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This is part of a letter I wrote several years back to my cropduster buddy explaining a flight Melbourne to Honkers with my son Michael who we call Moo. All cropdusters I know would like a shot at these big aeroplanes and all airline pilots I know would love to go cropdusting. I guess everyone is curious.


Here is part of my letter to my buddy crop pilot.

Yes I got a ride up front. Was invited to sit there for the entire trip but Menindee did me. What I observed was most interesting. Start all automated. Moo said computer would shut engine down if malfunction occurred.
The next thing, I observed and liked was the slow speed they taxied and turned. They however crossed the east west runway with a clearance but didn’t look outside the window to check.

The takeoff was also very interesting. Taxi height is about power wire height and it has an almost alarming nose high attitude before wheels leave runway. It seemed about ferry height. A pilot applies takeoff power and the computer automatically throttles back to climb power at 1000 feet. This movement is rapid and I find it alarming. I have had so many engine failures any change in engine noise makes me jump. However I notice Moo does this reduction by hand. I asked him why and he said that he too, when flying passenger, gets a fright with this automatic rapid power reduction.

We were business class. The seats converted to beds, electrically controlled just like the seats in an up market motorcar. One was totally isolated from other pax. I never saw Patsy unless we both extended our necks around a big plastic consol between us. Great if you feel you need solitude and great if you don’t want your wife to know when the stewardess serves you another Champaign. Otherwise just isolated. I’d prefer premium economy.
I told the cabin crew, the service was excellent, but asked if the pilots were any good. Always the answer was yes, your son is very good. No negatives, they say just what one likes to hear.
I returned to the front about a half hour before landing. The approach into honkers was long and drawn out. Reduce speed to 220 to comply with control for separation purposes. A large number of turns. Moo and first officer cursing about this. We broke about 700 feet. The automated voice advising when decision height was reached. As we approached the piano keys I was concerned we were too fast and wouldn’t touch until at least half way down the strip. Then the computer insulted the pilots by calling to them “retard retard”. It was at that moment the tyres squeaked. Where I figured we would touchdown is where we stopped. One sits very high and the speed is higher of course than the cropdusters I fly.

An enjoyable flight, great view. Moo said it was a good flight as it was daytime and sunny until Honkers which was overcast and smoggy. I would have enjoyed that flying if I was younger but not today with such long periods of inactivity. The advantage with ag flying is one’s mind is mostly always occupied and one doesn’t have to pay as much tax!

As a footnote. Moo is still flying Airbus but now the A350, the Boeing Dreamliner competitor. His brother Dennis (Mushy) is flying the Airbus 330. Dennis much prefers the Boeings. He says the inputs (Airbus) to the pole and other controls are adjusted by the computer and not what is affected (correct word ?) .