How much does a crop dusting plane cost?
Crop dusters fly in small planes that cost anywhere from $100,000 to $900,000. These planes are outfitted with special containers and dispersal systems that carry 100’s of gallons of liquid chemicals.
How much does a crop plane cost?
These planes are specially outfitted to be able to fly safely at low attitudes and drop the pesticides, water, and other payload items in a safe and efficient manner. In order to meet those highly specialized needs, the planes which ag pilots fly typically cost between $100,000 to $900,000, according to JobMonkey.com.
How much does a crop duster make?
The salaries of Aerial Crop Dusters in the US range from $34,800 to $147,890 , with a median salary of $76,150 . The middle 50% of Aerial Crop Dusters makes $76,150, with the top 83% making $147,890.
How many acres can a crop duster spray?
And the Federal Aviation Administration regulates the aircraft. Each plane holds about 500 gallons of chemicals and it takes the pilot about 45 minutes to empty a tank. One full tank can be used to spray about 100 acres.
Is there a demand for crop dusters?
Ag pilots are in high demand. Thanks to the recent farming boom, aerial application is a hot field. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, hours flown by crop-dusters rose 29% from 2003 to 2007.
Is crop dusting expensive?
Aerial application of fungicides and insecticides is the only answer. On average, officials said crop dusting costs between $15 to $25 per acre. Spraying corn fungicide, for example, is on the top end of the scale.
Why do crop dusters fly at night?
The rising cost of pesticides and increasing immunity built up by continuous spraying reduced the effectiveness of spraying in daytime. By implementing night application operations, you can increase kill rates by targeting those insects which travel down in plants in daytime and return to the top at night.
Are crop dusting planes always yellow?
Simple answer no they come in various color’s. The yellow ones are more favorable as they are called Air Tractor’s and suited better for crop dusting work.
How slow do crop dusters fly?
Over congested areas crop duster planes cannot fly below 1000 feet. Over rural land, they may operate at a minimum of 500 feet. While spraying crops, pilots have to do their best to reduce drift of the chemicals, which means flying as low as possible.
How hard is it to become a crop duster?
It requires tremendous skill and precision and takes a significant amount of training. If you are interested in becoming an ag pilot, NAAA offers a program called Compaass Rose, a series of education sessions in which veteran ag pilots introduce potential recruits to the world of aerial application.
Can crop dusters get life insurance?
If you are an Agricultural Pilot looking for life insurance or loss of license coverage Travers Aviation can help. Many agents rarely, if ever work with Aerial Applicator pilots. Travers Aviation works closely with several underwriters that provide preferred treatment for Ag pilots or crop dusters.
How much does it cost to be an ag pilot?
Training costs range from $50,000 to $70,000 for a private certificate, instrument rating, and commercial pilot certificate with ag training.