Guys:
Since Stearmans lived a long time as crop dusters (as well as TBMs, B-17s, and the occasional Wildcat), I thought this might fit right in.
I'm at GML and honestly after seeing at least 70 P-51s yesterday I thought I saw it all. I opened up AOL this morning and there was an article on covered bridges in Washington County PA (where I grew up on a farm) and the lead pic was one of a bridge about 2 miles from home.
Well they carried the farm thing through a story about businesses that are going extinct, including on page 4: CROP DUSTING.
Aparently COMMERCIAL AIRLINES ARE PUTTING CROPDUSTERS OUT OF BUSINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://smallbusiness.aol.com/features/1 ... extinction
Crop Dusters: The number of crop dusters is dwindling, and the profession can be dangerous. Just several weeks ago, an Arkansas crop dusting company was ordered to stop flying in Iowa after spraying farm workers with a fungicide.
Odds of Survival in 10 Years: Farmers say that they'll always need crop dusters.
But commercial airlines are increasingly taking business away from the small, independent crop dusters.
You know I remember last summer when I was on the tractor doing some mowing and a Delta 747 swooped in from 40,000' and dumped a load of insecticide on the neighbor's place and then climbed back up to cruise and probably made it to Atlanta on time. Thank God he didn't have to make 2 passes .........
If you wonder about how news gets reports, think that if someone only took a second to call someone who knew anything .....
Mark H