Aerial Fertilising with Autair Helicopter
Photograph taken by Don MacCaskill and image courtesy of Bridget MacCaskill, Strathyre. Don was based as Head Forester at Inverinan from about 1960 through to about 1968 before transferring initially to Allean Forest and then Strathyre Forest in 1972.
A great series of photographs showing the first large scale helicopter aerial fertilising system used in Scotland circa 1969. The company Autair used a little Bell? Helicopter with two side pannier hoppers and spinners capable of taking 3 cwt of fertiliser in each side. There was no electronic guidance system and marking was carried out by men with flags on long poles. Usually there were three or more markers in a line which was fine when starting off on a ride but each man measuring accurately 10-12 or so yards each time across the plough furrows and through trees was a tall order. The marker was always fertilised as well but they often paced off to the next point just before the helicopter flew over them. All this served to create a fertiliser flight line with quite severe kinks in it after a time, much to the annoyance of the pilot.
Note the marker kitted with waterproofs and piece bag. It was quite an operation to set up and direct markers and also have another set ready when one area was finished as it would take quite a while to walk from one part of the forest to the next. All was much easier when compartments were regular shaped and about the same length as the fertiliser flight distance but that was often wishful thinking!
Can anyone indentify the location and marker - check next few images?
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Groups: Aircraft in Forestry Work, Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action