatial disorientation, which likely leads to an accident. The best strategy for IIMC is to avoid flying in such conditions and this course will go over the factors that aerial applicators need to consider before taking off. Of immense value, this course will also present stories from agricultural aviators who survived IIMC encounters, shared so others may learn first-hand from their incidents.

    Instrument meteorological conditions are those weather conditions with low visibility, particularly fog, that require use of cockpit instruments for safe flying. Inadvertently flying into these instrument conditions occurs when a pilot, not rated or equipped to fly with instruments, finds himself flying from clear weather conditions into low/no-visibility conditions requiring instruments. From 2011 to 2020 there were a total of six agricultural aviation IIMC accidents, five of which were fatal. IIMC results in a degraded visual environment followed by spatial disorientation, which likely leads to an accident. The best strategy for IIMC is to avoid flying in such conditions and this course will go over the factors that aerial applicators need to consider before taking off. Of immense value, this course will also present stories from agricultural aviators who survived IIMC encounters, shared so others may learn first-hand from their incidents.

    Duration: 2 hours
    Course ID: 25-HF-01

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the Agricultural Airman's Guidelines (AAG):

    137.II - Preflight Planning
    -- C - Weather Forecast

    137.IV - Takeoff
    -- A - Weather Considerations

    137.V - Ferry and Approach to the Working Area
    -- B - Current Weather En-Route and at Target Site

    137.VIII - Approach to the Airstrip Environment
    -- A - Current Weather

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the National Aerial Applicator's Manual (AAM):

    Chapter 2 - Operation and Application Safety
    -- 2.3 - Application Safety

  • Avoiding Wire Strike Accidents

    The basics of vision science and why wires need to be treated as an invisible hazard. Learn how to use support structures and hardware to determine the location of wires and ways to respond correctly. Classroom and dual cockpit instruction video provide supplementary training on how to scout for wires and apply safely around them.

    The basics of vision science and why wires need to be treated as an invisible hazard. Learn how to use support structures and hardware to determine the location of wires and ways to respond correctly. Classroom and dual cockpit instruction video provide supplementary training on how to scout for wires and apply safely around them. This course is based on the 2022-2023 PAASS Program's Human Factors module.

    Duration: 2 hours
    Course ID: 24-HF-01

    Note: If you are seeking C-PAASS credit, note that in-person completion of the Flying in the Wire and Obstruction Environment course (at Expo, a state meeting, etc.) satisfies this requirement and taking this online course is NOT REQUIRED. You will submit a copy of your in-person course completion certificate (provided by Utilities / Aviation Specialists) with your C-PAASS application. 

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the Agricultural Airman's Guidelines (AAG):

    137.V - Ferry and Approach to the Working Area
    -- C - Working Area Assessment

    137.VII - Application
    -- A - Determination of Flight Pattern
    -- H - Obstructions
    -- I - Trim Passes

    137.XII - Special Emphasis Areas
    -- A - Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the National Aerial Applicator's Manual (AAM):

    Chapter 2 - Operation and Application Safety
    -- 2.3 - Application Safety
    Chapter 6 - Making an Aerial Pesticide Application
    -- 6.2 - Checking the Application Site

Chapter 3 - Preventing Pesticide Drift

This Chapter consists of the following sections: Factors that Contribute to Drift, Minimizing Off-Target Drift

  • The Impact of Each Droplet - Part 2

    A platform-agnostic primer in droplet size terminology and industry standards.

    Building on the fundamentals from Part 1, this course introduces the aerial atomization models and the five key factors in determining droplet size: airspeed, nozzle type, orifice size, deflection and pressure. The models are used to illustrate the impact each factor has on droplet size, cementing the understanding required to effectively utilize the models in configuring a spray system for a target droplet spectrum category.

    Duration: 30 minutes
    Course ID: 25-EP-01

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the Agricultural Airman's Guidelines (AAG):

    137.II - Preflight Planning
    -- B - Product to be Sprayed
    -- J - Spray System Calibration, Characterization and Measurement

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the National Aerial Applicator's Manual (AAM):

    Chapter 3 - Preventing Pesticide Drift
    -- 3.1 - Factors that Contribute to Drift
    -- 3.2 - Minimizing Off-Target Drift

    Chapter 4 - Aerial Pesticide Dispersal Systems
    -- 4.1 - Dispersal System Requirements
    -- 4.2 - Liquid Dispersal System Components

  • The Impact of Each Droplet - Part 1

    A platform-agnostic primer in droplet size terminology and industry standards.

    A spray application (platform-agnostic) primer in droplet size terminology and industry standards. Topics covered include droplet size statistics, droplet spectrum categories, coverage and drift potential. As the first course in a same-titled series, it lays the foundations for more in-depth courses centered around optimizing aerial spray applications.

    Duration: 30 minutes
    Course ID: 24-EP-01

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the Agricultural Airman's Guidelines (AAG):

    137.II - Preflight Planning
    -- B - Product to be Sprayed
    -- J - Spray System Calibration, Characterization and Measurement

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the National Aerial Applicator's Manual (AAM):

    Chapter 3 - Preventing Pesticide Drift
    -- 3.1 - Factors that Contribute to Drift

    Brad Fritz, PhD

    Research Leader

    USDA-ARS Aerial Application Technology Research Unit

    Dr. Brad Fritz is an agricultural engineer and serves as the Research Leader of the USDA ARS Aerial Application Technology Unit in College Station, Texas. His areas of research include spray drift measurement and methods of mitigation, understanding the role spray nozzles and formulations play in the droplet size being applied and optimizing aerial application technologies and methods to enhance on target deposition and reduce off-target impacts. He is an active member of a number of professional organizations including the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, the American Society of Testing and Materials, the American Mosquito Control Association, and the National Agricultural Aviation Association.

Chapter 4 - Aerial Pesticide Dispersal Systems

This Chapter consists of the following sections: Dispersal System Requirements, Liquid Dispersal System Components, Electronics, Positioning Booms and Nozzles, Dry Material Spreaders

  • The Impact of Each Droplet - Part 2

    A platform-agnostic primer in droplet size terminology and industry standards.

    Building on the fundamentals from Part 1, this course introduces the aerial atomization models and the five key factors in determining droplet size: airspeed, nozzle type, orifice size, deflection and pressure. The models are used to illustrate the impact each factor has on droplet size, cementing the understanding required to effectively utilize the models in configuring a spray system for a target droplet spectrum category.

    Duration: 30 minutes
    Course ID: 25-EP-01

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the Agricultural Airman's Guidelines (AAG):

    137.II - Preflight Planning
    -- B - Product to be Sprayed
    -- J - Spray System Calibration, Characterization and Measurement

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the National Aerial Applicator's Manual (AAM):

    Chapter 3 - Preventing Pesticide Drift
    -- 3.1 - Factors that Contribute to Drift
    -- 3.2 - Minimizing Off-Target Drift

    Chapter 4 - Aerial Pesticide Dispersal Systems
    -- 4.1 - Dispersal System Requirements
    -- 4.2 - Liquid Dispersal System Components

Chapter 5 - Calibrating Aerial Application Equipment

This Chapter consists of the following sections: Why You Need to Calibrate Equipment, Equipment Calibration Methods

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Chapter 6 - Making an Aerial Pesticide Application

This Chapter consists of the following sections: Ferrying, Checking the Application Site, What to Watch for During an Application, Application Methods, Flight Patterns, Factors Influencing the Aircraft

  • Avoiding Wire Strike Accidents

    The basics of vision science and why wires need to be treated as an invisible hazard. Learn how to use support structures and hardware to determine the location of wires and ways to respond correctly. Classroom and dual cockpit instruction video provide supplementary training on how to scout for wires and apply safely around them.

    The basics of vision science and why wires need to be treated as an invisible hazard. Learn how to use support structures and hardware to determine the location of wires and ways to respond correctly. Classroom and dual cockpit instruction video provide supplementary training on how to scout for wires and apply safely around them. This course is based on the 2022-2023 PAASS Program's Human Factors module.

    Duration: 2 hours
    Course ID: 24-HF-01

    Note: If you are seeking C-PAASS credit, note that in-person completion of the Flying in the Wire and Obstruction Environment course (at Expo, a state meeting, etc.) satisfies this requirement and taking this online course is NOT REQUIRED. You will submit a copy of your in-person course completion certificate (provided by Utilities / Aviation Specialists) with your C-PAASS application. 

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the Agricultural Airman's Guidelines (AAG):

    137.V - Ferry and Approach to the Working Area
    -- C - Working Area Assessment

    137.VII - Application
    -- A - Determination of Flight Pattern
    -- H - Obstructions
    -- I - Trim Passes

    137.XII - Special Emphasis Areas
    -- A - Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

    This course's content falls within the following sections of the National Aerial Applicator's Manual (AAM):

    Chapter 2 - Operation and Application Safety
    -- 2.3 - Application Safety
    Chapter 6 - Making an Aerial Pesticide Application
    -- 6.2 - Checking the Application Site