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Old 09-12-2018, 03:35 PM   #258
woofa.express
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Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Tocumwal, NSW, Australia
Posts: 1,745
Default Re: tell a Model A related story

New and stuffed up on a simple job.

Years ago when the cattle price collapsed (1974) followed by the super spreading businesses. Most of the ag pilots went and got instrument ratings. This was payed for by the government. Gough Whitlam was prime minister and he spilt more money before breakfast than the whole nation made each day.
Well silly old gary didn’t get an instrument rating, he went to Queensland and sprayed grasshoppers. A Piper Pawnee using phenetrothion at 6oz per acre. This was out of 6 nozzles, 3 each side. Well that’s so fine it’s not easy to see.
I was working south of Meandarra with a wartime pilot by the name of Gordon Robotham. Gordon had finished his job and was ready to return to Dalby. He asked if he could take my plane and leave me his because he still had a quantity of chemical remaining. This plane was set up with 2 of 9 gallon beer kegs in the hopper, they were pressurised by a bottle of nitrogen and the flow was achieved by turning on a home made tap located on the floor on the left. Two bolts welded to form a “T”.
I sprayed my last paddock. I remember it well. 200acres in a good rectangle. Sorghum for spur throated grasshoppers. Easy job and a big job for an aeroplane that doesn’t fly fast and has only an18 yard swath width.
On route home I noticed I had left the spray system on. Remember it was difficult to see such a fine low volume spray. I bent down and turned the spray tap 90 degrees and the flow stopped. I had flown the whole or part of the paddock with nozzles off but turned them on for the turns.
Well I was a new boy on that job and had no idea of what the company would say. I had no choice but to call the farmer with the boss and all listening. Told him he did not get a good job, didn’t elaborate, and if he was to check it in two or three days and let me know. I’d return and respray if necessary.
He did call back and agreed with me, that is , it was not a good job, however he said the little critters had lost their appetite and he expected they had finished devouring his crop. I surely must have sprayed part of that crop before my confusion with off/on.
Now that was pleasing. Pleasing that is on both accounts. Having some effect and not having to return because it was quite a distance.
The picture is a Pawnee but internet acquired.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg pawnee.jpg (19.7 KB, 5 views)
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Last edited by woofa.express; 09-12-2018 at 03:42 PM.
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