Aircraft
Agplanes gathered dust during trio of groundings
Cropdusters fondly call their craft the back-and-forth business.

Cropdusters fondly call their craft the back-and-forth business. Or at least “aerial application,” hoping to dust off their perception as noxious tumbleweeds. In the days following September’s terrorist attacks, aerial applicators operating under FAR Part 137, except those in firefighting, were more down-and-out than back-and-forth.

Cropdusters were grounded along with all U.S. civil aircraft on September 11. They then returned to the National Airspace System on September 14. On Sunday, September 16, James Callan, executive director of the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), got a call from the FAA at 8 a.m. ordering another ground stop for agplanes.

Loading…