Debugging Alfalfa FTLComm - Tisdale June 21, 1999 Its pretty close to the time when the bees will be set to work in the alfalfa fields around Tisdale and prior to their arrival in the fields it is a good idea to eliminate any and all competition. Early Monday morning aerial spraying began on the alfalfa field with a pesticide. Though the winds were stiff this is not
a bad situation for insect elimination. The twelve to fifteen knot breeze merely distributes the chemical a bit more then otherwise would be expected. However this mornings breeze was nearing the limit for the plane and pilot. These pictures were taken at 8:15 this morning as the spray plane was loading up for its third time.
Winds ripple across the prairie and make give an aircraft quite a bit of bouncing. With only ten feet to spare wrong air is not a fun experience for an aviator and he has to make sure the wings are level at all times. A nasty bunch can twist the aircraft and a wing or landing gear could make contact disrupting the pleasantry of the occasion One other factor this morning making aerial spraying a little more challenging was the high temperature and high humidity which make the air less dense and loads seem heavier and pilots describe the condition as "Mushy".