Agricultural Aviation in New Zealand

[Rural53]

Aerial topdressing in New Zealand, both for seeding and spreading of fertilser, was experimented with in the 1930s. Following WWII the industry developed with surplus Tigermoth aircraft and surplus pilots.

Today this book turned up on the courier. I've known Neville for about twenty years, he published this book about eighteen months ago and I finally got around to ordering a copy. Neville is one of two topdressing pilots I know who started in Tigermoths and ended their careers flying DC-3s.

[skfarmer]

that would be an odd sight around here. no shortage of aerial application but mostly ag tractors and the occasional chopper. spraying, top dressing and aerial seeding are all very common. it is highly unusual for me to not have at least a few fly over my farm daily. i am close to the local airport and on an east west flight path.

it would be something to see those much larger planes at work.

[Rural53]

Here is a 1959 film from the Archives New Zealand showing the development of aerial topdressing in New Zealand.