A Study Guide for the National Certificate in Aerial Application of
Agrichemicals in New Zealand
SCOPE OF THIS MANUAL
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HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
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Aerial Applicator Performance Objectives
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1 Laws and Regulations for the Aerial Operator
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1.1 Relevant CAA Rules and Regulations
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1.2 Other legislation
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1.2.1 The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA)
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1.2.2 Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO)
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1.2.3 The Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997 (ACVM)
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1.2.4 The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 (HSE)
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1.2.5 Serious Harm
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1.3 NZS 8409:2004 Management of Agrichemicals
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1.3.1 Documentation
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2 Pest Management
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2.1 Aerial Application
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2.2 Vegetation and Weeds
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a) Weed Classification .............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Broadleaf Plants (Dicots) ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Grasses (Monocots) ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.1 Herbicides
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a) Selectivity ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Mode of Action ..................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Optimum Growth Stage ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Residual Effectiveness - ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.2.2 Herbicide Application Considerations
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a) The Shape and Surface Structure of Leaves ........ Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Weather ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Age of the Weed. .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Soil Type .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Soil Moisture......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
f) Cultivation Status................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.3 Insect and Mite Pests
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2.3.1 Insect and Mite Characteristics
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2.3.2 Factors Affecting Insecticide and Miticide Effectiveness
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a) Timing of Application ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Resistance............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Weather Conditions .............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Adjuvants ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Mixing Water Quality ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
f) Spray Tank Contaminants ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.4 Plant disease organisms—the disease triangle
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a) Fungi .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Bacteria ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.4.1 Controlling Plant Diseases
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3 The Product Label and Pesticide Safety
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3.1 The Product Label
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Priority Identifiers and Secondary Identifiers ............. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Additional information ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.2 Priority Identifiers
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3.3 Secondary Identifiers
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HSNO Pictograms .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.4 Risk
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Other hazardous properties ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.5 First Aid for Pesticide Exposure
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3.5.1 Poisoning
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a) Acute poisoning .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Chronic poisoning ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Pesticides on the Skin or Clothing ........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Pesticides in the Eyes .......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Inhaled Pesticides ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
f) Swallowed Pesticides ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
g) Cholinesterase testing .......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.6 Protective Equipment and Clothing
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3.6.1 Selecting PPE
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a) Protective spray suit ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Gloves .................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Cleaning and storage of protective clothing .......... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Absorption Rate on the Human Body.................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Respirator filter life................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.7 Employee habits
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a) Avoiding Use of Alcohol and Drugs ...................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Staying Alert ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Preventing Dehydration and Heat-Related Illness . Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.8 Dealing with agrichemical emergencies
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3.8.1 Agrichemical Leaks and Spills
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a) Cleaning Up Agrichemical Leaks or Spills ............ Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.8.2 Agrichemical Fires
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3.8.3 Misapplication of agrichemicals
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a) Incorrect Amount of Agrichemical Used ................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Applying the Wrong Agrichemical ......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Agrichemicals Applied to the Wrong Site or Crop.. Error! Bookmark not defined.
4 Safe Handling Techniques
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4.1 Communicating with the ground crew
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4.2 Transporting and storing agrichemicals
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a) Transporting Agrichemicals .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) What is a Dangerous Good?................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Purpose for carrying agrichemicals ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) How much may you carry? ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.2.1 General requirements for transporting all agrichemicals
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4.2.2 Refuelling Containers and transporting fuels
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4.3 Storing Agrichemicals
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a) The physical features of the store ......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Location ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Construction ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Spill Containment ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Security ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.3.1 Signs and Placards
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a) Specific signage – HSNO Regulations.................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.3.2 Managing the Store
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a) Records ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Containers ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Segregation .......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Emergencies ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Other equipment ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.3.3 Secondary Containment
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4.4 Handling agrichemical containers
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4.5 Mixing and loading
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a) Personal Protective Equipment............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Liquid Mixing and Loading Equipment .................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Closed Mixing Systems......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Safety Features. ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Dry Materials Loading Equipment ......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
f) Equipment Maintenance and Inspection ................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
g) Quality of the Mixing Water ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
h) Measuring Agrichemicals...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
i) Mixing Procedures ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.5.1 Cleaning equipment and containers
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4.5.2 Disposal of diluted (mixed) agrichemical
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5 Aerial Dispersal Systems
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5.1 General requirements
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5.2 Dispersal system components - liquids
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5.2.1 Spray Pumps
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5.2.2 Tanks and Hoppers
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a) Agitation ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Hoses ................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Valve .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.2.3 Spray Booms and Boom Couplings
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5.2.4 Flow Meter and Pressure Gauge
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5.2.5 Spray Nozzles
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a) Droplet production ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Cone pattern nozzles ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Fan-Pattern Nozzles ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Nozzle Anti-Drip Devices ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Rotary Atomizers .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
f) Spraying System Operating Pressure .................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
g) Electronic Sprayer Rate Controllers ...................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.3 Dispersal system components – solids
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a) Ram-Air Spreader................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Feed Rate............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Spreader Vanes .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Spreader Mounting ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Application Rate and Swath .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
f) Centrifugal Spreader ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
6 Aerial Application Guidance Systems
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6.1 Navigation methods
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a) Global Positioning Systems .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.2 Differential GPS
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a) Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) ........... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Commercial DGPS Services ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.3 Using DGPS for Aerial Application
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6.4 Computers, Spray Output Controllers, and Sensors
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6.5 Smoke generators
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7 Preparing for an Aerial Application
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7.1 Understanding the recommendation or work order
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a) Features and Limitations of the Aircraft ................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Pilot Qualifications ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Scouting the Target Site ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Agrichemical Label Restrictions ............................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Local Regulations and Restrictions (Regional Plans)Error! Bookmark not defined.
f) Resolving Conflicts ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.2 Operations Plan
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a) Plans for Managing Offsite Agrichemical Drift ....... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Planning for Emergencies..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.3 Emergency Information
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a) Flight Hazards ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Plans In Case of Engine Failure ........................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Application Equipment Malfunction ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Ground Crew Emergencies .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.3.1 Overspray, Drift, and Other Misapplication
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a) Spray or Dust Contacting Bystanders or Vehicles. Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Agrichemical Spillage ........................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.3.2 Agrichemical Spill Kit
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8 Calibrating Aerial Application Equipment
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8.1 Why calibration is essential
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a) Effective Pest Control ........................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Human Health Concerns ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Environmental Concerns....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Protecting Treated Plant Surfaces ........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Preventing Waste of Resources ........................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
8.1.1 Managing the Amount of Water Applied Per Hectare
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8.2 Calibrating Liquid Sprayers
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8.2.1 Tank Capacity
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8.2.2 Application speed
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8.2.3 Effective Swath Width
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8.2.4 Flow Rate
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8.2.5 Application Height
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8.2.6 Determining the Per Hectare Application Rate
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8.2.7 Determining the Amount of Agrichemical to Put into the Tank
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a) Changing Sprayer Output ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Changing Speed ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Changing Output Pressure ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Changing Nozzle Orifice Size ............................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
8.3 Pattern Testing a Spray Boom
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8.3.1 Spray pattern problems
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a) Leaks.................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Nozzle Problems .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Incorrect Droplet Spectrum ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Prop Wash Displacement. .................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) Prop Wash............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
f) Wingtip Vortex. ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Rotor Distortion. ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
8.4 Calibrating Granule Applicators
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a) Application ground speed ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Output Rate .......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Track spacing and swath width ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
8.4.2 Testing spread patterns
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9 Aerial Application Technology
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9.1 Checking the application site
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9.1.1 Ferrying
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9.2 What to watch for during an application
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a) Weather ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Hazards ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Field workers ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
d) Service People and Others ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
e) First and Last Runs of the Day ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.3 Application methods
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a) Application Speed................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Altitude ................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Obstructions ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.3.1 Flight patterns
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a) The Turnaround .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.3.2 Applying Granules
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a) Airspeed ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Application Height................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.3.3 Agrichemical Dust Applications
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a) Flammability ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
b) Ignition Sources .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
c) Ground Operations Preparations .......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.4 Factors influencing aircraft performance during application
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a) Density altitude ..................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.5 Controlling offsite agrichemical drift
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9.5.1 Minimizing Offsite Drift
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9.5.2 Spray Mixture physical properties
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9.5.3 Effect of Wind and Thermals on Drift and Offsite Movement
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9.5.4 Temperature Inversions
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9.6 Droplet Size
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9.6.1 Classification of Droplet Size
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9.6.2 Effects of Evaporation on Droplet Size
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a) Co-distillation ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.