Loading by remote control

01-12-2009 | Not Specified

Is it safe and how does it work?

Seeing fertiliser being loaded into a plane by a remote-controlled crane generated plenty of conversation at the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association demonstration day in Blenheim.

Ray Patchett's automatic fertiliser loading system does away with a loader driver for about 70% of the year. This improves the cost efficiency for the Marlborough operator, particularly on the smaller jobs.

While Ray's GA200 Fatman plane is off spreading the load, an auger fills the bucket directly from the truck. On return, Ray uses the remote control in the plane cockpit to activate the crane, swinging the arm out to gently offload the fertiliser into the hopper in front of him.

"As the margin in spreading fertiliser by fixed wing has dropped I've had to become more efficient," Ray says.

Ray believes innovation and efficiency is key to keeping agricultural aviation viable. Marlborough farmers put on only about 5000 tonnes of fertiliser last year, excluding lime. This is what drove him to create the prototype three years ago. He estimates he has cut his cost of applying solid fertiliser by 25%.

It's fast. He can land, load and be in the air in 22 seconds if everything is going right. The truck with crane has other commercial uses, creating a second income stream.

Although his load is only 850kg, the Fatman needs only 235hp, giving it a power-to-weight ratio that's hard to match. For example, Ray calculates the Fatman lifts 3.6kg/1hp while a Fletcher under the new regulations will legally do 2.5kg/1hp and Cresco 1.8kg/1hp.

"It takes 6.5 litres of fuel to sow a tonne and has the lowest ferry costs, end of story."

In terms of safety, the crane has been designed to European Union OSH specifications and can carry one-tonne loads. It won't drop if a hose ruptures, unlike a standard loader.

The auger has a timer so only 850kg of fertiliser is loaded at a time. It has always switched off.

Ray replies to the critics on safety by saying he'd rather be in a plane with a crash-worthy cockpit - that has a crash bay (empty space) for the engine to go into and the seat behind the load and engine - than in an old Fletcher sandwiched between the load and the engine.

Not having another person around is no worry for Ray.

"If I don't come back the truck will automatically make three satellite calls.

"It's probably more reliable than a loader driver's cell phone."

Ray uses the system to load and fly on nitrogen, lime, super phosphate, NSD, seed, and carrots for 1080 applications.

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